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Adrienne Phipps: New Artist Development Interview
Diversitá Opera Arts Company's New Artist Program is for beginning musicians who are seeking first hand professional experience in classical music. We are featuring Adrienne Phipps, an artist with a beautiful voice and grand potential to break grounds in the opera world. Here is an interview featuring the talented performer.
Diversitá: Tell us a little about where you are from and your musical background.
Adrienne: (I was a) choir student through school. I had a voice for singing, but I didn’t have the discipline to nurture and explore my talent. Life took over with marriage, parenthood, becoming a widow and a breast cancer survivor. I consider myself a late bloomer to this industry.
Diversitá: What created your love of classical music?
Adrienne: I have always loved different types of music. The experience of being in Porgy and Bess opened my eyes to so many different things about opera and classical music. I'm a late bloomer in the industry. I don't have the usual background of completing my degree in music or any major training. Porgy and Bess gave me the experience and opportunity to talk to people about their background (and learning about the) years of experience and the hard work it took to make it to the level of experience they have. I saw the dedication it took to do something that they were so passionate about. It was talking to the cast about their experiences and what it took to get into the world of performance.
Diversitá: Do you feel there is a stigma on minorities in the classical field? If so, how can we continue to dispose of this myth?
Adrienne: I would say there is still a stigma but there is so much talent out there. With opera companies like Diversitá Opera allowing me the opportunity to work with other singers and help me to grow is amazing. Diversitá Opera gives me hope to learn and find my space and turn it into something so I have the confidence to share. Most companies do not take the time to open their services to non or mid level talented people. But the people that I have met in the past year have shown me how they continue to break barriers with their talent. They travel all over the world and are respected for their talent. This gives me hope. Staying in touch with the people I met through P&B and they're continued work has been inspiring to me.
Diversitá: Do you believe that the New Artist Development Program will help your musicianship as an artist? In what way?
Adrienne: I firmly believe this opportunity to learn and nurture my craft will help me a great deal. To be accepted to this program is an honor. It gives me hope that someone heard me and believed in me. I don’t know where this will take me, but this program has meant an open door to a lot of learning, gaining experience and other opportunities I never thought of.
Diversitá: In this historical time when people feel discouraged, how do you believe the arts can contribute to healing the mind, body, and spirit?
Adrienne: It’s the release of pent up feelings inside. We have to release this terrible pandemic of pain, anxiety, rage, fear and turn it into love, hope, and respect. All the lessons learned can be found in many ways. Never giving up. Moving forward. We can perform beautiful music to soothe the soul. Artists are doing so many things now. It has been an eye opening experience (to see) people putting their raw talent out there for all to see.
Diversitá: Any final words to share?
Adrienne: We will make it through our joys and sorrows during this difficult time. I have always been a positive and upbeat person. Even with this trying situation we're in, I will continue to be uplifted.
Diversitá Opera Arts Company's New Artist Program is for beginning musicians who are seeking first hand professional experience in classical music. We are featuring Adrienne Phipps, an artist with a beautiful voice and grand potential to break grounds in the opera world. Here is an interview featuring the talented performer.
Diversitá: Tell us a little about where you are from and your musical background.
Adrienne: (I was a) choir student through school. I had a voice for singing, but I didn’t have the discipline to nurture and explore my talent. Life took over with marriage, parenthood, becoming a widow and a breast cancer survivor. I consider myself a late bloomer to this industry.
Diversitá: What created your love of classical music?
Adrienne: I have always loved different types of music. The experience of being in Porgy and Bess opened my eyes to so many different things about opera and classical music. I'm a late bloomer in the industry. I don't have the usual background of completing my degree in music or any major training. Porgy and Bess gave me the experience and opportunity to talk to people about their background (and learning about the) years of experience and the hard work it took to make it to the level of experience they have. I saw the dedication it took to do something that they were so passionate about. It was talking to the cast about their experiences and what it took to get into the world of performance.
Diversitá: Do you feel there is a stigma on minorities in the classical field? If so, how can we continue to dispose of this myth?
Adrienne: I would say there is still a stigma but there is so much talent out there. With opera companies like Diversitá Opera allowing me the opportunity to work with other singers and help me to grow is amazing. Diversitá Opera gives me hope to learn and find my space and turn it into something so I have the confidence to share. Most companies do not take the time to open their services to non or mid level talented people. But the people that I have met in the past year have shown me how they continue to break barriers with their talent. They travel all over the world and are respected for their talent. This gives me hope. Staying in touch with the people I met through P&B and they're continued work has been inspiring to me.
Diversitá: Do you believe that the New Artist Development Program will help your musicianship as an artist? In what way?
Adrienne: I firmly believe this opportunity to learn and nurture my craft will help me a great deal. To be accepted to this program is an honor. It gives me hope that someone heard me and believed in me. I don’t know where this will take me, but this program has meant an open door to a lot of learning, gaining experience and other opportunities I never thought of.
Diversitá: In this historical time when people feel discouraged, how do you believe the arts can contribute to healing the mind, body, and spirit?
Adrienne: It’s the release of pent up feelings inside. We have to release this terrible pandemic of pain, anxiety, rage, fear and turn it into love, hope, and respect. All the lessons learned can be found in many ways. Never giving up. Moving forward. We can perform beautiful music to soothe the soul. Artists are doing so many things now. It has been an eye opening experience (to see) people putting their raw talent out there for all to see.
Diversitá: Any final words to share?
Adrienne: We will make it through our joys and sorrows during this difficult time. I have always been a positive and upbeat person. Even with this trying situation we're in, I will continue to be uplifted.