Sometimes in life, all it takes is a leap of faith.
And that’s what it took for Karen Kelley to get to Southwest Baptist University and to her summer experience in Austria.
Karen began her college search early, visiting SBU as a freshman in high school. As a member of her high school band and choir, Karen also took part in the Ozark Honors Festival weekend at SBU during her junior and senior years. That is when she realized that the quality of music in and around SBU was top-notch.
But Karen still wasn’t sure if SBU was where she was meant to be.
“I had narrowed it down, my senior year, to five schools,” Karen said. “I did a tour (at SBU) and I met some of the faculty, but there were just other things I was looking into.
“Really, though, it came down to – they wanted me – and financially, they were the most-supportive, for sure.”
Karen remembers moving into the dorm and watching her parents drive away, still not sure she had made the right decision.
“Now I look back on it and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else – 110 percent a God thing,” she said.
The support that Karen has received from SBU faculty not only led to her getting involved with multiple musical opportunities both on and off campus, but to an opportunity overseas – another leap of faith for Karen.
“My professor and advisor, Dr. Robin Smith, told me that when she was in college, she had auditioned for AIMS (American Institute of Musical Studies),” said Karen, who earned her bachelor of science degree in general music with a performer certificate in May. “She said, ‘you should give it a try.’ So, I went for it.”
Karen auditioned in February, and a few weeks later received an email that she had been accepted to the six-week program in Graz, Austria.
“I have never been out of the country,” said Karen, who started the program on July 2. “They have an opera studio program and a Lieder or German art songs studio program.
“(The program) is a concert recital series around Graz and various cathedrals and local social houses. It involves a bunch of master classes with several world-renowned people, singers and conductors, as well as what they call movement classes and acting classes.”
Karen also had the opportunity to take two voice lessons a week and perform – something
that is a goal of hers, post-graduation.
“I am hoping to get into grad school to pursue a master’s in music in voice opera performance. The long-term goal would be to perform with an opera company, or several opera companies traveling around doing that or doing recital performance, which is hard to break into.”
Her involvement and experiences through SBU prepared Karen for the AIMS program.
“My most valuable experience at SBU was a lead role in ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor,’” Karen said. “It was good to get a role under my belt. And as many roles as you can do before going off is good.”
Karen, who is a mezzo soprano, was a Young Artist with the Springfield Regional Opera, performing in productions her sophomore, junior and senior years. She also took part in the Harrower Summer Opera Workshop in Atlanta, Ga., for three weeks in 2017, and had the opportunity to do opera productions in other languages.
At SBU, Karen immersed herself in the music community, including Chamber Singers, SBU Chorale, Jazz Ensemble, Wind Symphony, Community Choir, University Band (trombone) and Opera Theatre.
“It definitely forms community,” Karen said of her SBU experiences. “In the music building, it is very much a family; a community, which I think SBU, in general, is as well. In the music building, you do every waking moment of every day with these people, so you really get to know them.”
And, that includes the “amazing” SBU faculty.
“I was so impressed with that from Day 1,” Karen said. “My voice teacher has been the most-influential person in my time here. I’ve learned a lot from her. She’s also had a career in opera herself and has done some opera in Germany. I pretty much owe her what I’m doing right now.”
Karen also felt that her Christian faith was strengthened while at SBU.
“It challenges you in a lot of ways,” Karen said of the SBU environment. “You’re engrossed by it all the time, which is amazing about SBU – something you wouldn’t get at public universities. With Chapel, it’s great because you have student and faculty presenters and people coming in from outside; you get to hear from a lot of backgrounds. And, this past year was all about worship, so for me that was really cool, being a music major and making all of those connections.
“(SBU) is a family that challenges you in your walk with Christ, as well as your academic integrity.”