Let's Talk UNLV

Join Dr. Scales in an engaging conversation with Christian Shelton, a remarkable voice talent and Las Vegas native, on this episode of Let's Talk UNLV. Discover Christian's journey from discovering his passion for singing in high school to becoming a celebrated opera performer at UNLV. Learn about his family's musical legacy, influential mentors like Dr. Alphonse Anderson, and the transformative experiences that shaped his career. Christian shares memorable moments, including international performances, winning a national competition, and being featured in a Super Bowl commercial. Listen in to hear about his future plans, including an upcoming intensive program in Austria, and his aspirations to perform at renowned opera houses. Christian’s story is a testament to passion, perseverance, and the power of supportive mentorship.

What is Let's Talk UNLV?

Rebels, tune in to 'Let's Talk UNLV' with Dr. Tanya Crabb and Dr. Sammie Scales. Your express pass to everything UNLV — campus highlights, programs, and the latest buzz. Join us weekly as we chat with student leaders, administrators, and faculty, diving into the core of what makes us Rebels.

The program brings guests from different areas of UNLV every week to discuss campus highlights, programs and services, research interests that are essential to being a Rebel. Let’s Talk UNLV places its emphasis on connecting with student leaders who represent the voice of students on our campus. Guests also include administrators, faculty and staff responsible for upholding the mission of the university, which is teaching, research and scholarship.

Short, sweet, and Rebel strong – subscribe now for the inside scoop!

Unknown Speaker 0:00
This is a k, u and v studios original program. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 Jazz and more the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Unknown Speaker 0:20
Hello, UNLV to Public Radio, can you envy 91.5? I'm your host, Dr. skills. And I have a very, very special guest with me today. I have Christian Sheldon Hi, Christian. Hi,

Unknown Speaker 0:33
how are you?

Unknown Speaker 0:34
I'm doing great. Welcome to the show. Thank you. I am so happy that once I sent the email out to you that you actually accepted the invitation to come. So I'm really excited about that. I'm so excited to Great, great. Can you tell us your origin story? How did you end up here and this is how we start the show. How did you end up here at UNLV?

Unknown Speaker 0:51
Yeah, um, well, I'm born and raised in Las Vegas. And so were my parents, and my grandparents. Oh, wow. And my great grandparents also lived. Vegas is really like my home. It's my family's home, everyone lives here. My mom also went to unlv for her undergrad, oh, as well. And my dad also did a couple classes here after he got his undergrad. He went to Grambling State University. But I went to elementary school at International Christian Academy for elementary and middle school. And for high school, I ended up going to the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, which is a performing arts school, where I really found my love for singing. And then I ended up auditioning here at UNLV for the voice faculty. And long story short ended up coming here. And it was the best decision I could have ever been.

Unknown Speaker 1:48
Wow. So you say in high school, you went to a Musical Academy? Yeah. So what happened in middle school that you actually chose that route? Because something had to happen out there for you to go there.

Unknown Speaker 1:59
It's actually a funny story. Because my I had two friends who talked about wanting to audition for LVA. As the dance majors, I don't dance. And I didn't really sing at the time either. But I was like, well, maybe I could audition for theater. But I also didn't really act. So I was like, Okay, well, let's see what I can do. And my mom was really the one that was like, You should audition for voice. I think you would be great as a singer. And I was like, Oh, I don't really know. Like, I don't really sing in front of people like it kind of nervous. I don't know. So I went and I did my audition at LVA. And I didn't know what I was doing at all, like I sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow. And at the audition, you're supposed to do a sight reading example, as well. But I didn't know what sight reading was. It's like, you know, music stuff. And they said, are you willing to learn? And I said, Yes, I am. And I got accepted into the school and the rest is kind of history. Wow,

Unknown Speaker 2:57
that exactly. So it seemed like your mom saw something in you before you even

Unknown Speaker 3:03
my mom Wendy Shelton. Sheldon. Okay. And

Unknown Speaker 3:06
your dad's name, Allen show. Shout out to your parents. Mom has been supportive, even before they aren't. Always that is excellent. So, so you ended up here at UNLV? You know, after trying out? Well, that was in, you know, for the voice. Yeah. And you ended up here at UNLV. And what is it been like since you've been here at UNLV? Who was your instructors? Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 3:30
So my senior year of high school, actually, my choir teacher who I love dearly, Megan Frankie, she said you should start doing voice lessons. She goes, I see. You have something and you should keep going with music. And I said, Okay. And she set me up with Dr. Alphonse Anderson, who is a longtime professor here at UNLV voice. And I was so nervous to go and see him I was like, I don't know I've ever done a real voice lesson. And with a college professor, I don't know how this is gonna go. But I went and he we instantly connected and he, he understood my voice and me so well. And I auditioned for other schools for college. But ultimately, I decided on UNLV because of the connection and the way he was able to work with me and my voice from the first lesson we ever had. And so many people were like, We you can go anywhere you should leave Las Vegas go somewhere else and sing here, here, here and here. But if I did, I wouldn't be able to do all the great things I have done. Now. You know? Yeah. So

Unknown Speaker 4:35
were you singing in any other places before you got to the level where you where your mom said Yeah, you should try out for this. What are you singing in church choirs or anything to that effect? No, no, no.

Unknown Speaker 4:46
I really I wasn't thinking anywhere. Not what about in the shower in the shower? Okay, but back then I literally I was singing nowhere I didn't perform. I put the last time I performed in front of an audience singing would have been in third grade. Why? Yeah, this is

Unknown Speaker 5:01
so incredible in such a, I'm so excited about this. I'm literally I know the audience can't see me but sitting on the edge of my seat doing this interview, because the thing is you have done amazing things. Thank you since being in music. Yeah. And this is from someone who moms, yeah, you should try out. And could you now? So let's, let's get into this interview here. So was there a particular thing that inspired you to do classical musical opera? Despite your hesitation? Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 5:30
I think, um, when I started here at UNLV, I didn't know if opera was really what I wanted to do. I had some and still do have so many passions, in contemporary music and pop music, r&b, jazz. And opera was like, I knew I wanted to have classical voice lessons, because I know that helps in all genres of music. But I had to figure out what I really wanted to do. And I remember the exact moment that opera really had a grip on me as I was sitting in a class that we call studio, it's where everyone, and who's a student of my voice teacher, we all come together and sing for each other. And there was one student who was a doctoral student at the time, and she sang an Italian ARIA called voy Llosa pate. And I remember I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I said, Well, this is what I want to do. This is so so good, that what she was doing with her voice was like, nothing I heard before. And I was like, I want to do that, too. Wow.

Unknown Speaker 6:28
That is amazing. And so you just decided then okay, this is what I'm gonna do. And I'm gonna do so have you actually sang opera here on campus or in any other arenas at all?

Unknown Speaker 6:39
Yeah, um, and it's been a journey. I'm going through my freshman year, the fall of 2019. Through the pandemic, and coming back, you know, it. It's been interesting because we started doing what we call opera workshop classes, which is just small scenes from operas, but not fully staged operas. But after the pandemic, I auditioned for my first opera, fully staged opera, and I got a small role. And then just this past there this semester, actually, in March, I was the lead and the official UNLV opera. For the spring. It was a French opera called the country where I sang the role of the country.

Unknown Speaker 7:18
Wow, that is amazing. So what's your favorite opera song to actually say?

Unknown Speaker 7:22
It's, um, it's called an aria from Strauss's DeRozan Cavalier. It's called DD Gauri armato, El Sereno, and it's just a roll. He actually just walks on and sings at one Aria, and he's done. Wow.

Unknown Speaker 7:37
Even just the name of the song sounds good. Oh, it's beautiful. That is excellent. So how, as accepting how well I guess I shouldn't ask you that. I was gonna ask you how accepting of your parent been, but your parent had been very supportive.

Unknown Speaker 7:52
Parents ever.

Unknown Speaker 7:53
So how did you experience with Professor Alfonso Anderson shape your journey and pursuing music here at UNLV? What was special about him? In particular? Yeah, because it sounds like he'd have a huge part in this huge heart. So what was the connection? How did that happen?

Unknown Speaker 8:09
So I think, an opera a lot of the times, you want to be able to connect with someone on a more personal level, and I can with him, he's a black man. And often an opera, you don't see a lot of black male figures. But he's someone who, since the beginning of his journey, and Opera has always known what he wanted to do. And he inspires me so much through that. And I think being able to see someone doing something that I love doing as well, has been the most inspiring also, he is an amazing singer and a great teacher. And he's really relaxed in his teaching, he's not so on you. And he lets you kind of figure out problems for yourself or solutions for issues that you have with his guidance, which is a good way that I learned.

Unknown Speaker 8:59
Wow, that's excellent. And you know, that's the thing that, you know, I guess some people may not think about is when you're in a field such as yours to see someone that look like you in that field, that sense of belonging is absolutely incredible. When you sin you in particular seeing another black man doing what you like to do. Absolutely. And how what is it like knowing that you are inspiring those that those black boys and girls that are coming behind you?

Unknown Speaker 9:23
Yeah, that's something I haven't thought about that much. But I guess I it's, it's encouraging, you know, because I can be that for them as the past opera greats a word for me like Jesse Norman Leontyne Price and all of the great past singers of opera as well. And for me to be that for someone is it's really humbling. Absolutely.

Unknown Speaker 9:44
Because you know, there are times even before I met you, I physically met you today for the first time, I don't know maybe 20 minutes ago. But prior to that, I've heard your name many times here on campuses, and different meetings that I've attended. And I kept thinking he got the last same last name as my fraternity brother. So I need to check and see if there's any relation. So you're doing something amazing because your names coming up in all of these different meetings and personal conversation that people are having. I don't know in Starbucks line, I hear your name. So that's absolutely amazing. I'm so honored to have gotten to meet you think I was waiting for this day. Okay, can you share some memorable highlights from you performing from your performance with the UNLV? Choir? Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 10:30
we so lot. I've been in UNLV choirs for the past all of my undergrad. So we've had great performances, I think last year was a major highlight, because we actually got to go out of the country for the first time we went to Germany Oh, and the Netherlands, Belgium. And we had such a great time we performed in, like the most beautiful cathedrals you could imagine. Wow. And the size of some of these, like the cathedral in Cologne, Germany is you can see it from any place in the city. It's so huge. And we got to sing inside of it, which was just amazing. I think being able to do that with like, your friends is so special because you prep all this music. We sung all the music the whole year. And then we had rehearsals, and then we got on a plane and we laughed. And we sung it all together. And it was such a like a joyous occasion to sing with my friends, but also so special to make music in the countries that so many of these famous composers are from and where they would have written the music hundreds of years ago.

Unknown Speaker 11:31
Wow, that is absolutely amazing. I'm sitting here thinking now, you know, a person could actually get chills from thinking about Pavarotti sitting, writing. And you're singing in the same venue that he's possibly Yeah. Wow. That's amazing. So what role do you feel mentorship from faculty members played in your development as a musician during your time here at UNLV? Well, there anyone other than our professor Alfonso Anderson, what people have inspired you

Unknown Speaker 12:00
the honestly the entire voice faculty and the school of music as a whole has been so supportive of me in all of my years here at UNLV. Everyone always reaches out and tries to give me performance opportunities and kind words, words of wisdom. And everyone I could I could go on. But everyone from the opera side to the voice side to the jazz side, everyone has been amazing.

Unknown Speaker 12:26
That is fantastic. And you're ready to graduate. Soon, this week, this week. Wow. I know you have one graduation coming up that you have actually performing that. Yeah, on on Friday. Yeah. And then I think the main graduation is on the 11th on the 11th 11th. But the good thing about all of this, even though you're graduating, you're coming back. I am. Yeah, so we're not. We're not losing, you know, at some point, you're gonna be back here in the seat. That's excellent. So there was a competition that you that you were in, in and you won second place in 2020 14, the National Opera Association collegiate opera scenes competition. Could you tell us a little

Unknown Speaker 13:05
bit about that? So that was UNLV. Opera. You'll never yawn. David? One second, please. I was not there. Okay, but I've heard of the program, but but I was not there. That was a different scene.

Unknown Speaker 13:17
Oh, okay. Okay, not a problem. So what are you most looking forward to about your common experience over in Austria? Because tell us about that? Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 13:25
So I'm going to Ames, which is the American Institute of musical studies in Graz, Austria, and it's a six week intensive program for classical musicians. So they're singers, pianists, instrumentalists, everyone is going to be there for six weeks, and we get to do language courses. We get to coach Arias, and art songs with coaches from all over the world, we get to sing with orchestras, which is something really rare for especially young singers like us to be able to sing with a full orchestra arias from operas. So it's a huge, it's a really big deal. And my teacher, Dr. Anderson, who we were talking about, he's been going there for the past. He's been teaching there, I should say, for the past 20 years. Wow, as well. So he goes every summer, and I'm finally excited that I get to do it this summer. It's going to be great. And I have 234 friends coming with me as well. So yeah,

Unknown Speaker 14:21
wow. So how did it work? Is there is there a process where you were selected for this? Or you just said, Hey, I want to go and he said, Okay, you can go

Unknown Speaker 14:28
so there's an audition. And it was a zoom audition with two people who are also at the program. And you give them a list of Arias that you know, and you sing one and then they pick one or two more for you to sing for them. And then after that, they'll send you an acceptance letter if you make it a scholarship and it goes from there. Wow.

Unknown Speaker 14:50
Yeah, it seemed like pretty much everything that you enter when it comes to voice you're accepted for it. Have you looked at any of the and this may be you'd like, you know, beneath you, but I'm gonna ask this question. Have you looked at any of the shows like America talent? Or, you know, those kinds of shows on TV competing in any of those?

Unknown Speaker 15:12
Yeah, I have. I've looked at a couple of those. I think I, you just have to know really what you want to do with those kinds of shows. I think. Often, people go on the shows, and they have to figure out what really the direction they want to go in. And sometimes it's limited by what the producers want as well, because it's TV. So it has to go a certain way script. Yeah. So I think for myself, I thought about it, but maybe after I get my degrees maybe and see where I am thinking about auditioning for one of those. Yeah, I do like watching them. No, I think they're fine. Wow.

Unknown Speaker 15:46
Okay. Are there any, any one on the show that you'd be like, Oh, I don't know, that person should have competed, you know, on live TV singing like that.

Unknown Speaker 15:57
I think. I think everyone should always do what they want to do. I think for myself, I always say, if you're not passionate about what you're doing, you can't really be successful or have fun at it. So I think if you're having fun, you should keep going. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 16:13
definitely. You know, just like me working here at UNLV. I absolutely love what I do. And for me, it's really not like coming to work, even though it's coming to work. Because I love doing it. Yeah, you know, I've had jobs where I dreaded getting up every day and dreaded going there and didn't want to be there. But, you know, since I've made the transition over into higher ed, I've never had a day like that I'm doing what I love. I'm doing what I'm passionate about. And actually, I've said often I do this for free of, you know, deciding when to stop me because I like helping students to see them successful. That's great. Yeah. So have you served as a judge in any singing competitions or anything at all?

Unknown Speaker 16:52
Actually, yes. Um, every year, the NBA Summer League comes to Las Vegas. And they have young singers audition to do the national anthem for the games. And last year, I was a judge one of the special guests judges for the national anthem competition for the NBA. And I'm doing it again this year. Wow. Yeah. Wow.

Unknown Speaker 17:13
Your name is out there. Is there anything else big that you've done that that may have gone national?

Unknown Speaker 17:21
Yeah, just actually last year in San Francisco. I competed in the classical singer competition, which is the one of the biggest national competitions for classical voice. And I actually will, it was my first ever national competition. And I won. In my division, I got first place. And I was so so thrilled. I was really shocked and surprised. But it was really special. Because my whole family was there. My parents flew out to San Francisco with me as well. And my brother, who went to school, he got his master's in San Jose, he drove down as well to San Francisco, San Francisco, because it's just like a 40 minute drive. So he was also there to see me went and so it was really special.

Unknown Speaker 18:01
Oh, wow. That is great. Great. I hope they took plenty of pictures they did. Anything else that you've done, where your voice has been heard nationally. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 18:10
Also, back in 2021, I got a direct message from someone on Instagram and said, Hey, we love your voice and want you to be a part of a commercial. And I said, Oh, that's interesting. And she said, What's your email, it doesn't send you more details. And I sent my email. And I got an email saying, Hey, we would love for you to be part of and indeed commercial, which is the job search company, indeed, for the 2021 Super Bowl. And I said, Oh, wait, that's really insane. I was like, that's where does that come from? Like, who How did they find me? And then I got on a call with them. And they said, we are trying to highlight up and coming singers, people who are new to the industry and give them a platform to sing on. And we saw your cover of rise up by Andrea day on YouTube. And we all loved your voice so much and that you would be great for this. So they sent me an offer. And it was amazing. And I was like I have to do this site. It was the best. It was the best ever. I mean, I can't imagine. Wow. Yeah. Wow. It was crazy.

Unknown Speaker 19:19
How excited Were your parents?

Unknown Speaker 19:20
I mean, so excited. You're supportive, biggest supporters ever. And they were so excited for me. And it was it was really special. And it was weird to keep it a secret for a little bit because they asked me at the beginning of January. And we know Superbowl is the first week of February. Yeah. So it happened really, really fast. We couldn't tell anyone until the week of but it was so great. We actually recorded the entire commercial in my house over zoom. Yeah, because it was during the pandemic so we couldn't go anywhere and people really couldn't come to us. So we did everything over zoom in my house. Wow,

Unknown Speaker 19:55
that was excellent. And I actually did a little bit of research and actually saw the video. I think it was on YouTube. Oh, your family reaction? Oh, yes. Yeah. So

Unknown Speaker 20:06
yeah. My whole family was there.

Unknown Speaker 20:09
Excellent. Excellent. That's great. That's great. So, can you tell us about specific challenges that you face pursuing your bachelor's degree here at UNLV? Or if you've had any challenges because it sounds like everything has been perfect for you? Honestly,

Unknown Speaker 20:22
I everything has gone great. Um, personally, I've actually I think we've, there's, of course been hiccups. Not with anything here. But just the situations of life, like the pandemic and last semester, but I think we've just been, you have to be resilient. And I think all of the students here have been, and I think I tried to always keep a positive mindset. And that's really helped me a lot and my journey here.

Unknown Speaker 20:49
Excellent. What year did you graduate high school?

Unknown Speaker 20:51
2019 2019. Okay,

Unknown Speaker 20:53
so you actually had a graduation? I did I was the yearbook. Okay. Yeah. Because that class of 2020. Do. Question and hopefully, you know, with the with what's happening now, I'm hoping that these students will be able to get a graduate. Yeah. So that would be great. How do you plan to apply the advice you've received from UNLV faculty, and your own experience and pursuing your master's degree?

Unknown Speaker 21:19
Yeah, I think the most important thing that we learn as musicians and performance majors is how to always present yourself in a positive way. I think you always have to keep a good attitude. And I think you always have to be prepared. I think those are the biggest things. And if you are those things, you can succeed, and you can go really far. So

Unknown Speaker 21:45
you always keep a song handy. When asked you to just sing right on the spot?

Unknown Speaker 21:51
Well, maybe I don't really I think once you kind of know a bunch of songs, you don't really have to think about it. But like, if someone asked me to sing something specific, I'm like, Yeah, I can sing it. Yeah. Okay.

Unknown Speaker 22:02
Excellent. Excellent. We'll definitely get a chance to hear you on Friday night at, like, rad at Friday night. Is there a place that you would like to sing that you've not seen it yet? And then the Part B of that question is, is there a particular artists that you would like to say were

Unknown Speaker 22:19
both really good questions. I think for my love of opera, I would love to sing at the Mac, the Metropolitan Opera House, a huge dream. And last year, my family, we went to Italy over the summer, and we got to see La Scala, which is the most famous opera house in Italy. And we got to actually tour the inside of it, and it was really special. So either of those two, I would love to sing in it's a huge dream, and they're beautiful, beautiful halls, a particular artists I would love to sing with Well, my favorite artists is Beyonce. So I'd love to sing with Beyonce. Wow.

Unknown Speaker 22:52
That's a huge switch from operators.

Unknown Speaker 22:56
Oh, yeah. It's my Spotify is crazy.

Unknown Speaker 22:59
Who's your runner up then?

Unknown Speaker 23:02
I don't know. I don't know. Because I think I have artists that I love, but I wouldn't want to sing with them. I think it's interesting because like, as an opera singer, who also sings pop music, it kind of goes back and forth. I don't know. It's tough to like really say, but I love listening. Beyonce is everything but then on the other hand, I love listening to Strauss and Puccini and all the operas. Yeah. So Excellent.

Unknown Speaker 23:25
Excellent. I actually have a opera CD in my car. Wow, I'm writing in my truck. So yeah, so that I try to keep a vast variety of music that I actually listened to. So Pavarotti is great. Yeah. And in the city

Unknown Speaker 23:39
is very old. So he's my favorite. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 23:42
So what advice would you give incoming students as to interested in pursuing a career in music,

Unknown Speaker 23:48
I would say, the biggest thing is you have to your heart has to be in it. I think you if you know, this is what you want to do, you will succeed. I think you have to always stay positive. You have to accept your technique. You have to accept your voice and who you are, where you are in that moment. Because you I remember, when I was a freshman, I see grad students and seniors and doctoral students who be like, Gosh, I wish I sounded like that. Then I realize, Wait, these people are 10 years older than me, and they've already had so much training. So you have to really be realistic with yourself and know, you will get there as long as you stay consistent. And as long as you keep practicing and keep loving what you're doing. So

Unknown Speaker 24:33
do you practice at home and with your with your family members here and you say

Unknown Speaker 24:36
all the time? Oh, wow, they

Unknown Speaker 24:38
get a free concert? to it. Yeah, it's really loud. So when you get ready to graduate and get ready to start your master's program, have you started laying the groundwork for actually taking some of these classes that you took when you first came?

Unknown Speaker 24:49
It's interesting you say that because I we take a class called vocal pedagogy where we learn about the anatomy of the voice and the larynx and how to teach young INGOs and in the fall, I will actually have my first voice student that I've ever had. So I'll have to know how to start teaching them how to know how to know how to pick repertoire for them, what's appropriate for them to sing at this age and that whole thing because you as a teacher, you never want to mess up your student. So yeah.

Unknown Speaker 25:19
Excellent. That's fantastic. Fantastic. So with your busy schedule ahead, including starting a master's program, how do you plan to balance your academic pursuits? And continue performing also?

Unknown Speaker 25:31
Yeah, I think the, the biggest thing is to just know to schedule everything. So like, if I don't schedule, when I'm going to do homework, when I'm going to practice when I'm going to sing. I'll mess up my schedule, and something's gonna fall through. So I always try to keep it consistent. Wow.

Unknown Speaker 25:49
Now, when it comes to going on trips, and stuff like that, do you travel a lot? I noticed this summer, you say you're gonna take for three or four of your friends. We're all going to the same program. Yeah. So when you go to other places, do you? Do any of your family members go with you, like your mom? Or your dad may go?

Unknown Speaker 26:04
Yeah, always, my parents are the best. So they always will take time off and come with me. Wherever we have to go,

Unknown Speaker 26:10
man, it sounds like your support system is absolutely amazing. So plus, that is great. Now, one final question here. What advice would you give to a student that, you know, may have another major and want to switch over to music and realizing, you know, a little bit later that, hey, you know, maybe I should be a music student instead of, you know, being an English major, what advice would you give to those students, that

Unknown Speaker 26:36
happens actually quite a bit, because there's people and they have the drive for music, but they're like, I just don't know if this is something that's realistic. For me, it's this thing that I could actually be successful. And I know people personally, who I think would be the most amazing music majors, they can write music, they can compose, they can arrange, they can direct groups, they can sing really, really well. But they just don't, they just don't know if it's for them, I think I would say to them, you have to follow your heart. Like I said earlier, you have to do what you really love doing. So if music is what you love doing, you will be successful in it because you have the drive to want to get better, and to keep going with it. But if your drive is to be an English major and you want to be an English, then that's what you should do. I think anyone business majors, if that's what you'd love doing, do business. So I think I think that's what I would say is really follow your heart. And that accessible come? That's

Unknown Speaker 27:33
excellent, excellent. You know, one of the questions that I try to squeeze in all the time is, you know, if money was not an issue, and you can go anywhere in the world, to, you know, start whether it's a music school, or do whatever it is you like, what would you do? If money was no issue at all?

Unknown Speaker 27:54
That's a good question. I think I was sent him into Italy last year with my family, and I loved Italy. I don't speak the language. I can understand some things I don't I don't speak it. But I think Italy is such a great place for voice for classical music and opera. Because there everyone knows that. Because it's like a part of their culture is to know, opera, you know, here, it's different. But I think that's where I would go. That's what I

Unknown Speaker 28:25
would do go to Italy. Yeah. Okay. Sounds great. Great. So what, what's your hope for UNLV? When it comes to their music department? What's your hope for that for UNLV? Here,

Unknown Speaker 28:35
I think I hope that it keeps growing. I think in the last couple of years, it has been growing quite a bit. We've had great professional artists come in and give master classes and they will help us young singers and older singers. And I think more and more people should come because we have such amazing voice faculty hear. Everyone who comes through here has positive experiences, and everyone leaves better than when they came. And I think that is a real sign of good teaching.

Unknown Speaker 29:05
Excellent. Excellent. That's fantastic. Thank you so very much for this interview. I'd really appreciate the interview. I was eager to do it.

Unknown Speaker 29:15
So thank you for having me.

Unknown Speaker 29:16
This is great. And you know, in closing, I definitely want to shout out to your parents again for letting us be a part of you here on campus. And like I say, I've seen you once on campus walk in and it was like an entourage follow you so you're very well liked and love to hear on this campus. And I appreciate this interview. Thank you so very much. Thank you. All right. And that's a wrap.

Dr. Renee Watson 29:43
For more or less talk UNLV Be sure to follow us on social media where you can get the latest updates on the show plus great behind the scenes content. We're on Facebook and let's talk about all the podcasts, Twitter, let's talk UNLV and Instagram and let's talk UNLV

Transcribed by https://otter.ai