Adrienne Collins: The Sound of Music

Adrienne Collins admits that as a young girl, her only interest was music and singing, and her mother who homeschooled her had a difficult time keeping her daughter focused on other subjects. That love of singing has continued into her college years, where Adrienne, a music/vocal performance major, is making a name for herself across the country.

In January, she and fellow music student Kyle Mink garnered second place at the National Opera Association’s collegiate opera scene competition. And in February, she and Kyle earned third place in each of their age divisions at the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition in Olathe, Kan. In February, 2011, as a freshman, Adrienne earned first place in that competition.

Adrienne also advanced to the second round in a competition (the second round will be held this month) sponsored by Classical Singer magazine.

Adrienne isn’t sure where her talent will take her after she graduates, but those who have heard her sing have suggested that she try out for the Metropolitan Opera or Broadway musicals. “I didn’t come here knowing what I wanted to do (for a career), I just knew I loved music. It’s fun considering all these different things,” she says.

In her opera class in the spring of 2010, Adrienne and Kyle had performed a scene from “The Telephone,” by Gian Carlo Menotti, and Dr. Susan Carter, director of vocal studies and opera workshop director, sent a tape of it to the 2011 National Opera Association’s competition. Susan estimated 50 universities submitted pieces, and some submitted more than one. Adrienne and Kyle were named one of five finalists who were selected to perform at the national conference in Memphis, Tenn., in January. The other four finalists included students from University of Montevallo, Sam Houston University, University of Colorado-Boulder, and Brigham Young University, which took first place.

“We felt so honored to be in the finals; we were up against some pretty distinguished universities,” Adrienne said. “It’s so great for Missouri Western. I hope this is just a start.”

The students were also given the opportunity to attend workshops at the conference, and Adrienne said they were very helpful. Along with Adrienne and Kyle, freshman Donovan Jones attended the conference and provided accompaniment on the piano for Adrienne and Kyle’s performance. (Donovan earned first place in his division at the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition in February.)

Adrienne’s mother, a voice, piano and guitar teacher, served as Adrienne’s voice coach when she was growing up. As a member of the Christian Youth Theatre in Kansas City, Mo., in high school, Adrienne had roles of Marian Paroo in “Music Man,” and Snow White. The week Adrienne turned 17, she starred as Dorothy in St. Joseph’s Robidoux Resident Theatre’s “Wizard of Oz.”

 

Dorothy, she said, was a “dream role,” but since she’s been introduced to opera at Missouri Western, Adrienne said she now has a lot of dream roles in mind.

    She also directed scenes from “Godspell” and wrote two scripts for musicals for her church’s youth group, including a murder mystery and a musical revue through the decades, “Come Sail Away.”

     When Adrienne was a high school senior, she began taking voice, piano and choir classes at Missouri Western. “She had already done so much,” said Susan, who joined Western when Adrienne was a freshman. “I knew the potential was there.”

     In the spring of 2011, Adrienne had the lead of Christine in Missouri Western’s musical theatre’s production of “Phantom.” “It was very enjoyable, I love being on stage,” Adrienne said. She said Christine was a demanding role, but Susan taught her how to preserve her voice throughout rehearsals and performances.

     Adrienne also played Marie in a children’s comic opera on campus last fall. “Even though it was written for kids, the score was one of the most difficult I’ve done,” she said.

     Snow White, Dorothy, Marian, Christine, Marie; what’s next for Adrienne? “I don’t know,” she says. “I just love music and I love being on stage.”

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