Payden Kilgore

May 2024 Update-

“We’re about to have our premier of the opera Dido and Aeneas in April here at NSU. I guess that will be my debut performance as Aeneas as well, so that’s very exciting. I do know we are planning to also have an opera in the fall as well so I’m looking forward to that. I’m about to be done with my sophomore year so Is going to start taking upper-level voice lessons in the fall. I know it’s early but I have started to think about what my next steps should be. I’m leaning toward some graduate study after I finish my BM at NSU so I’m trying to get some different graduate programs on my radar. 

I also had the pleasure to work with Maestro Timothy Long this past fall in a masterclass with Barbara’s other students. It was a great experience and I got to glean some wisdom from him on performance practices.”

“First of all, I would like to thank you for the award. The money will be put towards my tuition for studying music and will help minimize any college debt I might end up with. Then I would like to say I am deeply honored as this is the first time I have been awarded anything for my singing talents and I am further encouraged to continue my studies by any sort of recognition. I have really enjoyed growing and learning under Ms. McAlister and I am enjoying the fruits of that training with my voice. I hope I can continue to grow and maybe even make a career out of it”.

-Payden Kilgore