Dirks wins musical prize to perform opera in Italy


Emily Dirks of Monticello performed an opera recital on April 28 at Luther College. The event was part of a $6,000 prize Dirks won through the college. She plans to use the money for a trip to Italy this summer to study and perform opera. (Photo courtesy of Natalie Rumer)

Dirks has performed in three opera productions during her time at Luther College. The senior plans to further her education at Louisiana State University this fall to pursue her master’s degree. This photo is from an opera Dirks took part in during the spring of 2016, “The Merry Widow” by Franz Lehár. (Photo submitted)
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     Aside from preparing to graduate from Luther College in a few weeks, Emily Dirks of Monticello is also preparing for a summer she’ll never forget. Her whirlwind adventurous summer is due to her talented musical career, as well as a recent performance prize.

     Dirks, a 2014 graduate of Monticello High School, will walk across the stage at Luther College on May 27. The very next day she leaves for a two-week trip to Germany with the Luther College Nordic Choir. After that, she’ll spend a week in France, followed by five weeks singing the title soprano role from Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte” in Italy. Dirks will return home to Iowa for a few short weeks before she relocates to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. All of her travels will allow her to expand her musical talents after Dirks graduates with a bachelor’s degree in music. Once in grad school, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in music.

     On April 28, Dirks performed several opera selections for a crowd of people at Luther, all part of being the recipient of a $6,000 cash prize, known as the Alan R. and Sally J. Brudos Family Opera Prize. Dirks is just the 16th recipient of the prize, with a purpose of assisting vocal students “with the extraordinary expenses involved in the preparation and pursuit of careers in opera performance.” The Brudos prize is the largest award given to a music student at Luther College.

     While Dirks secured a full-ride to Louisiana State, she plans to use the money to take part in an opera program while in Italy this summer.

     “I’m going to spend the summer singing and prepare myself for grad school,” said Dirks. “LSU has a huge voice program, so that’ll be a challenge.”

     During Dirks’ junior year at Luther she auditioned for the financial prize, along with six other people.

     “We are all really close friends,” she said of the caliber of music students who tried out for the award.

     Those who tried out had to maintain a high GPA and present a statement as to their future plans to continue their music careers.

     “There was a high level of candidates,” shared Dirks.

     After her audition, Dirks and her college roommate were headed out for the evening when she got the call that she was the recipient of the Brudos Prize.

     She said other than the academic qualifications, those students who could also demonstrate an overall wide selection of musical involvement were also in the lead. Dirks has been involved in three opera productions at Luther during her time there, the maximum a student can take part in.

     “I’ve been really fortunate that Luther gave me a lot of experience,” she said.

     The Brudos family was in attendance at Dirk’s recital, which was a treat to perform for.

     “They are so supportive of the arts here,” she praised. “And have been for many years. Their gift is a neat way to inspire people here, and to encourage people to prosper in music and performance.”

     As for the selections Dirks chose to perform during her opera recital, she wanted to make sure to include classical pieces.

     “I’ve been singing for a while, and there’s so much to choose from,” she said. “Yet there’s so much I’m not even aware of yet as a young singer.”

     Dirks relied on her music teachers: Beth Ray Westlund and Nicholas Shaneyfelt. It was Shaneyfelt who accompanied her on the piano during her hour-long recital.

     Dirks explained it was important to sing selections that feel good in her voice, and those that demonstrate her vocal range.

     “My voice won’t actually be fully developed until my mid- to late-20s,” she said. “That’s another reason I want to further my career in grad school.”

     Dirks, a soprano, said she chose works that seemed to speak to her, both musically and poetically, at this time in her life.

     “I also wanted to represent different languages with my recital,” she said. “And there are certain composers I like.”

     With the opera performances Dirks has been able to be a part of, she’s sang along with a full orchestra in two of the three shows.

     “That experience has been incredible,” she said. “Working with a conductor is a huge benefit.”

     She said the amount of opportunities music students get to perform while at Luther is a surprise to many.

     “As I’ve progressed, I’ve been awarded large opportunities,” she said.

     Dirks works with both a vocal coach and a voice teacher, both with different roles. She said these leaders in her life have helped her to learn and sing in different languages.

     “Opera is fascinating,” Dirks said as to why she chose that musical field of interest. “What opera singers do is super human; they’re quite unique. I want to understand how the voice works, and to sing classically.” She added that being classically trained would open more doors to her future.

     Since starting her undergraduate career at Luther, Dirks said it’s always been a goal of hers to see if she could even make it to audition for the Brudos Prize. Never did she anticipate being the winner.

     Dirks said many of the past prizewinners have gone to establish pretty incredible careers.

     Looking ahead, she said she feels she is not done learning, “which is why grad school is the best choice for me right now.

     “Most days I’m not ready to be done.”

     Dirks said.

     Her senior year at Luther has certainly been a challenge trying to balance so much and prepare for a busy summer.

     “I’ve been able to step out of my bubble,” she said. “There’s been a lot of faith involved and I’ve had to rely on so many people around me. A lot just really fell into place.”

     Dirks said her family and friends deserve just as much of the credit for their unending support. “I literally could not have done anything without their love and for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself,” she said.

     As Dirks’ days wind down at Luther, she has one more performance up her sleeve, a production that debuts May 11. Aside from preparing for her Brudos Prize recital, Dirks has also been busy learning her lines and rehearsing for opening night.

     “It’s been a lot to handle,” she shared.

     She is also diligently working on what she terms as her “mini thesis,” with the topic of women in music.

     “Why do we have to have labels in this industry?” asked Dirks of having to notate female performers or female leaders in the music industry. “I’ve grown very interested in gender studies, and I want to just focus on people’s musical talents versus their social classifications.”

     In Italy, Dirks will take on several performances while working on improving her foreign languages. She will take on two voice lessons a week, with a total of 20 hours of Italian classes.

     “I’ll be busy but it’ll all help me prepare for grad school while doing what I love,” she said.

     Dirks is the daughter of Mark and Jeanine Dirks of Monticello.

 

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