From Opera Singer to Juilliard Student: My Musical Journey

My name is Lilli, and I am currently a student at Juilliard. I was born in Germany and started my musical journey as an opera singer. After moving to the United States, I decided to pursue my passion for music and study at Juilliard. Here is my story.

Introduction

From a very young age, I have always loved music. I can remember being four years old and singing along with my mother as she played the piano. Music has always been a huge part of my life. When I was eight, I started taking piano lessons and shortly after that, I began singing in the school choir. In high school, I was a member of the varsity choir and we competed in many competitions. I also took part in school musicals and local community theatre productions. After high school, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in music.

I attended college for two years and then transferred to Juilliard, where I am currently a student. Juilliard is one of the most prestigious music schools in the world and I feel very lucky to be here. Being a student here is demanding, but it is also very rewarding. I am surrounded by incredibly talented people and we are all working towards our common goal of becoming professional musicians.

My time at Juilliard has been an incredible journey and I am grateful for every opportunity that I have had here. Music has always been a part of my life, but attending Juilliard has allowed me to truly explore my passion for it. Who knows where my musical journey will take me next?

Early Years

I was born in Moscow, Russia and began taking piano lessons when I was five years old. When I was nine, I started studying at the Central Music School attached to the Moscow Conservatory—one of the most prestigious music schools in the world. I was a student there for seven years, until I graduated in 2001.

First introduction to music

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love music. My earliest memory is of sitting on my grandfather’s lap, listening to him play the piano. I was transfixed by the sound of the keys and the way my grandfather’s hands moved effortlessly over them. From that moment, I knew that I wanted to make music a part of my life.

My parents enrolled me in piano lessons when I was five years old, and I quickly developed a love for the instrument. Though I enjoyed other genres of music, I found myself particularly drawn to classical music. There was something about the complexity and elegance of Mozart’s compositions that spoke to me in a way that other music didn’t. As I grew older, my passion for classical music only intensified, and I began to dream of one day becoming a professional opera singer.

Though my parents were supportive of my musical aspirations, they encouraged me to pursue a “practical” career as well. In their minds, becoming a musician wasn’t a viable option because it wasn’t a steady or reliable source of income. Reluctantly, I agreed to study finance in college with the goal of eventually working in investment banking. But even as I pursued my degree, I continued to take voice lessons and perform in local opera productions..

First singing experience

I was seven years old when I first sang in front of an audience. It was at my school’s talent show. I remember being so nervous, but when I started singing, all my nerves went away. I sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. After that day, I knew that singing was what I wanted to do with my life.

I started taking voice lessons when I was eight years old. My teacher was amazing and she quickly saw how passionate I was about singing. She encouraged me to audition for local youth choirs and theaters. I started doing community theater when I was ten and that’s when I fell in love with musical theater. My favorite thing about musical theater is that it combines two of my passions: acting and singing.

When I was twelve, I auditioned for and was accepted into the Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division. This is a prestigious program for high-level musically-trained students who are still in high school. It was a huge honor to be accepted and it meant that I would get to study at Juilliard for four years, until I graduated high school.

High School Years

I never thought that I would be where I am today. When I was in high school, I was an opera singer. I never thought that I would go to Juilliard, one of the most prestigious music schools in the world. But, here I am. My journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been worth it.

Finding my voice

Opera singer, Juilliard student—these are not the things I ever thought I would say about myself. When I was younger, music was always a big part of my life. My mom is a piano teacher, so I grew up taking piano and voice lessons and going to concerts. But it wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I really started to find my passion for music.

I had the opportunity to participate in my school’s production of The Sound of Music. I was cast as one of the lead roles, and it was then that I realized how much I loved performing. After that experience, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in music.

Since then, I have worked hard to develop my skills as a singer and musician. I have performed in numerous productions and competitions, and last year I was accepted into the prestigious Juilliard School for music performance.

I am so grateful for the opportunities that music has given me. It has allowed me to travel, meet new people, and experience things that I never would have otherwise. It is my hope that through my passion for music, I can inspire others to find their own love for this incredible art form.

Opera training

Though I had studied piano and voice since I was a child, it wasn’t until I was in high school that I began to take my music seriously. That’s when I started training as an opera singer. I attended a performing arts high school, which meant that I had the opportunity to take classes from some of the best music teachers in the country. In addition to my regular high school classes, I took vocal lessons, music theory classes, and sight-singing classes. I also participated in my school’s chorus and orchestra. By the time I graduated, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in music.

I was accepted to Juilliard, one of the world’s most prestigious music schools. It was a dream come true! For the next four years, I studied classical singing with some of the best voice teachers in the world. In addition to taking classes, I had the opportunity to perform in several operas and musicals. Juilliard is a very competitive environment, but it was also an incredibly supportive community. My classmates were some of the most talented musicians in the world, and it was an honor to learn alongside them.

College Years

It was the summer after my freshman year of college, and I had just finished my first year of study at the Eastman School of Music. I was home for the summer, working as a lifeguard and waiting to hear back from schools about summer programs. I had applied to a few operatic programs but was not sure if I would get in to any of them.

Juilliard auditions

The Juilliard School is one of the most prestigious music schools in the world, and I was lucky enough to audition for them twice. The first time, I was a freshman in college and didn’t make it past the first round. The second time, I was a sophomore and made it all the way to the final round, but ultimately didn’t get in.

It was a tough pill to swallow, but I’m grateful for the experience. Juilliard is an incredibly competitive school, and even making it to the final round is an accomplishment. The process of preparing for and taking the audition taught me a lot about myself as a musician, and I’m better for it.

First year at Juilliard

I can still remember my first year at Juilliard. I was so nervous, and everything felt so new and daunting. But I was also excited to be surrounded by so many other talented people. I quickly realized that I had to step up my game if I wanted to keep up with everyone else. So I practiced harder than ever, and it paid off. By the end of the year, I had grown so much as a musician, and I was proud of what I had accomplished.

Conclusion

As I look back on my musical journey, I am grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way. Opera has been a passion of mine since I was a young girl, and I am so thankful to have had the chance to pursue it professionally. I have also enjoyed exploring other genres of music, and I am excited to continue my studies at Juilliard. No matter what the future holds, I know that music will always be a part of my life.