Rachel Willis-Sorensen
SONY DSC
Rachel Willis-Sorensen actually tried to hide her powerful voice in high school. Though she performed in musical theater as a student, when she went to college, she was rejected by every choir.
“I was a little disproportionate to most art forms—I don’t know what it was–being 5’11” and not being a ballerina– the sound of my voice, the size of me…” she remembered.
She eventually found the perfect fit in the opera department at Brigham Young University (BYU), where the faculty helped refine her ability.
“When I found opera, all the strangeness– all the specificity of myself, my person, fit really well. I had this earth shattering moment when I realized this is what I was born to do. This is my niche on the planet,” she explained.
It was a triumph when she returned to her hometown and made her solo debut with a Richland, WA performance at the Battelle Auditorium in 2007. She credits BYU with providing unfailing support that has been instrumental to her success.
In 2008, Willis-Sørensen was a semifinalist in the National Council Auditions, winning the Utah district and Rocky Mountain regional competitions. Though she was eliminated in the semifinal round, the competition made her more determined than ever to develop her ability. After graduation, she went to the Houston Grand Opera Studio and studied with several prestigious coaches, including renowned mezzo-soprano, Dolora Zajick, to prepare for the 2010 National Council Auditions. This time she knew what to expect–and it paid off. She was chosen as one of five equal winners of the competition. Singing in German was a cinch, since she had been a Mormon missionary in Hamburg. She was linguistically fluent and culturally fluent. And then, she had this voice.
In 2011, she entered the Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition where she won both divisions—opera and operetta— a feat that has only happened three times in thirty years. Since then, she has sung around the world with the most prestigious orchestras and opera companies.
Recent Posts
The Osmonds and My Conversion to the Mormon Faith
Throughout the years, I have been blessed to meet some of the members of the world-renown Osmond family through telephone conversations, emails and letters, and personal meetings. With each encounter, I have been thoroughly impressed by their genuineness, kindness,...
Imagine Dragons’ 8-Month Tour
Today, June 10, 2015, Imagine Dragons begin an exhausting 8-month tour (with time off for Christmas) that will take them all over the U.S. and Canada, then to the Pacific Rim, then all over Europe. Tickets can be purchased from links on their official website, and all...
Gladys Knight – “Where My Heart Belongs”
In an up close and personal interview for Arise Entertainment 360, the Empress of Soul, Gladys Knight talks about the early days of Motown, the struggles that she faced as a single parent, and how she overcame a gambling addiction and also quit smoking. She also talks...
Alex Boyé Elected to Interweave Solutions’ Board of Directors
Interweave Solutions is a non-profit organization that has been revolutionizing the charitable industry by helping people in developing countries create their own sustainable incomes. Interweave helps neighbors help each other end poverty through self-reliance groups....
Mormons Serving Their Communities
The word “service” is more than just a byword for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In fact, one might even say that “service” is a major part of their life. They learn from their youth to be a loving and caring people, and to “lift up the...
Brandon Flowers New Solo Album Has a Personal Twist
When Brandon Flowers played a demo of his song titled “Still Want You” for Ariel Rechtshaid, a record producer, he was almost certain that he would get the same reaction that he had already received from others who had heard it, including his fellow band members....