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
Entertainment Reporters Nationwide Soundoff about Imagine Dragon’s Newe Release “Origins”
Imagine Dragons is an alternative rock band based in Las Vegas, Nevada, and comprised of vocalist Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee, and drummer Daniel Platzman. Less than a year and a half after releasing the double-platinum album Evolve coupled...
David Archuleta Talks About How His Faith Has Been a Major Factor in His Success
On 2 November 2018, American Idol alum, David Archuleta, spoke at the LDS Publishing and Media Association’s (LDSPMA) Fourth Annual Conference on the campus of Brigham Young University. He spoke about how he has remained true to his faith and standards while being...
Mary Hiett’s Beautiful New Composition – “Melissa”
Mary Hiett is an awe-inspiring composer who is originally from Idaho Falls, Idaho. She started writing music about four years ago at the age of 60. She says, “When God gave me this music, I did not know what to do with it. I’m not from Utah where everything is...
Introducing Morgan Byers – Mary Hiett’s Personal Music Arranger
Most musicians would probably tell you that creating music is not necessarily a solo venture, but rather it normally requires a team of people working together to produce a polished product. This is not an exception for Mary Hiett, an awe-inspiring songwriter from...
David Archuleta Rings in the Holidays with His New Single “Christmas Every Day”
David Archuleta is getting into the holiday spirit a little early with a 2 November 2018 release of his new Christmas album, Winter in the Air. To let his fans, know about the upcoming album, on Monday, 22 October 2018, David released his original song from the album...
The Bonner Family Sharing Their Faith and God-Given Talents to Be a Light to the World
The Jane and Emma movie opened in select theaters on Friday evening, 12 October 2018. It is the true-life story of two women – one black and the other white. At a time in history when the bonding of friendship of two people of different races was risky at best, Jane...