Rachel Willis-Sorensen
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
Alex Boyé Joins Camp Kostopulos Kids for “Jungle Book” Mashup Video
After almost two years in production, the adventure fantasy film, Jungle Book, distributed by Walt Disney pictures opened in theaters nationwide on 15 April 2016. The film, based on Rudyard Kipling’s classic stories and inspired by Disney’s ageless animated film,...
Submit Your Cover Songs to Share with Others
Are you an avid music lover, or perhaps even a promising LDS singer and/or musician who enjoys listening to your favorite recording artists and then recording your own unique version of the song? Or, maybe you know someone who is a talented singer or musician who has...
Junior Maile and Yahosh Bonner – Dru Hill’s “Five Steps” Cover
What do you get when you bring two immensely talented upcoming LDS artists such as Junior Maile and Yahosh Bonner together to collaborate on recording a classic song? The answer - a melodious sound that is pleasing to the ears and soothing to the soul. That is exactly...
Tribute to Brussels – In the Wake of 22 March 2016
From the onset, the morning of Tuesday, 22 March 2016, began just as any other day in Brussels, Belgium. No one could have suspected that in the course of those early morning hours, a series of events would drastically change the lives of both nationals and visitors...
BYU Vocal Point – 25 Years of A Capella Goodness
For a quarter of a century, the sensational a capella group, BYU Vocal Point, has been entertaining audiences with their astounding performances. Every time they take to the stage to perform, or release one of their exciting videos, their audience is left with a sense...
Day in the Life of Mormon Missionaries – A Missionary Parody
Jesus Christ commissioned His disciples to go into all the world and proclaim the Good News which is His gospel. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints take that commandment to heart and look for opportunities to share the blessings that they have...