Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Walsh.
Michael, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in a rural farming community in Northeastern Ohio. Massillon was a small football town and the last place you would expect a future singer to discover classical music. Since I was the youngest of six children, I was exposed at an early age to an incredible variety of musical genres. My childhood was filled with the music my siblings would play on an LP or tape player and once I heard Cats and The Phantom of the Opera, I was hooked! Weekends were spent singing at church and attending the plays and musical productions in which my older siblings were cast. At fifteen, I saw Jane Campion’s exquisite film, The Piano. I was completely spellbound and inspired by the script and performances. As a result, I began taking voice lessons and studying acting during my junior year.
As a senior, I was accepted to both film schools and music conservatories. On a hunch, I decided to attend the college which granted me the largest scholarship. I ended up studying vocal performance at The Cleveland Institute of Music for my undergraduate degree. Studying classical music gave me a well-rounded education because it incorporated the skills of singing, acting, dancing, language, and diction. When applying for graduate schools I wanted to move to a different climate to experience life beyond the dreary Ohio winters. I was fortunate to attend the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University for my graduate degree.
Upon graduation, I sang with opera companies including Amarillo Opera, Central City Opera in Colorado, Opera in the Heights, and Utah Opera. After working as a freelance singer, I decided to return to Houston and focus my energy on building a career as a local performer and teacher. I sang for several seasons with Houston Grand Opera’s outreach ensemble ‘Opera to Go!’ and performed with many of Houston’s premier musical groups including Ars Lyrica, Divergence Vocal Theater, Houston Ballet, Houston Chamber Choir, Mercury Orchestra, and the Round Top Festival Institute. During this time, I also began my academic career by instructing voice lessons at several area high schools. I eventually joined the voice faculty at Houston Community College-Southwest, followed by Lone Star College-Montgomery (LSCM), and lastly by Sam Houston State University where I taught for five years.
I am currently an Assistant Professor of Music at Lone Star College-Montgomery. I oversee the vocal area and teach courses in Ear Training & Sight Singing, Music Theory, Class Voice, and Music Appreciation. LSCM is a wonderful institution of higher learning and has such a positive culture for students and faculty alike. In addition to my work as a professor, I maintain a private voice studio and I am the current Vice-President of Classical Auditions for the Greater Houston chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singers (NATS). I adjudicate for the Texas Music Educators Association All-State Choir auditions and serve as a judge for Houston’s Pride Superstar Competition. For the past five years, I have also had the privilege of being the director of the Young Actors Conservatory (YAC) at Stages Repertory Theatre.
YAC is a month-long, tuition-free conservatory-style training program for local high school aged actors and stage technicians. The ultimate goal of YAC is for the students to write, act, and produce their own original work. It’s absolutely amazing what these students create in their final performance. The most exciting aspect about directing their shows each year is seeing that spark I remember feeling when I was their age and was bitten by the performance bug. It’s both humbling and rewarding to have the opportunity to pass along the knowledge I have acquired to a new generation of performers.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road was not always smooth and navigating a career in the arts definitely requires perseverance, flexibility, and resilience. Rejection is a part of the process and learning to not take it personally is a huge hurdle for any performer to overcome. You may go in for an audition and feel like you did an amazing job, but not get offered a contract. It doesn’t mean you aren’t talented; it just means that they are looking for something else. Once I accepted that it made auditioning less intimidating.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
There is never a dull moment! Houston is such a culturally rich and diverse city that has allowed me to explore my interests. I appreciate the variety of work I have in my career. For example, my private voice studio ranges from hip-hop artists to opera singers to karaoke crooners. I also love that I get to work one-on-one with students on the most unique and personal instrument of all- the voice.
I specialize in working with trauma victims and helping them find their voice. It’s incredible to witness their journey and to see how singing can promote healing and renewed confidence. Finding your voice is a powerful way of mastering vulnerability and reclaiming your self-worth and I am honored to share that experience with them.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Absolutely! Houston boasts a vibrant and diverse performing arts scene. It is one of the few cities in the United States where classical singers and actors can make a living focused solely on their craft. There is a place for every performer in Houston to find their groove and cultural community.
I love the Alliance auditions that happen every year for actors and musical theater performers. It is an efficient way to audition for a wide variety of theaters in Houston at one time. Most cities don’t offer such an opportunity, so it sets Houston apart from the rest.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/Young-Actors-Conservatory-57000048143/
- Email: mewalsh78@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mewalsh78
Image Credit:
Misha Penton, Dave Nickerson, Jeff Grass
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