Today we’d like to introduce you to Catherine Goode.
Hi Catherine, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Both of my parents are musicians, so music is something I’ve been around my entire life. I started taking piano lessons the summer before first grade and started singing in the school choir in third grade. Since then, I’ve never stopped making music. I started college (I attended the University of Houston) as a music education/vocal performance double major and assumed I’d follow in my mom’s footsteps to become a choir director. Toward the end of college, I decided I wanted to go to graduate school to learn more about singing before coming back to Texas to teach. However, during the summer between my first and second years of grad school at Michigan State University, I attended Seagle Festival in Schroon Lake, NY. That summer changed the trajectory of my career. I decided I wanted to pursue an operatic performance career, and so when I went back to school that fall, I started auditioning for every professional company I possibly could have. Though I didn’t land any gigs that year, I did the following year. And from the summer of 2018 until the summer of 2022, I was consistently working in young artist programs. Since then, I’ve moved into principal artists roles at regional houses (including several appearances at Opera in the Heights here in Houston!), and I continue to work to hone my craft.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The life of a performing artist is never a smooth road, but I will say I had a smoother road than many, at least until the pandemic hit and caused nearly every arts organization in the US to grind to a halt. The main struggle I’ve encountered broadly is one all performers encounter—too many talented artists and not enough jobs. You can walk into an audition and sing the best you’ve ever sung, but if the company isn’t doing a show that has a role for you, you won’t get hired. With the pandemic, many organizations had to scale back their operations, including the number of productions they put on a year, and many still haven’t returned to pre-pandemic production levels.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
While I can sing any type of classical music (and even some musical theatre!), I excel in contemporary (20th- and 21st-century) opera. I’ve had the privilege to perform in several world premiere productions, most recently the premiere of ‘Touch’ at Opera Birmingham (Alabama) in 2024. Beyond those premieres, much of my career has involved contemporary music, and it’s something I’m very passionate about. I’m in the process of commissioning 60 minutes of art songs and song cycles right now for a recital next season, and getting to work directly with these composers has been such a thrilling process. I’m also very passionate about the promotion and performance of music by women composers. ‘Touch’ was written by a female composer/librettist team, which I LOVED. It was the first opera I performed that was by a woman. All of the music I’m commissioning for my project is by women, too, and I’m very excited by the marriage of my two passions (contemporary music and music by women composers) in that project.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I’ve been fortunate to have so many mentors during my education and career. If I try to name everyone, I know I’ll forget someone! But the teachers I worked with during my undergraduate studies at the University of Houston (most notably Cynthia Clayton and Dr. Betsy Cook Weber) and my master’s degree at Michigan State University (especially Melanie Helton and Dr. Sandra Snow) really set me up for the path I eventually followed. My current teacher, Amanda Majeski, and mentor, Caitlin Lynch, are really pivotal in helping to shape the artist I want to be at this point in my life. Over the last few years, I’ve learned something from every young artist program, director, conductor, mentor, and cast member with whom I’ve worked. I’ve been very fortunate to make some incredible, lifelong friends along the way who are my biggest cheerleaders (outside of my family—they’re the true MVPs) and without whom this career would not be nearly as fun.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.catherinegoode.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherineggoode/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatherineGoodeSoprano/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-goode/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatherineGGoode
Image Credits
Pinell Photography
Pin Lim
Ricardo da Silva
Stewart Edmonds
Dave Pearson Photography
Andrew Kung Group
Chris Boyes
Brenda Ahearn Photo
