Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Jones.
Katherine, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My name is Katherine Jones, and I am completing my Master’s degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Houston. I was passionate about music from a young age and am fortunate that my parents saw this and encouraged me to do musical extracurricular activities. On a whim, I started to take private voice lessons in High School, a decision that most definitely changed the trajectory for my collegiate studies. I fell in love with classical music, not just the notes and beautiful melodies but also the rich history that it represents. I attended Indiana University for my undergraduate studies. There I was able to perform in three main stage productions (Florencia en el Amazonas, The Music Man, and It’s a Wonderful Life).
In addition to the main stage opportunities, I took the initiative to program and performed two additional recitals to the two required. I have always loved to learn, so once my degree was finished at Indiana University, it was a no brainer that I wanted to continue my educational journey. That is how I ended up at the University of Houston. At the University of Houston, I have performed five main stage roles, most notably including Contessa Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Milicent Jordan (Dinner at Eight), and Gertrude (Hänsel und Gretel). Houston is an amazing city. There are so many ways to enrich your life artistically, which is ultimately what convinced me to stay here following graduation. I currently sing as a staff musician at St. Stephen’s Episcopal church and do competitions around the city (and regionally). In addition to my work as a solo musician, I am an active teacher in the Houston community. I love teaching music because of the impact it has had for me and much it changed my life.
Has it been a smooth road?
The opera career is built on rejection. “No” or “not yet” is constantly thrown your way. That is why you have to be persistent and scrutinizing. I take every rejection as motivation to improve something. It can be extraordinarily difficult as a singer to cope with rejection because we are our instrument and rejection can feel very personal. A painter can get new brushes but we cannot simply trade out our instrument for another. So much of the last five or so years of my life have been dedicated to perfecting my process of “being rejection:” receiving rejection, processing it, determining what I can do about it (if anything), and then pushing forward. It can be tough, but in the end, I know that if I persevere, the right opportunity will appear.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am an opera singer. As a freelance artist, I get the opportunity to perform lots of different kinds of music. Currently, I sing at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Montrose as one of their staff singers. In addition to that, I do competitions and auditions all over the country. When I’m not performing or traveling I am teaching, which is something that has recently become a dear part of my life. I currently teach applied voice as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Houston and I work with a company called Lessons in Your Home. I teach students from Kindergarten through University age and in a wide variety of styles and genres. Teaching music is so dear to my heart because I know how much music changed my life.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Houston is an amazing city for the arts. We are so fortunate to have the Houston Grand Opera right here, one of the finest opera houses in the world. In addition to HGO, the University of Houston puts on four operas, and Rice University performs two. If you are looking to enjoy some opera in Houston, odds are you will be able to find it. Opera, Theater, Visual Art, etc., all exist here in Houston within a very small radius.
Contact Info:
- Email: katherinejonessoprano@gmail.com
- Instagram: @katherine.jones.soprano
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katherinejonessoprano/
Image Credit:
Julius Sanchez
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