Ray Arbizu, a world-renowned tenor and my first vocal teacher, frequently told me, “If you do not change people for the better as you sing, then you have wasted your time and theirs.”  As a performer, I discovered the truth of his statement.  The most meaningful comments I receive are from audience members who tell me of the inspiration and encouragement they feel as I sing.

 

It has been fifteen years since I first studied with Ray, and although Ray has passed away, his impact upon my life continues to grow.  I realize now that the real change that Ray imparted to me was the lasting gift of his vocal instruction and mentoring as a teacher and a friend.  As I reflect upon how I can use music to affect people for the better, I realize that it is my influence as a voice teacher that can encourage and inspire others through music.

 

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An accomplished performer, lyric tenor William Brooke has enjoyed performance opportunities both locally and around the world.  Performing with the Utah Festival Opera Company, he appeared in performances ofSusannah, South Pacific and Naughty Marietta.  He has also enjoyed solo appearances in England, Austria and St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice, Italy.  One of his fondest memories is performing O Holy Night in a grand European cathedral accompanied by its magnificent organ for a midnight Christmas Eve mass in London, England.  However, rather singing for 5,000 people or for a friend’s mother suffering from cancer in a Nashville hospital, Mr. Brooke appreciates the influence music has upon each individual and seeks with every performance the opportunity to inspire, encourage and uplift.   

 

Mr. Brooke received a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana with a major in Finance and a minor in Music.  It was here that he developed his great love for opera while performing 2 operas each semester including Susannah, Rigoletto,L’elisir d’amore and Candide.  He also studied for a summer in Graz, Austria with the American Institute of Musical Studies.  Most recently, he completed a Master of Music degree at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee with an emphasis in Vocal Pedagogy.  His thesis researched and detailed the use of lutte vocaleand vowel modification as techniques for teachingappoggiata singing. 

 

During his time in Nashville, Mr. Brooke started the Nashville Conservatory of Voice where he taught vocal students ranging from beginning to advanced.  He also established the Nashville Institute of Religion Choir comprised of about 25-30 members.  As their conductor, he arranged many of the songs which they performed providing him the opportunity to utilize his natural ability for composition and song arrangement.  Mr. Brooke is also an accomplished pianist and regularly performs at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

 

Mr. Brooke has a great passion for music.  However, he has also found success in the business world.  He has worked as a financial analyst for an Investment Bank on the East coast as part of a 4-member team managing more than $5 billion in assets.  He was also employed as an Independent Consultant designing financial models and providing legal analysis.  In 2006, he established Derrick Horne Company, a private real estate development group focused upon land development in the Park City, Utah resort area.  A great accomplishment for Mr. Brooke was acceptance to Tulane Law School to study International Humanitarian law.

 

Upon completion of his Master’s degree, Mr. Brooke lived in Dresden, Germany where he was able to refine his German skills as well as enjoy several operatic performances at the historic Semperoper on a regular basis.  Currently, he resides in Seattle, WA where he is pursuing a doctoral degree - Doctor of Musical Arts - at the University of Washington.