Alumnae Brianna Dulock (‘19) returned to the Willows to speak to students as part of our Alumnae Association Lunch and Learn series. Her talk was titled “Preparing for a Career in Music, Drama, and Opera.” She shared her personal experience along with tips about having a career in music.
PURSUING MUSIC AS A CAREER
Brianna graduated from Willows Academy in 2019 and went on to attend Carnegie Mellon University to study vocal performance. It was a culmination of many years in music–she started singing at as young as seven years old and started taking voice lessons at ten. Brianna was involved in many different performing groups, including cantoring at mass and being a part of the Willows chamber choir.
She began her time at Carnegie Mellon as a double major in Vocal Performance and pursuing pre-medicinal studies. However, with her early success in the vocal performance program and encouragement from her professors, Brianna quickly realized that her true path forward was in being an opera singer.
After her time at Carnegie Mellon, Brianna decided to pursue a master’s degree.
“While I love performing, I’m sure one day I might want to settle down in one place, and the possibility of teaching at a university would be wonderful,” she explains.
Through a rigorous preparation process that involved pre-screening videos, in person auditions, as well as a performance resume, Brianna gained admission to Mannes School of Music in Manhattan. She is expected to graduate with her Masters in Music (MM): Vocal Performance in 2025.
THE WILLOWS IMPACT
Brianna remembers her time at Willows fondly, particularly highlighting the importance of the intimate, all-girl environment on developing her self-confidence.
“Being able to feel confident and comfortable in my skin [during] formative years truly helped me feel at place and confident outside of the Willows,” she reflects. “The confidence instilled in me from my time at the Willows helped me to feel comfortable exploring the new world around me while also having a secure sense of self.”
She also credits specific career decisions she has made to her Willows experience.
“The Willows has truly taught me how to be a great writer. Throughout college and so far during my masters I’ve continued using the skills I learned at the Willows,” she says. Brianna explains that her strong writing skills have made it possible to pursue a career in music academia.
In addition, her experience starting a vocal technique club in high school has inspired her to pursue teaching music. She currently teaches voice lessons in addition to performing and enjoys both the flexibility and opportunity to grow as a musician that the experience brings.
Finally, the strong Catholic education that Willows provided was foundational to her faith life today. The Willows provided her with the “why” behind her beliefs, and this knowledge has helped sustain Brianna’s faith throughout college and beyond.