Alumni Spotlight – Ryan Connelly ‘05

Ryan Connelly is on a mission that only the extraordinarily talented attain: to become a professional opera singer.

And it’s not only about the talent (although that factor narrows the field exponentially). It’s about the patience, uncertainty, and very, very hard work. You see, the voice doesn’t mature for prime operatic roles until age 30. So an aspiring primo uomo (the male counterpart of the prima donna) is, in
effect, a student for 12 years after high school graduation, before a viable career path
even appears. Talk about paying your dues!

As one would expect, the focus of Ryan’s high school career was music. He was a member of the SHS choir, select ensemble, and was selected for a host of district, regional, and state festivals. He was a percussionist in the concert band, orchestra, and performed in school plays and musicals. His favorite role at SHS was as Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz. He was also a member of the French Club and the National Honor Society.

Outside of school, Ryan was active in the summer music program at Stewartstown United Methodist Church, where he performed for 10 years, beginning in third grade. “I didn’t go away for summer vacation, he remembers. “I went to Stewartstown.”

He credits his Susky drama director Chris Quigley for honing his interest in solo on-stage vocal performance, introducing him to the thrill of mastering a difficult role, and nailing it before a live audience. He also acknowledges the full-time faculty – Mrs. Yeater, Mr. Poole, Mr. McGarvey, Mr. Nicholson – for their excellent preparation and high standards. His voice coaches frequently complement him on his remarkable sense of rhythm.

He also complements Barb Myers, who still gives voice lessons in New Freedom, for giving him a solid foundation in popular and classical voice.

He says the most influential educational experience of his high school career was a summer at the Governor’s School of the Arts. It was there that he made the commitment to opera.

After graduation in 2005, he attended Temple University, majoring in voice performance. From there, it was on to the prestigious Master’s program at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a graduate degree in Voice Performance in 2011.

Then, he embarked on the difficult road to his dream career – a road he’s still on. He first earned a place in the Spoleto (Italy) Music Festival in 2011. There, he had a chance to really understand the Italian language. He explains, “To sing opera well, you must appreciate the meaning of the words you’re singing. You’re not just making sounds.”

In fact, part of Ryan’s training included studying three languages: Italian, German, and French.

After Spoleto, he worked in the Kentucky Opera’s Young Artist Program, Queen City Opera, and then to Virginia Opera in the Emerging Artist Program.

He and his wife (an aspiring operatic soprano) use Cincinnati as their home base and are able to earn a living from their performing stipends, supplemented by outside income between contracts. He says “They don’t call us ‘starving artists’ for nothing.”

But despite the challenges and odds, Ryan remains determined to reach his goal. And we have no doubt that he will.

Thanks to Ryan Connelly, Class of 2005, for making us Warrior Proud!