Vocal Arts Outreach

MSU cares about students and the future of the vocal arts.

With this program, your students will have an uplifting and enlightening musical experience!

group of students seated in a theatre, one looks at camera and smiles

Our Program

Alum Brian Major performing Since fall 2016, the Michigan State University Vocal Outreach program has traveled to numerous Michigan high schools where talented MSU graduate voice students perform a variety of music. At no cost to schools, students in all locations, demographics and backgrounds – rural, urban and suburban – are presented with a 45 minute cabaret-style performance of opera, musical theater, and spirituals. For many, it may be the first time they have heard this music and seen it performed by artists of different backgrounds.

The cabaret is called “From Bizet to Bernstein,” and each performance ends with the student audience members singing “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” with the MSU singers! It is an enjoyable time for all, and ample time is left at the end for questions from the students and an evaluation survey.

The MSU Vocal Outreach program lets students know about the possibilities that await them at MSU or other vocal music departments. Shared with the students are admissions information and, most importantly, the music literature that may be new to them and also inspiring. Typically, students are surprised by the talent they witness, and the Q&A often provides interesting and useful insights for students to take away.

Contact Vocal Outreach Coordinator Sadie Rucker

Our Performers

We bring the best of MSU to schools. Our 2023-2024 singers are:

Phoenix

Miranda

Soprano

Phoenix Miranda is a classically trained and multi-genre vocalist from Prince George’s County, Maryland. She is currently fulfilling her Master’s Degree in Voice Performance at Michigan State University (MSU). Miranda also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Voice Performance, with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from MSU.

Miranda has studied under critically acclaimed Baritone Mark Rucker since beginning her undergraduate journey. She has debuted as Nanetta in Verdi’s Falstaff, Serpetta in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera, Cissie in Britten’s Albert Herring, and the Teacup and the Dragonfly in Ravel’s L’enfant et les Sortilèges with the MSU Opera Theatre. She looks forward to performing in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, as Desiree in November 2023.

Offstage, Miranda brings a passion for advocacy to her work with Color Me Music: Alliance for Students of Color (CMM). She enjoys creating spaces where underrepresented students are connected, supported, and empowered to advocate for themselves, explore their artistic gifts, increase their performance exposure, and learn to function as leaders.

Xiao

Mezzo-Soprano

Mezzo-Soprano Xiao Xiao, a first year DMA candidate at MSU where she studies with Professor Richard Fracker. She was a district winner in The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in 2023 and made her Opera Theatre of St.Louis (OTSL) debut as Henrietta Wong in Harvey Milk (premiere).

During her two seasons with OTSL as Gerdine Young Artist, she covered Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Mercédès in Carmen, and Lucy in Awakenings (premiere), and she also sang Poppea in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Idamante in Idomeneo, Nancy in Albert Herring, and Bertarido in Rodelinda in OTSL’s Center Stage Concert with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Other roles performed include L’enfant in L’enfant et les sortilèges, Hiroko (Mama) in An American Dream, Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Contessa in I Due Figaro (Mercadante), and La Prima Cercatrice in Suor Angelica. Scenes performed include Così fan tutte – Dorabella, L’italiana in Algeri – Isabella, Werther – Charlotte.

Xiaojie

Ji

Tenor

Tenor Xiaojie Ji is a second year DMA student at Michigan state University. He holds a master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music and a bachelor’s degree from the China Conservatory of Music. He was The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Michigan District Encouragement winner in 2022 and Washington District Encouragement winner in 2021.

Roles performed include Rodolfo from La Bohème by Puccini, Fenton from Falstaff by Verdi, Basilio from Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart, Mercury from Orpheus in the Underworld by Offenbach, Bai from Savage Land by Xiang Jin, and Gesang from Red Valley by Weidong Meng. Scenes performed include Don Carlo by Verdi, Duke from Rigoletto by Verdi, Don José from Carmen by Bizet, Tamino from Die Zauberflöte by Mozart, Monsieur Vogelsang from Der Schauspieldirektor by Mozart, and Alfredo Germont from La Traviata by Verdi. Xiaojie is a student of Professor Richard Fracker.

Jose Luis

Maldonado

Baritone

Hailed by Opera News as a “seemingly unlimited baritone,” International vocalist Josè Luis Maldonado, from Los Angeles, California attended Cal State Fullerton (BM), and Manhattan School of Music (MM); he is currently attending Michigan State University as a candidate for a doctorate in music, vocal performance under the tutelage of Dr. Mark Rucker. He is a career grant recipient from the Opera Buffs Inc. and Richard F. Gold Career Grant recipient from the Shoshana Foundation. Maldonado’s roles include Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte), Don Magnifico (La Cenerentola), Escamillo (Carmen) , and the title role of Falstaff (Falstaff). He recently performed with The Palm Springs Opera Guild in their Opera in the Park Concert under the baton of Maestro Brent McMunn and made his Long Beach Opera debut in Anthony Davis’ Central Park Five. In 2022, he covered Sir Bryn Terfel as Sir John Falstaff in Falstaff at the Aspen Music Festival. He reprised Falstaff in March 2023 at Michigan State and returned to Aspen to sing Father Arguedas in the opera Bel Canto, by Jimmy López. Maldonado was a finalist in the inaugural Duncan Williams Competition, a collaborative effort by Manhattan School of Music and New York City Opera, and was a District winner for the Metropolitan Opera Competition, Audience Prize winner in the Opera Ithaca Competition, and a finalist in the Tenor Vinas Competition in Spain. Maldonado finished a tour with OperaMaya in Cancun, Mexico last summer. In Aspen he performed a Zarzuela concert with world-renowned Metropolitan Opera Star Ana Maria Martinez, and took lessons with legendary sopranos Carol Vaness and Renee Fleming. Maldonado debuted the role of Don Giovanni in Michigan before returning to Los Angeles and debuting with Lyric Opera of Orange County in Falstaff and the Father in Hansel y Gretel. He then made his Pacific Opera Project (POP) debut as the Gamekeeper in Dvorak’s Rusalka. For more information, visit BaritoneJoe.com.

Connecting with Teachers

View a list of our partner schools and organizations.

Teachers are a vital connection to our program, and faculty from the MSU College of Music vocal area work closely with them to be sure to achieve our shared goals. The program has often been invited back in subsequent years due to the positive impact it has on students. Since the begining of our program, we have reached over 20 schools across Michigan plus several more performances when including our invitations to return to schools in subsequent years. Our busy students and faculty are only able to bring this program to six schools each academic year (three in fall and three in spring), so inquiries into scheduling a vist should be made as soon as possible. Schools that our program has visited or who have had students attend an MSU Vocal Outreach event at a partner school include:

Avondale High and Middle Schools
Carman-Ainsworth High School (Flint)
Cass Technical High School (Detroit)
Chandler Park Academy Middle School (Harper Woods)
Charlotte High School
City Middle/High School (Grand Rapids)
Detroit School for the Arts
Eastern High School (Lansing)
Everett High School (Lansing)
Grand Blanc High School
Kalamazoo High School
Kearsley High School (Flint)
Kelloggsville High School
Leslie High School
MLK High School (Detroit)
MLK Leadership Academy (Grand Rapids)
MSU Community Music School – Detroit
Ottawa Hills High School (Grand Rapids)
Northwest High School (Jackson)
Renaissance High School (Detroit)
Sexton High School (Lansing)
Western High School (Jackson)
Ypsilanti-Lincoln High School

Opera Grand Rapids invited the MSU Vocal Outreach program to perform for and interact with four schools at once at the Betty Van Andel Opera Center. It worked very well to have four schools gather in one location, and Opera Grand Rapids has invited our program back to do it again.

Group of students in auditorium listening and taking notes A student asks a question into a microphone during a gathering in an auditorium