Rachel Willis-Sorensen
Rachel Willis-Sorensen won first place at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in March of 2010. Willis-Sorensen is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served a mission for the Church in the Germany Hamburg Mission. Willis-Sorensen is a graduate of Brigham Young University, earning a master's degree in vocal performance and pedagogy from BYU in 2009.
The National Council Auditions are open to entrants between the ages of 20 and 30. Only 15 contestants actually make it to New York for the semifinals, held at the world-famous Metropolitan Opera House. Singers must first win district and regional competitions in order to earn that honor. But even then, the invitation to perform in New York is no guarantee of becoming a winner or even a finalist — this year, for example, semifinals pared the field from 15 to 9. And of the nine finalists, judges tabbed only five as equal winners. Willis-Sorensen was one of those five winners.[1]
Rachel honed her craft at the Houston Grand Opera Studio. She also studied with renowned mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick — one of several prestigious coaches to help her prep her pieces for the 2010 National Council Auditions. Singing in the National Council Auditions finals March 14, Sister Willis-Sorensen's performance included "Elsa's Dream" from Wagner's "Lohengrin" and "Come Scoglio" from Mozart's "Cos? Fan Tutti." BYU professor Darrell Babidge, her former vocal teacher, traveled back East to be at the finals.
Because of her experience as a missionary in Germany, and her lingual and cultural familiarity with German, Willis-Sorensen was able to internalize German-language singing parts — a skill that paid handsome dividends with her performance of the Wagner piece at the National Council Audition finals.
Although many doors are opening professionally for Willis-Sorensen, her highest priority will be her marriage of two years to Dane Rasmus Sorensen and the children who will come into their family in the future. She expects to perform on the stages of the world, but only if all is well at home.
