Amarillo College Ranger

Issue date: 3/8/07 Section: Features

Media Credit: Maddisun Fowler Marcus Bradford, Amarillo Opera chorus director, directs performers in the music building Feb. 22. Bradford has been involved with the opera since it began. [Click to enlarge]

The Amarillo Opera was founded in 1988; it grew out of the Amarillo College Opera Workshop program.

"I started planning it in 1982 when I came to AC, and it became official in 1988," said Mila Gibson, founder and general director of the Amarillo Opera.

"It started as a community opera, and then it evolved into a fully professional opera company in 1995," Gibson said. "There are only 103 professional opera companies in the entire United States. For many years, we were the only professional opera company associated with a community college, but now there are two other community colleges that have followed us."

"This is my third year to be the chorus director, but I've been involved with the opera since its inception," said Marcus Bradford, opera chorus director. "I was the first conductor of the opera and accompanist. Being with the people is my favorite part, because they are all my friends."

"What we have is a professional opera company, a nationally and internationally recognized opera company," Gibson said. "We have won a lot of national and international awards, and I have been privileged to win a lot of them, too, for our work. I teach the opera workshop program here at Amarillo College, and so we connect our students.

"We also involve the students from WT if they want to be involved, and we give scholarships to WT students, too, if they are involved with our program.

"We have students who have been with us growing up, through high school and Amarillo College, and now they are leading successful lives, either here locally or all around the world in the music business.

"We give free art classes everywhere all over the Panhandle, and so we give violin lessons and singing lessons.

Continued...

Page 1 of 3 next >

Article Tools