Alumni Spotlight: Angela Yam ’21 GD
Hailed as “radiant” by The Boston Globe, Angela Yam ’21 GD is an experienced vocalist who has sung with a variety of orchestras including the New York City Ballet, Santa Fe Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Baroque, Chautauqua Opera, and Opera Saratoga. She returns to Boston Lyric Opera as an Emerging Artist for the 2024-25 season, performing the role of Ismene in Mozart’s Mitridate.
Her recent credits include the title role of Cavalli’s La Calisto (Opera Memphis), Josephine Young understudy in Huang Ruo & David Henry Hwang’s An American Soldier (PAC NYC), Johanna in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd (Chautauqua Opera, Opera Saratoga) and Diana in Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride (Boston Baroque). Angela has premiered several operas, including Kenji Oh & Kelly Rourke’s The Emissary (Opera Parallèle), Ellis Ludwig-Leone & Karen Russell’s The Night Falls as Siren 1 (BalletCollective), and Jones & Tinley’s ICELAND (Overtone Industries) as the Bird.
Angela’s solo concert appearances include performing in Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (New York City Ballet), Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle (Opera Saratoga), and Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine (Music at Co-Cath). She also won the New York City District in the 2023 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, and her self-directed Visual Recital was awarded 3rd place in the 2022 American Prize Competition.
Why did you choose NEC?
I loved the warm and welcoming atmosphere at NEC. It is apparent that everyone–from the students, to the faculty, to the administration–wants you to succeed. I appreciated the abundant opportunities I had to make meaningful and creative art using my instrument, alongside exploring new, uncharted territory in other departments.
What have you been up to since graduating from NEC? What projects have you been working on? Do you have any goals you are looking to accomplish?
Since graduation, I have been working as a freelance singer, both in Boston and across the US. I have been lucky to travel to new and interesting places to work, including residencies in Santa Fe, NM, Fargo, ND, Memphis, TN, San Francisco, CA, Chautauqua, NY, Saratoga Springs, NY, and New York, NY. My eclectic interests in music have led to a variety of professional and personal projects, from traditional operas to new music premieres to experiments in free improvisation. I am excited for a career that continues to be musically diverse and hope to find more projects that combine my many interests!
What are some of your favorite memories from your time at NEC?
Some of my favorite memories at NEC involve being part of the opera productions. My favorite production was Dominick Argento's Postcard Morocco, directed by Joshua Major. It was my first time being in a production at a conservatory, and I had an amusing time throughout the process. Having the experience of coaching, preparing, rehearsing, and then finally performing a role in such a supportive department and institution made me feel ready and prepared for a professional career in opera.
Share a story about one of your favorite faculty or studio instructors.
Seeing Lisa Saffer ’84 MM, ’86 AD lecture about George Frideric Handel and Handelian ornamentation for NEC Opera's Handel Project was amazing. She is vastly knowledgeable and engaging, and makes what seems like a daunting task (improvising your own ornaments in a Handel aria) seem familiar and deeply artistically fulfilling. I would highly recommend to anyone to attend her lectures if they can!
How have your NEC experiences shaped your artistic approach?
NEC honed my skills as a performer and an artist in a warm and welcoming environment; a culture that I seek to emulate and recreate in my professional work today. Through my time at NEC, I felt how a collaborative and creative environment fosters fulfilling, sustainable art-making for all involved. Everyone who is a part of the NEC community encourages each other to succeed, and because of this, I feel empowered to always support my fellow artists and champion their works.
Share any other stories about what has inspired you at NEC and beyond.
I am constantly inspired by the work that my fellow alumni are doing in the Boston community and beyond. Several members of my graduating class have continued to work professionally as opera singers and voice teachers, and a few have even created their own opera companies! I am always excited to see what interesting projects my fellow alumni have been a part of, and try to support them by attending their performances whenever I can.
Do you have any advice for young musicians/current NEC students?
My advice is to approach each project with an open and curious mind. You can always find something new and interesting to dig into, whether that is the repertoire itself, your own capacities as a performer, or the creative collaboration you discover with your fellow musicians. Stay curious, be vulnerable, and explore!
Learn More About Angela:
Current Job: Emerging Artist, Boston Lyric Opera
Major: Vocal Performance
Degree: Graduate Diploma
Class Year: 2021
Instrument: Voice; Soprano
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