Alumni Spotlight: Seiyoung Kim ’19 MM
Korean-born tenor Seiyoung Kim recently graduated from the Yale School of Music with extensive experience performing in opera. During his time at Yale, Seiyoung took on leading roles such as the title role in Rossini's Le Comte Ory and Oronte in Alcina. He was also awarded the Phyllis Curtin Career Entry Prize, which is awarded to a graduating voice student who demonstrates exceptional talent as an artist and promise for a professional career. This past season marked his debut at the Houston Grand Opera, where he originated the roles of Monkey and Rat in the world premiere of The Big Swim. He also showcased his talents at the Boston Public Library's Summer 2023 Concert in the Courtyard Series with the Boston Lyric Opera, performing Britten’s Les Illuminations alongside the Sejong Soloists. As a guest performer with the Yale Opera, Seiyoung portrayed Father in The Seven Deadly Sins.
At NEC, Seiyoung excelled in various roles including Tamino in The Magic Flute, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, Jimmy O’Keefe in Later in the Same Evening, Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro, and Candide cover in Candide. His repertoire extends to performances at the Wolf Trap Opera Company as Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos, The Juilliard School as Fileno in La fedeltà premiata, and the Santa Fe Opera as Tanzmeister and Brighella cover in Ariadne auf Naxos.
Seiyoung Kim has been recognized as a Tulsa district winner and Connecticut district winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. He is an alumnus of The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, Yale University, and Houston Grand Opera’s Young Artist Vocal Academy, and has been a young artist with Wolf Trap Opera and Santa Fe Opera.
Why did you choose NEC?
After completing my Bachelor's degree, I took the opportunity to explore different paths to discover my career aspirations. NEC’s reputation for their Master of Music graduates landing leading opera roles prompted me to apply. Additionally, I was drawn to study under Bradley Williams, a distinguished member of NEC's Voice faculty known for his expertise in vocal technique and accomplished career as a tenor.
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?
My first engagement after graduating from NEC was my debut at Wolf Trap Opera. Unfortunately, shortly afterward, the pandemic began and eliminated my upcoming opera work, canceling all the contracts I had lined up for the next year. Throughout the pandemic, I kept training and practicing my performances in safe environments.
As restrictions began to lift, I decided to apply to the Yale School of Music and was fortunately accepted. During my time at Yale, I was cast in my dream role in Rossini's Le Comte Ory. I also performed in the Yale Opera Gala with the Yale Philharmonia under the baton of Louis Lohraseb and in Yale Fall Opera Scenes.
This summer, I will be making my debut at The Glimmerglass Festival as Little Victor Farrell in Elizabeth Cree. After my last performance at the festival, I will be flying to Vienna to join the Vienna Volksoper Young Artist Program.
What are some of your favorite memories from your time at NEC?
I particularly enjoyed having casual chats with Joshua Major, Robert Tweten, and other coaches outside the opera office. Josh and Bob are incredibly professional yet approachable, and foster an environment where students feel comfortable discussing industry insights and personal career matters. Their mentorship, along with that of my voice teacher, Bradley Williams, motivated me to pour my heart and soul into every performance and make them proud.
Share a story about one of your favorite faculty or studio instructors.
The two productions I was cast in with Joshua Major and Robert Tweten have a very special place in my heart: Later in the Same Evening, which I believe was Bob's first full opera production at NEC, and The Marriage of Figaro, which I performed in my final year. The Marriage of Figaro is not typically loved by tenors because it doesn't have great tenor parts, but I still loved the experience. We had a splendid cast that felt like family and I had a lot of fun throughout the process.
Bradley Williams is one of the most caring and loving voice teachers I have ever met in the industry and I am beyond grateful for everything he has taught me. My weekly lessons with him were so satisfying and invaluable. Bradley and I came up with the term, "Team B", for our studio and I believe the term is still used today. I participated in the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program alongside fellow alumna Erica Petrocelli ’14, ’16 MM, ’18 AD. During my first summer there, Bradley came out to attend all our performances. Bradley was also an Apprentice Artist at Santa Fe so it was such a special experience for all of us to share.
How have your NEC experiences shaped your artistic approach?
NEC taught me how to believe in myself and trust the process when preparing for every performance. It can sometimes be challenging to balance the abundance of performance opportunities out there, however, at NEC I learned how to be efficient, protect my voice and mentality, execute my technique, and overall how to be a reliable performer.
Share any other stories about what has inspired you at NEC and beyond.
In my final year at NEC, I was rehearsing one of my arias with Michael Strauss for the public masterclass with Gregory Kunde in Jordan Hall, and Michael used an analogy that I’ll never forget. He said that I am “like a cat who could climb a tree much faster than other cats. But being the fastest cat frightens me and holds me back from reaching my full potential.” Michael encouraged me to never doubt myself and know how capable I really am. His words meant so much to me and from that point on I began to trust myself.
Do you have any advice for young musicians/current NEC students?
The artistic team at NEC is outstanding. Joshua Major, Robert Tweten, Bradley Williams, Cameron Stowe, and all the other amazing coaches and directors know how to prepare you for the real world. Trust your instructors and follow their guidance diligently. The growth you experience during your time at NEC will shape your artistic journey.
Learn More About Seiyoung:
Current Job: Tenor at Glimmerglass
Major: Vocal Performance
Degree: Master of Music
Class Year: 2019
Instrument: Voice, Tenor
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