2 Jacobs students advance to regionals

Two Jacobs School of Music students performed in the second round of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions this past weekend.

Baritone Joshua Conyers and bass-baritone Jason Eck traveled to the Central Regional Auditions on Sunday at the Music Institute of Chicago in Evanston, Ill., They advanced after winning the Indiana District competition, which was Oct. 30 at IU.

Maria Levy, executive administrator for strategic planning with the IU Opera & Ballet Theater for the Jacobs School, said it is a great honor for a student to advance in the auditions.

“IU is quite often represented among the people who are selected to advance,” she said. “They hold these auditions because they want to discover excellent young talent for the Metropolitan Opera.”

The auditions exist in four rounds: district, regional, semi-finals and grand finals.
Although Conyers and Eck did not advance past the regional auditions in Evanston this year, Levy said their accomplishments are still great.

“It feels awesome to be recognized by such a great organization as the Metropolitan Opera,” Conyers said. “Even if it’s just the first stage, it feels good, and I feel like I’m moving up.”

Conyers is pursuing a masters in voice at Jacobs.

Eck received an Encouragement Award, an honor given to students with promising talent who do not advance to the next round of auditions.

“Every time we go up to sing it’s a learning experience,” Conyers said. “My dream is just to be an active opera singer and sing all over the world. And I’ll take it any way it comes.”