SHE AIMS HIGHER - Kira Marsh, a Quartz Hill High School grad, has been invited to study with the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. Marsh, a veteran of community musical theater productions, will participate in the American Institute of Musical Studies concert studio for singers program. She leaves Sunday for the six-week program. MOLLY HAUXWELL/Valley Press

Traveling classical singer: Take me to your lieder

By JULIE DRAKE
Valley Press Staff Writer

Marsh, a veteran of community musical theater productions such as "Fiddler on the Roof" and "My Fair Lady" will participate in the American Institute of Musical Studies concert studio for singers program.

She likely will study the German lied, or song, German diction, the poetry of the lied, historical aspects and composers of lieder and explore European standards of style and execution.

"I'm very excited about it," Marsh said. "It's a big leap, but I'll come out as a better person. I think I will come out as a more independent person and a better musician and with a lot more experience."

The program deals with the preparation and presentation of the concert repertoire for singers and will culminate with the presentation of a Liederabend, or song recital, in a Graz castle. This will be her first trip abroad.

Marsh, 19, said she originally wanted to do AIMS' opera program because she had taken Spanish in high school and it is similar to Italian, which she would use for opera. But Marsh said her vocal coach, Donna O. Parsons, encouraged her to pursue the German art song instead because it was more suited for her age and voice.

"I was a little bit scared at first because there's no character; it's German poems put to music by composers like Schubert and Brahms," Marsh said.

Marsh's mother, Kelly Marsh, said it was she who insisted the teen take Spanish in high school.

"I said, 'You live in Southern California; you're not taking those other languages, you're going to need Spanish.' " Kelly Marsh recalled. "Now she needs French, Italian and German."

Marsh's path to Austria started last year when she auditioned for the AIMS institute for her senior project. She wasn't accepted then, but she will be one of the younger students in the program this year.

She learned about AIMS and German art songs from Parsons.

"It's been an excitement for me, very, very, exciting, watching her really move to coming in on her own," said Parsons, who saw Marsh's first AIMS audition. "I think she'll be quite successful with it. I couldn't be more proud."

Parsons believes Marsh will bring back something she would not be able to obtain in any other situation and will benefit from working with such a wide variety of singers.

She predicted Marsh will be successful at AIMS.

"I think Kira works very hard; she is not a lazy student," Parsons said. "She is one of the hardest-working students I have. … She's worked very hard and she deserves the attention for having worked so hard, and she's finally achieved some of these goals that she's going after. I think that's to be commended, and I love her dearly."

Parsons is the director of Desert Opera Theater's "The Fantasticks," in which Marsh shares the lead role of Luisa with Gabriela Garcia.

Marsh's final two performances will be at 8 p.m. today and Friday at Saving Grace Christian Ministries, 1122 West Ave. L-12, No. 107, Lancaster. Tickets are $17 for adults and $15 for children, seniors and military with ID.

Kelly Marsh said although the AIMS program is intensive, the people they have met doing it are very positive.

"It just seems like they've created a very good learning environment," she said. "It makes it a little easier to send her and say, 'OK, go for it.' "

The program costs about $6,000, not including airfare, and Marsh received scholarships, including the 2009 Desert Opera Theatre-Dorothy Llewellyn Performing Arts Scholarship, and support from her church and the community in general.

"I'm just so glad to have all the support from my family and from the community," Marsh said. "So many musicians are just on their own and very self-sustaining. They have to do all of the music and (hold) a job on the side."

Marsh graduated from Quartz Hill High School in 2008. She realized when she was a senior that she wanted to pursue classical music because she is better suited for it.

"It's seems more comfortable," Marsh said.

She recently completed her first year at Antelope Valley College, studying voice under instructor Gloria Kim. She hopes to attend Chapman University in Orange and major in vocal performance.

"It's a long road, but I want to pursue opera, and by the time I'm finished with school, I'll probably have enough German art songs to do recitals and art songs in general," Marsh said. "I figure probably a mix of opera and recitals with art songs."

As a high school senior, Marsh won a scholarship through the Los Angeles Opera, where she was able to see several operas throughout the season, discuss the shows with professionals beforehand and get a peek behind the scenes in the world of opera.

"A very diverse education," Marsh said.

Marsh spent 11 years as a member of the Antelope Valley Children's Choir.

She started in the first grade and left the group last year after she graduated from high school.

"She was very, very reserved and shy," Kelly Marsh said. "It was a good place for somebody reserved to get started and not have to be up there by themselves."

After she was accepted into the AIMS program, Marsh received a repertoire list from the institute of songs she needed to prepare for when she arrives in Austria.

"They ask you to prepare about four or five songs from that list," Marsh said. "And so that's what this last month or so has been spent doing. Dr. Kim selected songs from that list because I've been busy with 'Fantasticks.' "

Marsh said Kim is working with her on the songs she will sing at her hearing in Austria, which will ultimately determine which classes she is placed in for the program.

"I'm thankful for both of the teachers who helped me," Marsh said. "Donna's been a good supporter in terms of getting this started for me."

jdrake@avpress.com