Emmy- and Grammy-winning opera singer Denyce Graves is one of the greatest classical music stars of the 21st century. After studying at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, she went on to perform in the world’s most storied opera houses and concert halls. Along the way, she has sung at the White House, harmonized with the Muppets, and performed at the memorial for her friend and fan, Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

But before the acclaim and the accolades, she was a little girl from Washington, D.C., who loved music and had this passion nurtured by one of her first teachers. That teacher became a long-lasting mentor and helped inspire Graves to leverage her fame to create the Denyce Graves Foundation, which aims to uplift young artists of world-class talent from all backgrounds.

In this episode of Running to the Noise, Graves returns to campus and joins host and Oberlin College and Conservatory President Carmen Twillie Ambar to discuss the transformative power of mentorship and how her foundation is recognizing hidden voices and shaping the next generation of performers.

Show Links:

• The Denyce Graves Foundation
• Denyce Graves sings to Elmo
• Oberlin Conservatory Joins Consortium Created by the Denyce Graves Foundation
• For the Opera Singer Denyce Graves, a Great Voice Is Not Enough