The first of hopefully many Alumni Spotlights is brought to us by Rachel Steinke. Rachel sang in Vivace’s Teen Women’s Ensemble for 2.5 years until her graduation. The opportunities she had at Vivace has propelled her to pursue a vocal performance degree at California State University Long Beach.

RACHEL STEINKE, Mezzo-Soprano, has a rival love affair with Opera and Choral music. A native of San Jose, Rachel spent 2.5 years in Vivace, which launched her to participate in 3 regional and 2 all-state honor choirs. For three consecutive summers, Rachel sang in Vivace’s Opera Workshop—as Chip from Chip and His Dog, as Fido the Dog from Brundibar, and as the Kernel from Rootabaga Country.

Rachel is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance at California State University Long Beach. While at CSULB, she has pursued her love for choral music by singing at ACDA conventions in San Jose and Salt Lake City and by working with notable composers such as Eric Whitacre, Jocelyn Hagen, Timothy Takach, and Jake Runestad. Fulfilling her love of opera, she performed in BCCM’s 2019 Opera Scenes programs and is slated to sing Public Opinion in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld. She hopes to become a professional mezzo-soprano, singing in both operas and professional choirs.

About this recording, Rachel writes, “This is a quarantine performance of “Les Roses d’Ispahan,” a lovely art song by composer Gabriel Fauré. I guess it pays off to have a harpist in the house. Thanks so much Crystal Steinke for making beautiful music with me in this dark time!”

Harpist Crystal Steinke, Rachel’s mother, has performed with Vivace on several occasions. Most recently, she accompanied the Teen Women’s Ensemble in their full performance of Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols in 2019.

The text of Fauré’s “Les Roses d’Ispahan” is translated from French to English on YouTube in the video’s description.