Vocal Performance Majors Take Their Talents to Colombia for the 61st Popayán Music Festival
Recent BU alums Mirah Johnston and Grace Christensen, alongside Assistant Professor of Music David Guzman, performed never-before-recorded songs
Photos by Michael Rotiroti
Vocal Performance Majors Take Their Talents to Colombia for the 61st Annual Popayán Music Festival
Recent BU alums Mirah Johnston (CFA’24) and Grace Christensen (CFA’24), along with Assistant Professor of Music, Voice David Guzman, performed never-before-recorded songs at the Popayán Music Festival
Making international waves
This past spring, voice performance alums (at the time senior students) Grace Christensen (CFA’24) and Mirah Johnston (CFA’24) were invited to perform alongside Assistant Professor of Music, Voice David Guzman at The Popayán International Music Festival in Popayán, Colombia.
The festival began in 1964 and celebrates 60 years of strengthening cultural activity in the southwest of Colombia with the participation of national and international artists. In its long history, the festival has provided more than 4,000 artists, including soloists, chamber ensembles, orchestras, and choirs from 36 countries, to perform in the capital of Cauca. More than 800 concerts have been held, including world and national premieres.
BU School of Music was thrilled to give this opportunity to Grace and Mirah, providing international exposure to both students and the work of the School of Music. The students, alongside Guzman, performed never-before-recorded songs, showing these pieces of music to an audience beyond BU and Boston.
Follow Grace and Mirah’s journey in Colombia and hear from the students on how this opportunity marks their official entrance into the professional world. The now alums also share how rewarding it is to “immerse ourselves in a different culture and bring this art outside our community.”
“For me, this feels like what my entrance into the professional world looks like. It’s given me a real appreciation for the art that we actually create as vocalists.”
-Grace Christensen (CFA’25) Vocal Performance
“Pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and connecting with music in other ways is really important and helps you grow as an artist, and hopefully as a person.”
-Mirah Johnston (CFA’25) Vocal Performance
