16-year-old singer shuns pop star status for classical works

Taylor See isn’t your typical “American Idol”-style crooner. The 16-year-old performs arias and classical music, and she’s set to show off her talents March 22 as a national finalist in the Music Teacher’s National Association Senior Voice Division vocal competition.

See is a junior at Faith Lutheran High School, 2015 S. Hualapai Way. She won the Southwest Regional Division in Santa Barbara, Calif. The national competition is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. March 22 inside the Miranada Ballroom III at the Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Road. The event is open to the public.

See plans to perform “Si mes vers avaient des ailes” by Reynaldo Hahn; “Ich Liebe Dich” by Beethoven; “The Little Damozel” by Ivor Novello; and “Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion” by George Frideric Handel. The ability to intone such pieces came as a surprise to her parents, Michael and Kay.

Growing up, Taylor was not one to belt out a song, sing to the radio or even hum to herself.

“She didn’t sing at all, but she was very musical,” Kay said. “She started taking piano lessons at 6. … We had no idea.”

Her church, Desert Spring United Methodist Church, 120 N. Pavilion Center Drive, put on a performance, and there was a solo part. That’s when her innate talent came to light.

“Other people who had heard her (rehearsing) said, ‘Wow, you don’t know that she can sing?’ and I said, ‘No,’ ” Kay said.

Taylor’s music teacher suggested she study voice just before she went into ninth grade. She is in the Honors Institute at Faith Lutheran.

“We knew she’d be going to Faith Lutheran,” said Kay, “and they have a really incredible musical theater department, so we thought, ‘Let’s give her voice lessons and see how it goes.’ ”

It went well. Her awards and recognitions include: Music Teachers National Association-National Finalist Senior Voice Division 2015; Nevada State Command Performance Finalist 2014; Clark County Solo Festival Regional Division Superior Rating 2013-14; Clark County Ensemble Festival Regional Division Superior Rating 2014; National Association of Teachers of Singing-Regional Honorable Mention 2014; International Thespian Society-Nevada State Division Superior Rating 2014; Silver State Competition First Place Classical and Musical Theatre Division 2013-14.

Taylor also was first soprano section leader at her school and a featured performer in the Summerlin Council’s Patriotic Parade.

Her talents go beyond singing and include piano and songwriting.

Taylor said winning the Southwest regional was something she did “just for the experience and to see what it was all really like.”

Even when she was playing piano, she said, she never sang along, not even in her head. If she didn’t sing to the radio or to herself, what made her join choir at Rogich Middle School?

“I just joined it because of friends and, I don’t know, I love music,” Taylor said.

Her voice teacher, LaDonna Young, introduced her to arias, something many people her age don’t know exist. That led to competitions.

She said a lot of the preparation was mental, as much as 80 percent — breathing, connecting with the audience, keeping the lyrics straight, posture. Warming up is usually done in a separate room by herself. For the final pep talk, Young reminds her that all the hard work has been done and to just go out before the judges and have fun. Taylor said she realizes judges come with their own subjective viewpoints and that she may not always win.

“Whatever happens, happens. It’s all a good experience to build up a foundation,” Taylor said.

Desert Spring United Methodist said it’s happy to have her in its choir.

“She’s amazing,” said Ann Hardy, evangelism director. “You can’t believe that voice is coming out of a 16-year-old.”

Taylor plans to continue classical singing and make a career of it, touring the world.

Contact Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 702-387-2949.