A voice professor shares her journey of empowering female singers, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, resilience, and individual artistic expression while drawing inspiration from Helen Reddy's iconic anthem of female empowerment.
Her Story
About Carol
Carol Modesitt is a distinguished professor and vocal pedagogue who has spent more than three decades shaping the future of vocal performance at Southern Utah University, where she serves as the Head of Voice and Opera. With a career spanning over 30 years in higher education, she has taught courses in applied voice, vocal pedagogy, diction, opera, and musical theatre, leaving a lasting impact on countless students and performers. Her academic journey includes degrees from Kentucky Southern College, Utah State University, Florida State University, and Eastern Kentucky University, and she is a proud member of Delta Omicron, a music honor society.
Before joining SUU in 1993, Carol served as Artist in Residence at Plymouth State University and held a visiting assistant professorship at the University of Colorado. Throughout her career, she has championed excellence in vocal performance and education, nurturing both aspiring opera singers and musical theatre performers. Passionate about student growth and the power of music, Carol Modesitt’s legacy is one of mentorship, artistry, and unwavering dedication to her craft.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Carol
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my mother, who always pushed me to do my best and supported me every step of the way.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to never give up, no matter how tough the journey gets.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the industry is to build strong networks and always lift other women up along the way.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field right now is encouraging students to disconnect from their screens and truly engage with the learning process.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Carol
Developing Your Uniqueness
A Voice Professor's Journey: Empowering Female Singers Through Authenticity and Resilience
I am a voice professor in a university. I love my profession and my job, but it hasn’t always been easy. I’ve had to deal with a great deal of rejection over the many years that I have been singing and teaching. Because we bare our souls when we sing, when we are rejected, it can feel as though we have failed miserably. Then, if you are a soprano, there is intense competition, calling to mind the old adage that God must have loved sopranos because he made so many of them.
Although successful performers sing from the heart, years ago, an agent cautioned me not to wear my heart on my sleeve. Regardless of what one takes on as a woman, this advice holds true, and picking oneself up after any kind of disappointment takes courage and fortitude.
I teach voice and I run an opera program. I work with a great number of female singers in a rural setting. Being a proper role model for my students is of great importance to me. It’s important that I earn their trust and that they realize that I’m being honest with them, but at the same time students, particularly women, need to feel my support.
As a society, while we have seen many cultural changes over the years, one vital point hasn’t changed. The greatest performers are those who develop their own individual and unique voices. That’s why I’ve always stressed that students should strive to develop their unique voices to the fullest. In this day of easy access to recordings, too many young singers are tempted to imitate or copy the famous singers of the day. They forget that copies can never be unique or as good as the original.
Honesty is crucial for a singer, yet too many students find it hard to receive or give objective criticism, and I’ve worked hard to create an environment where this is possible. That’s also why I admire women who are willing to listen and work to come together in support of one another.
Recently I saw the second movie of Sex and the City. There is a segment where all four ladies sing “ I am woman” It brought back memories of Helen Reddy searching for empowerment and writing this song.
I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back and pretend
'Cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again
Whoa, yes, I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman (ooh)
You can bend, but never break me
'Cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
'Cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul.
To me, this song represents the best of what an influential woman is and what I work to instill in my students.
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