Page 9 - Reedley Exponent 10-4-18 E-edition

PB anorama
The Reedley Exponent
The View From Here
I didn't know much about opera before sitting down to in- terview local opera singer and 1998 Reedley High graduate Er- ika Alatorre last week. She told me she has been singing since
Juanita Adame
By Juanita Adame
Juanita@midvalleypublishing.com
If someone told a 17-year-old Erika Alatorre back in 1998 that one day she'd be auditioning for agents in New York City, or performing at Carnegie Hall, or even having hour long music recitals where people paid to come and hear to her sing, she wouldn't have believed it.
However, nearly 20 years later, that is exactly what is happening.
"I never even thought of it," she said. "I believe I was only 13 years old at the time one of my teachers in Dinuba named Dan Bishop said he wanted to teach me voice because he believed in my talent."
Alatorre said for someone to take her seriously the way Bishop did, meant a lot to her as a young girl.
"It made me take myself more seriously like wow, I really am a musician," she said. "I really have something special, because here's this person whom I look up to and he's telling me that I have something special."
After spending some time in Dinuba, Alatorre said she and her family moved to Reedley where she attended high school.
It was here, she said her voice was refined. She credited her for- mer choir teacher at Reedley High for her growth.
"Randy Lepp, he was our choir director at Reedley High, he made us all feel comfortable and like a family," she said. "We were all friends, it was a huge choir, we had like 80 to 100 close buddies."
While in high school, Alatorre sang with the concert choir and earned a number of awards includ- ing outstanding vocalist during 1997 and 1998.
Alatorre graduated from Fresno Pacific University with a BA in Vo- cal Performance. She speaks fluent Spanish, and French. She has per- formed in a number of local operas including playing the role of "Fras- quita" in Carmen. She also starred in the lead role of Julia in the opera "El Bracero."
In May 2015 she debuted as "Zer- linda" in the opera, Don Giovanni at Carnegie Hall in New York.
She is considered a "Full Lyric Coloratura Soprano." In the musical world of opera, she said, coloratura sopranos are known for their warm full voice and can sing extremely
the age of 1. I had the pleasure of hearing her sing and let me just say, the woman has a beautiful voice.
During our interview she told me the story about the time she spent at Reedley High, and how much she enjoyed that experi- ence.
She said the education and confidence she was given while on the Pirate campus helped her to pave the way for her career. Er- ika has traveled all over the world to sing, what an accomplishment!
AnytimeIinterviewsomeone, I like to ask them to give me the name of a teacher who inspired them. Almost always, my subjects can remember a teacher's name with no problem.
This also was the case with Alatorre. She quickly remem- bered her concert choir teacher from Reedley High, Randy Lepp.
She said Lepp made a huge difference in her life. This serves as a reminder for all of our teach- ers out there, what you do matters to your students, even some 20 years later, they remember you. Thank you to our teachers for all their hard work and inspiration.
And to Erika I say keep up the great work, you and your voice will go very far in the opera world.
I also had the chance last week to stop by Jefferson Elementary School. I went over to interview students who were learning about dairy cows.
On the Jefferson campus there was a 4 year old, holstein dairy cow named "Milky Way." I had the pleasure of interviewing two fourth graders; Mia Garza and Jalen Juarez. Both students gave some great interviews, so thank you! Lastly, I was able to stop by
See COLUMN page B2
Photo Contributed
ABOVE: Erika Alatorre in the blue dress participating in The Beggars Opera.
RIGHT: Erika Alatorre has been singing since she was a child, she has performed at various events and establishments in Fresno and has also performed at Carn- egie Hall.
Locals enjoyed annual 'Senior Prom' while spending time with friends
See B2
From Reedley's concert hall to Carnegie Hall
Former Pirate credits her success to local teachers and mentors
Section | Thursday, October 4, 2018 www.reedleyexponent.com
Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654
high notes in rapid succession. Throughout her journey, Ala- torre said she has not forgotten her roots here in Reedley, and credits her time at Reedley High for parts
of her success.
"Reedley High school was a real-
ly good high school, I always felt like the education and the quality of the campus was as good as if it would have been a private high school," she said. "I feel like everyone at Reed- ley High had really great values, the teachers, the students and there was something for every student to do."
Some of Alatorre's other perfor- mances included singing at the His- panic Women's Conference in down- town Fresno. "They invite me and I really appreciated that," she said. "I sing the start spangled banner and
"I feel like everyone at Reedley High had really great values, the teachers, the students and there was something for every student
to do."
–Erika Alatorre Opera Singer, RHS grad
Igettobeapartofthat,andI'mre- ally honored to do that because it's a pretty big event. I also sang at Fres- no Mayor Lee Brandt's fundraiser about four months ago, that was a really great experience."
Alatorre also had some advice for young students wanting to pur-
sue a career in music. "I always say no matter what your passion is, that they can just go for it," she said.
"I am a faith person, I am a Chris- tian, so I always say, do what God gave you. Even if you have a regu- lar job meanwhile, just keep doing something in pro of your dream and your goal, don't let it go, don't let go of your dreams- pursue them."
Alatorre added that she hopes to continue singing opera for as long as she can, and for those who will listen. She recently attended an opera fes- tival in Mexico where she was given lessons by some of the best known voices in the field. For more infor- mation on Erika Alatorre visit her professional Facebook page at face- book.com/lyriccoloraturasoprano
Dairy cow is part of educational lesson for students
By Juanita Adame
Juanita@midvalleypublishing.com
Students at Jefferson Elemen- tary in Reedley had a special visitor on the morning of Sept. 26: a black and white 1300-pound holstein dairy cow named Milky Way.
"I mean it's normal to see a cow in the fields," said fourth-grader Jaden Juarez. "But to see it in your school, that's crazy you know?"
Milky Way came from the Swee- ny Dairy in Visalia. She was on cam-
pus along with instructor Mishael McDougal as part of an educational campaign called the Mobile Dairy Classroom.
"Well we actually have six of these mobile dairy classroom units including myself that will travel Southern California and Central Cali- fornia," said McDougal.
"We each go to a different ele- mentary school each day, so Monday through Friday basically during the school year."
McDougal added that their goal
is to teach children where their food comes from as well as the role that agriculture plays here in the Central Valley.
Mia Garza, another student at Jefferson, said she learned quite a bit during the presentation.
"Today, I learned that cows they have four stomachs," said Mia, "And I didn't know that she chewed her food and it came back up so she could chew it again."
According to healthyeating.org, the Mobile Dairy Classroom teaches
students some key points including the anatomy of the cow, how milk goes from the cow to their school and or home, the agricultural technology used in farms, and the many differ- ent foods made from milk.
Students also had a chance to see how the cow is milked.
"When she milked the cow I was pretty surprised that milk squirted out I noticed when it was on the ground, when it was coming out it was coming out at full force," said Mia.
"I kind of laughed because she looked cute when she stuck her head out because I like the black and white color, but it's also a little messy."
The Dairy Council of California was founded in 1919 and partners with educators, health professionals, and communities to help students become more aware of the farming techniques in local areas and also teaches them healtheir eating habits.
For more information visit healthyeating.org/MDC4Teachers.
ABOVE: From left, students Mia Garza and Jalen Juarez are both in the fourth grade at Jefferson Elementary in Reedley, the pair was among a group of stu- dents who sat through the Mobile Dairy Classroom lesson on Sept. 26.
LEFT: Students had a chance to walk near "Milky Way," the dairy cow on campus to teach students about farming in the Central Valley.
Photo by Juanita Adame / The Exponent