It was all a matter of fate for Michael Forest ’85, 86’ when he was searching for the right school. Once he won the Edwin and Helen Lynch Scholarship, it was precisely the strong foundation Forest needed both academically and artistically. As a student, Forest performed in the world premiere of Jacob Druckman’s “Vox Humana Kennedy Center National Symphony,” and he also debuted in “Porgy and Bess Metropolitan Opera,” performing with world-renowned names, such as Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti at the Metropolitan Opera.
Forest now uses his knowledge to educate current Shenandoah students. As an associate professor of voice at ĻӰ. In this position Forest teaches applied voice lessons to undergraduate, masters and doctoral students, and is an opera coordinator of the voice department. Students love picking his brain, as he did with his professors during his time as a student.
Forest’s advice to current students is: “Be a sponge, soak it all in, and don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Work very hard to be the musician that you can be.”