Melody Versoza

Melody Versoza was born in Quezon City, Philippines. She came to the United States with her family at the age of eight and grew up in Orosi, California, a small farming community in the San Joaquin Valley. With the encouragement of choral director, Bill Giese, her interest in pursuing a musical career was confirmed in high school when she received the Bank of America Award in Fine Arts. Melody majored in music at Biola University in La Mirada, California where she studied voice with Wilmar Wall and received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance. During her junior and senior years at Biola, she was selected Soprano Winner for the Honor’s Concerto Concert and graduated with the Outstanding Vocalist award. Melody continued to graduate school at California State University of Fullerton, where she studied under Su Harmon and Dr. Michael Kurkjian, for her Master of Music Degree. As a recipient of his Amelia Galli-Curci Coloratura Scholarship, she was coached by Seth Riggs for a number of years, and in 1990, her voice was the background for the final episode of the ABC television series, Life Goes On. She competed in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in Los Angeles County and became District Finalist in 1992 and 1993. Currently, Melody is a vocal instructor at Santa Ana College. She is the soprano section-leader/soloist for Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Chancel Choir in Dana Point and is the primary vocalist for Rosanna Gamson World Wide, a theater/modern dance company based in Los Angeles that has toured throughout the United States and Canada. She began singing minimalistic opera, composed by Shane W. Cadman for RGWW in 1997, with the Los Angeles premier of Vessel, and continued performing as principal soloist in other productions, including: Grand Hope Flower, recipient of the Horton Award for music and choreography (Los Angeles); Lovesickness (Los Angeles, San Diego, Colorado, Toronto); and Two Views (Chicago, New York, Los Angeles) which was performed with excerpts of Again Not Again (NY, LA). Melody has also premiered and recorded original works by prolific composer and arranger, Dr. Brian Kehlenbach. On April, 2006, she assembled, rehearsed and sang in the “Ethiopian Chorus” of Orange County Opera Pacific’s production of the opera, Aida. Melody continues to be honored to perform for the fifth year of Real New Music.

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