Dr. Trent Broussard lived out a singer’s dream this month when he performed at the famed Carnegie Hall in New York City. Broussard, director of choral activities and chair of the fine arts department at Williams Baptist University, even performed a famous opera solo on the vaunted stage.
“It is a surreal experience,” Broussard said. “The auditorium seems massive, and you can almost feel the history when you are there. The list of legends who performed on that stage is long and impressive. It includes Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Mahler, Gershwin, Bernstein, Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and even the Beatles.”
He performed with the West Michigan Opera Project (WMOP), which was invited to Carnegie Hall to present a concert of opera arias and choruses. Broussard became a part of WMOP when he lived in Holland, Mich., prior to moving to WBU in 2022. The group prepared for almost eighteen months for the Carnegie performance.
“It is an honor to sing on the most prestigious stage in America,” Broussard said. “The hall’s acoustics are perfect, and my voice filled the space without pushing or oversinging. That experience was incredible. One day, I hope to bring our Williams Singers to perform in Carnegie Hall. I believe every serious musician deserves the experience of performing there.”
The WBU choral director and music professor sang the Toreador song from Bizet’s Carmen, an aria for a baritone soloist with chorus. He also sang the baritone part of the Pearl Fisher’s duet by Bizet, and he sang in the chorus for the finale from Turandot by Puccini.
“When I walked out on the stage, I felt humbled and grateful: humbled because I know I am nothing particularly special, and thankful to the Lord for giving me my voice and providing a teacher to help me master my technique,” he said. “I was also sad, realizing my parents would have been so proud to know I was singing in Carnegie Hall. There were so many emotions. I was happy for my colleagues who were also experiencing their first time as soloists at Carnegie.”
At WBU, Broussard directs the Williams Singers, which is the university’s premier choral ensemble, and he also teaches classes in the music program, as well as leading the fine arts department.
Williams offers four bachelor’s degrees in music: the Bachelor of Arts in Music, Bachelor of Music in Worship, Bachelor of Science in Education: Vocal Music K–12 and Bachelor of Science in Education: Instrumental Music K–12.
In addition to the Williams Singers, performing musical groups at the school include the Worship Team, Americana/Bluegrass Band, WBU Band (instrumental) and University Jazz Band. WBU students also take part in the Northeast Arkansas Chorale.
Williams is a private, Christian university in Walnut Ridge.
