By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka High School junior Mina Brooks-Schmidt hit a high note in her vocal career last weekend, when she earned a “finalist” ranking at a national contest.
“I was surprised because I haven’t done anything like this before,” Brooks-Schmidt said, of her participation in the Schmidt Vocal Arts competition. (Although she shares the name of the organization sponsoring the classical vocal contest, there is no connection.)
“She’s been working hard the last few years on her development as a singer,” said Rhiannon Guevin, her vocal teacher of the past three years. “I’m not surprised, but I’m delighted.”
Mina Brooks-Schmidt listens to applause after singing at the Holiday Brass Concert in the Performing Arts Center in December 2019. (Sentinel file photo by James Poulson)
Schmidt Vocal Arts in Covington, Kentucky, sponsors the annual contest for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors that in an ordinary year includes adjudication from top music educators, a master class, performances for the contest in various rounds, and performances by former winners and students of the host university. This year, the University of Colorado-Boulder hosted a scaled-down and virtual competition.
Brooks-Schmidt recorded her entries in early October in Sitka’s Odess Theater, accompanied by Juilliard-trained pianist Christopher Staknys. The two pieces she entered were designed to showcase her skills in different ways. She and Guevin chose an Italian language piece by Bellini, “Per pieta, bell’idol mio,” and a more upbeat and light song by Edward German, “It Was His Lover and His Lass.”
With COVID-19 restrictions in place, a briefer Competition Day was held virtually, with contestants participating online. The shorter schedule included a master class, and watching adjudicators from three universities work with a few contestants, all virtually.
On Saturday, Brooks-Schmidt and Guevin watched the awards ceremony and learned Brooks-Schmidt had earned one of the eight “finalist” designations. The award comes with a $250 cash prize.
“I was very proud,” Guevin said.
First, second and third prizes, as well as “encouragement” and “most promising sophomore” awards, were given to winners among the dozens of competitors. Cash prizes were given to all.
Brooks-Schmidt, the daughter of Roger Schmidt and Jeanine Brooks, was born and raised in Sitka. Her first musical theater production goes back to fifth grade in Sitka Fine Arts Camp’s Young Performers Theater, where over the years she has had such roles as Annie in “Annie,” the lion in “Wizard of Oz,” Dodger in “Oliver!” and Mabel in “Pirates of Penzance.” She has also been in SFAC’s Musical Theater Camp shows, including “Legally Blonde” and “The Little Mermaid.” At the camp, she has been studying opera and taken other vocal classes.
Three years ago, she began studying classical vocal performance with Guevin, who is a classically trained vocalist. Guevin said Brooks-Schmidt has a number of qualities as a classical vocalist.
“Hard work is always the most important thing,” Guevin said. “She has a great sense of pitch. She takes very naturally to the classical style of singing.”
Brooks-Schmidt said the competition was a good experience, since it provided a number of opportunities for learning.
Guevin, whose fulltime job is operations director at SFAC, is already looking ahead to the next competition in the spring, this time for musical theater. Brooks-Schmidt, a Broadway musical enthusiast, says she’s on board for that.
