Student hopes for singing career

Brittney Tucker began singing in elementary school while growing up in Arkansas.

Over the years, while listening to her mother sing, Brittney developed a voice of her own, a distinctive voice that stands out when she sings.

After moving to Springfield five years ago, the soprano has been training to become a professional singer. She is studying vocal performance and musical education at OTC.

“I grew up with my mom singing. She has an awesome voice. Singing came naturally to me. I’m a pastor’s kid. I sang in the church choir. In high school, I decided it was something I wanted to do. I want to travel and sing,” said Brittney, a Kickapoo High School graduate who was a member of the performance choir.

At a recent recital of the OTC Performance Choir, Brittney, 20, wowed the audience with her engaging solo rendition of the Christmas carol, “Jesu Parvule.”

Brittney finds it hard to describe the sensation that she experiences when performing on stage.

“Something comes over me. I go into this place. I know I am singing and it feels like something else. It’s overwhelming,” she said.

When she’s not singing, Brittney said she enjoys drawing or performing in theater. She’s also performed in some musicals, too. She likes listening to anything from John Mayer to the latest country music hits.

Brittney returned to classes this week to continue her studies and plans to transfer to Missouri State University to earn an advanced degree in voice. She said the training she’s gotten at OTC has gone a long way to improving her talent.

“I like the program here. I was skeptical at first to come to a community college but I was surprised and learned a lot. I will always remember OTC for what and how they helped me,” she said.

Steve Koehler is coordinator of media relations at Ozarks Technical Community College.