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Alumna Spotlight: Monica Ramich
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Monica Ramich (’16) grew up surrounded by music, playing and singing with her parents and four younger siblings at home and at church. She loved performing from a young age but didn’t decide to pursue it as a career until her sophomore year at Roberts. Her original plan was to double major and do music on the side, but after a year of being immersed in classical music and working with Professor Constance Fee, she fell in love with music and decided to pursue it exclusively.
Monica loved her time at Roberts. She reflected, “It meant a lot to be surrounded by professors and students who put God first and to be in a challenging environment that was also really encouraging. A big part of why I chose Roberts was the high caliber of professor – I count myself blessed to have been able to work with them. They fostered my love for music and my decision to pursue it. They’re dedicated to what they do. They desire to nurture students along the journey and help them discover their gifts, where those gifts fit into their lives as holistic people, and how to use them to serve God and others.”
When asked about her applied voice instructor, Professor Constance Fee, she burst out, “Oh my goodness, where do I start? She is so wonderful!” Monica related that, while they focused much on technique, Connie emphasized artistry in her teaching. “She caused me to think deeply about why I was singing in the first place and what I was hoping to communicate with what I was singing. Her patience and encouragement were really helpful for me, especially as I was growing into my own voice (and discovering it was much bigger than I thought it was)!” The relationship between private teacher and student is a special and unique one. Monica’s beautiful tribute continued, “She has encouraged me every step of the way and sacrifices so much of herself for her students. But, at the same time, she challenged and pushed me to be the best singer I could be. I owe so much to her in terms of my vocal development and love for singing. She’s passionate about what she does, and it shines through in her teaching.”
Monica’s time at Roberts was brimming with new experiences and performing opportunities. One such opportunity was the London on Location course, which she dubbed one of her most rewarding experiences. “I had a wonderful time, learned so much, and really enjoyed being in the company of fellow musicians while getting to see the music scene in London. It was an incredibly enriching experience that I don’t think would have been possible if I hadn’t been at Roberts.”
She relished her time in the Roberts Chorale, both from a musical standpoint and from an administrative standpoint while serving as the ensemble’s Vice President and later President. “Getting to work with such great musicians in a choral setting was a highlight of my time at Roberts,” she stated. During her senior year, Monica also enjoyed her role as Laetitia in Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief. “That really challenged me as an actress and as a singer. It was a delight to work with other students, the musical director, and the artistic director and see how all of those moving parts fit together,” she reminisced.
Monica soon revisited the role of Laetitia, performing Menotti’s opera once again during the last semester of her master’s degree in Vocal Performance at Ithaca College.
During her time at Ithaca, Monica gained teaching experience through leading her own Voice Class and teaching private voice lessons. “The combination of performing and teaching was ideal for me since that’s what I ultimately want to do,” she explained. “I had a number of solo performing opportunities, and my time at Ithaca helped me make connections with a broader community. A composer-friend and I took an art song he wrote for me and premiered it at a competition in New York City. It was an amazing experience.” Monica had taken a year off to work after her undergraduate degree. “I’m glad I did that because the time was right for me to go on to my master’s after that. And, I’m glad I decided to pursue my master’s and go down that road when it was time.”
Monica recently joined the Adjunct Faculty of Vocal Music in the Department of Theatre and Music Studies at The College at Brockport State University of New York. She is thrilled to be joining the team of Modern Singer Magazine, an online publication geared towards the modern classical singer, as a writer and content creator. This season, you can also find her performing in productions and outreach concerts as an apprentice artist with Opera Ithaca. She is a cantor and pianist at her church and teaches private voice and piano lessons on the side. She cheerfully exclaimed, “Living the dream!”
Throughout her career, Monica hopes to continue a combination of teaching and performing. “Having been teaching now for a couple of years, I’m constantly reminded of how much I love it. It’s so rewarding and fulfilling. I definitely want that to be a part of my life, and I hope that it will continue at the collegiate level.” She also plans to continue performing. “I love opera and art song and want to continue performing as often as I can. It not only gives me opportunities for personal growth but also is particularly meaningful when I can connect with others by sharing music I've invested myself in.”
Born and raised in Rochester, our city has a soft spot in her heart. While she appreciated her time away, she’s glad to be back in the area. No doubt, Rochester’s vibrant music scene is equally grateful for her return. “It's a busy season,” she concluded, “but I’m continually grateful for the opportunity to work hard doing what I love. Excited for the road ahead! God is faithful and good!”
Written by Emily Hutchinson, 11.4.19