UGA Opera Theatre Student Spotlight
Ben Boskoff
Hometown: Watkinsville, GA
UGA program/major: Vocal Performance, B.M.
Year in school: 4th year, senior
What is your earliest musical memory? When I was 18 months old, I was in a body cast after I broke my femur bone. While "stuck” in the cast, I remember listening to Bach and Mozart pieces and I was conducting along with the recording!
Does anybody else in your family work in music related business? Both of my parents are Music and Band teachers. I grew up surrounded by music 24 hours a day.
Do you play any other musical instrument? I play the saxophone and trumpet. This was before I began to train vocally. My parents, being music teachers, had me try all the instruments they could.
Do you have any experience, as an audience member, that influenced you as a musician? Every time I went to a performance of my Dad’s band, I kept listening and watching. I think going to these helped my ear and musicianship. Also going to multiple broad-way performances helped me realize that I really was passionate about sharing music.
When did you start considering vocal performance? I always longed to perform but kept that longing secret, thinking it wasn’t attainable for me. When I entered college though, Dr. Gregory Broughton convinced me that anything else would be a waste of my voice and gift. I thank him for the inner-drive for performance in voice.
What do you consider as a milestone in your performance career? I think a milestone for me will be when I truly accept what I do as “art” and not just performance. Art touches and moves the audience: that is what I want to do.
What was your favorite scene in past UGA Opera Theatre productions? I think the Hoffmann prologue was one of the “funnest” times on stage I have had here at UGA. Everyone was in character and was fully invested.
What is your favorite scene in the next UGA Opera Theatre production? The Carmen Quintet… It is the very first opera scene I saw. Not only that, it is some of the greatest music and our cast works together as thieves so well!
Do you have any hobby? I cook and bake. But other than that, I am learning and listening to music.
If you could be or do anything else – what would it be? I couldn’t imagine not performing, but I think owning a bakery or coffee shop would be something I would pursue.
If you could go back in time, when and where would you like to live? I would live in the 1910s in England. I just love that period of art, literature and society.
If you could have dinner with five famous people from history, who would they be? I would have dinner with Ernest Hemmingway, F. S. Fitzgerald, J.S. Bach, J.R. Tolkien, and Benjamin Britten.
What is your dream opera role? I would love the chance to be Rinaldo in Rossini’s Armida. I also would love the chance to be the title role Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten.
Your career goals: I just want to perform as an artist around the world. Be that recital, chamber music, opera or oratorio.
Is there any interesting opera backstage story you would like to share? None that is too crazy, but I love watching people’s “pre-performance” traditions and rituals.
What one word would you use to describe yourself? Passionate
Hometown: Watkinsville, GA
UGA program/major: Vocal Performance, B.M.
Year in school: 4th year, senior
What is your earliest musical memory? When I was 18 months old, I was in a body cast after I broke my femur bone. While "stuck” in the cast, I remember listening to Bach and Mozart pieces and I was conducting along with the recording!
Does anybody else in your family work in music related business? Both of my parents are Music and Band teachers. I grew up surrounded by music 24 hours a day.
Do you play any other musical instrument? I play the saxophone and trumpet. This was before I began to train vocally. My parents, being music teachers, had me try all the instruments they could.
Do you have any experience, as an audience member, that influenced you as a musician? Every time I went to a performance of my Dad’s band, I kept listening and watching. I think going to these helped my ear and musicianship. Also going to multiple broad-way performances helped me realize that I really was passionate about sharing music.
When did you start considering vocal performance? I always longed to perform but kept that longing secret, thinking it wasn’t attainable for me. When I entered college though, Dr. Gregory Broughton convinced me that anything else would be a waste of my voice and gift. I thank him for the inner-drive for performance in voice.
What do you consider as a milestone in your performance career? I think a milestone for me will be when I truly accept what I do as “art” and not just performance. Art touches and moves the audience: that is what I want to do.
What was your favorite scene in past UGA Opera Theatre productions? I think the Hoffmann prologue was one of the “funnest” times on stage I have had here at UGA. Everyone was in character and was fully invested.
What is your favorite scene in the next UGA Opera Theatre production? The Carmen Quintet… It is the very first opera scene I saw. Not only that, it is some of the greatest music and our cast works together as thieves so well!
Do you have any hobby? I cook and bake. But other than that, I am learning and listening to music.
If you could be or do anything else – what would it be? I couldn’t imagine not performing, but I think owning a bakery or coffee shop would be something I would pursue.
If you could go back in time, when and where would you like to live? I would live in the 1910s in England. I just love that period of art, literature and society.
If you could have dinner with five famous people from history, who would they be? I would have dinner with Ernest Hemmingway, F. S. Fitzgerald, J.S. Bach, J.R. Tolkien, and Benjamin Britten.
What is your dream opera role? I would love the chance to be Rinaldo in Rossini’s Armida. I also would love the chance to be the title role Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten.
Your career goals: I just want to perform as an artist around the world. Be that recital, chamber music, opera or oratorio.
Is there any interesting opera backstage story you would like to share? None that is too crazy, but I love watching people’s “pre-performance” traditions and rituals.
What one word would you use to describe yourself? Passionate