The concert is going to be huge: an internationally televised performance in front of 20 million viewers, broadcasted from the famed Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, about an hour away from UCLA in Orange County. Musical background will be provided by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Crystal Cathedral choir, critically acclaimed to be one of the greatest choirs in the world. All that’s needed now is a soloist.
That’s where second-year vocal student Brian Vu comes in. After having successfully auditioned for the performance, Vu will be singing on Saturday at 6 p.m. and on Sunday at 7 a.m. as the baritone soloist for the Crystal Cathedral’s televised “Hour of Power.” Currently in its fortieth year of production, the “Hour of Power” program broadcasts Christian sermons every weekend to an estimated 20 million viewers around the world, including people in the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia. His solo, arranged by professional Dutch organist Jan Mulder, is entitled, “I Walk With God,” and will be accompanied by choir, organ and orchestra.
“My old choir teacher is script coordinator for the church, so she hooked me up with an audition.” Vu said. “At first, I was so nervous because everyone around me was so good, they’d sight-read the new, complicated pieces perfectly at first glance. As the job went on, I got closer with everybody in the choir, and they’re like a second family to me now.”
Vu graduated from the Crystal Cathedral Academy high school, and is now a full-time member of the Cathedral Choir. He was given a scholarship upon admittance to the UCLA vocal program, and currently studies under the chairman of the vocal department, Professor Michael Dean. He is also involved in the UCLA Chorale choir and the UCLA Opera and performs in various musical theater productions.
Mona Lands is an accompanist for the UCLA music department and plays for Vu during his singing lessons.
“He’s one of the most talented, innovative and driven incoming freshmen ““ and now sophomores ““ that we have ever had in the music program,” Lands said.
This is the biggest professional performance that Vu has ever done, and he said he hopes to use it to help him accomplish his goals.
“I’m hoping to get a master’s and maybe even a doctorate. … It depends on where life takes me,” Vu said. “I’d like to eventually perform, whether it be chorally conducting, doing Broadway shows or opera.”
Vu said he has high aspirations for future careers.
“I would (ideally) be in New York hopping around doing Broadway shows and singing in the Metropolitan Opera.”
Professional instructors who work with Vu acknowledge that his hard work combined with his talent allows him to rise above the competition.
“What’s special about Brian is that he’s really hungry for improvement. He goes out of his way to test himself and do the hardest assignment possible in order to defeat it. This is the kind of discipline and sense of challenge that is extremely impressive and particularly unusual for someone his age. … Most people try to do the safe thing,” said Opera UCLA Director Peter Kazaras, who has worked with Vu in several opera performances.
Continuing his singing repertoire, Vu is thinking about singing with the UCLA Chorale choir during the spring quarter, which will be performing Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis” in Royce Hall.
“Brian is a highly intelligent and talented singer, totally committed to his art and completely reliable ““ all in all, a great student who ideally represents UCLA,” said professor Donald Neuen, director of the UCLA Chorale and choral conductor for the Crystal Cathedral choir.
Vu said that aspiring singers need to take initiative in order to succeed.
“If you really want something, work toward it. You’ll be surprised at the people that you come into contact with that are willing to help support you and get you where you want to be. … I was certainly surprised by it.”
The cutthroat nature of the performance industry requires more than just talent.
“In this field, you either have the voice to succeed or you don’t ““ that’s just the way it is,” Kazaras said.
“It’s not just that Brian has the voice, it’s how he works with it that sets him apart, and will continue to do so for him in the future.”