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Southern University Voice Major Performs with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra

Deterrius Johnson sings Mi Parto by Cosimo Bottegari - Accompanied by SU Professor Richard Hobson

 

Southern University junior Deterrius Johnson, a baritone voice major,was invited to sing in the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra's annual Christmas concert Home for the Holidays December 12, 2021.

Mr. Johnson had a very productive fall 2021 semester.  At the start of the semester, The Los Angeles Opera chose Deterrius to be a part of an exclusive cohort of only 10 students in the entire country to participate in the HBCU Opera Career Comprehensive program.  These ten students worked closely with renowned African American Metropolitan Opera tenor, Russell Thomas.  Russel stated that he wants to “help level the playing field and show the opera world that these singers are just as talented as those coming from other schools, they just haven't had the same opportunities.” 

In October, Deterrius was also invited to sing for the Star-Spangled Banner for the annual LAMA (Louisiana Airport Managers and Associates) Conference at the Baton Rouge Hilton Hotel Downtown.  The mayor of Baton Rouge, Sharon Weston Broome, was present at that meeting and subsequently invited Deterrius to sing for the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs annual breakfast. 

In November, Mr. Johnson took first place in the Junior Men’s category at the Southern Regional NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) conference in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  The Southern Region is comprised of the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas.  As a result of this win, Deterrius has the opportunity compete in the national competition in Chicago in the summer of 2022.   

Recently he has been invited to the University of Kentucky to sing the National Anthem at their inaugural Unity Series game on December 7th, 2021.  On December 12, 2021, Deterrius will make his debut as a soloist with Baton Rouge Symphony in their annual Home for the Holidays Christmas concert.   

In April 2022, Deterrius will sing the role of Monterone in Opera Southern’s much anticipated production of Rigoletto: Re-Imagined by Giuseppe Verdi.

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