Trenton Fordham, a baritone in the vocal program, is a graduating vocal performance student from the Sid and Mary Foulger School of Music, is adept in both musical theater and opera, and is looking to move beyond the beehive state to New York to pursue a career as a performer.
Fordham said he has learned a great deal in his time here, but is surprised to be finally leaving.
“The thing that has surprised me the most is how fast the time has gone! I can’t believe that it has already been four years since I started here at Weber.”
An advocate of artistic education, Fordham’s study has tutored him both in music and in life skills. He is adamant about the value of an arts education.
“My music education has taught me a lot, but the thing that it has taught me the most is to be persistent.”
Fordham’s persistence manifested in many ways during his education, but the rigorous piano proficiency requirement honed his determination.
“Piano has never been easy for me, and my piano classes have taught me diligence in my practicing not only with piano, but with voice too.”
There are a plethora of performance opportunities at WSU, and Fordham has participated in the majority of them in his time as a student, including the recent production of Mozart’s “Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute).”
“My favorite performance that I have been involved in at Weber State has been the recent production of ‘The Magic Flute.’ In this production, I had the honor of playing the part of Papageno. Papageno is so different than the person that I am that it was really fun to be him on stage. Also, the music in ‘The Magic Flute’ is amazing and I loved singing it. I am also really excited for my senior recital that is coming up on the 12th of April. I am singing some amazing music that challenges me both emotionally and vocally.”
Fordham is firm in his defense and in his praise of what the arts have taught him, saying that “being a music major means learning how to balance your time between performances and work and school and anything else that you have going on in your life. Because music majors are always busy, we have to learn how to balance our time.”
Despite his hectic schedule, Fordham has made an effort to branch out throughout his experience at WSU, serving as a resident assistant and maintaining an active social life.
“Three out of my four years at Weber, I have been an RA for Weber State housing, and I have met some of my best friends while in this job. In my time at Weber, I have made sure to spend time socializing, because, after all, that is half of the college experience. Also, socializing is crucial in the performing industry, because the connections and friends that you make could potentially lead you to other job opportunities. In order to have enough time to be a successful student and musician and also have time for a social life, I have had to accept a B on some tests instead of getting an A.”
Fordham said the difficulties that come with pursuing a degree as a performer are not lost on him.
“Employment in the arts is not easy, but if you work hard enough and are always trying to find more opportunities to perform, then you can make a decent living, especially in Utah. There are many theaters in the Salt Lake area that pay actors and are always casting for shows. Also, my music education has helped me to have a lot of self-discipline, which is a tremendous asset when searching for jobs both in the music industry and outside it.”
Fordham can be seen and heard performing in his senior recital on April 12 at 7:30 p.m. The recital is free and open to the public, ages 8 and older.
