Drake Douglas from Jackson has been given many opportunities through MU Singers

Drake Douglas started singing in the car and at his church, but his voice recently brought him to Washington, D.C., where he sang at the White House with the MU Singers. Douglas, now a senior at the University of Missouri at Columbia, graduated from Jackson High School in 2007. Along with singing in the 58-member choir, he's earning a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies with emphases in French and sociology as well as a minor in vocal performance and another in leadership and public service.

"I would just urge people who love music to keep doing it as long as they can," Douglas said. "Even though it's not going to be a career for me, it's really provided me some incredible opportunities and a hobby that constantly challenges me spiritually and intellectually."

SEL: How long have you been singing?

DOUGLAS: Music has always been a big part of my life. I get my voice from my mom and my rhythm from my dad. I can always remember singing in the car and and church, but I didn't start really studying music until junior high. After that Beth St. John and Christy Shinn locked me into choral music through their strong program at Jackson. I grew to love it enough to major in music education my freshman year at Mizzou.

SEL: Who do you look up to vocally?

DOUGLAS: That's almost an impossible question to answer. I enjoy and appreciate so many different genres of music. Right now I'm addicted to Sara Groves -- for her voice but even more so for her ability to write some really incredible music.

SEL: Which performer would you most like to sing with?

DOUGLAS: Ella Fitzgerald. She's my girl and really owns some of the best jazz standards.

SEL: What other trips has your singing is taken you on?

DOUGLAS: Since I've been in MU Singers we've toured in Chicago twice, K.C. and St. Louis; spent two weeks touring in Italy; and performed at Yale and around the Boston area.

SEL: Do you play an instrument as well?

DOUGLAS: I play piano. Mostly just as a hobby and stress reliever.

SEL: How did you get involved in MU Singers?

DOUGLAS: Being a music education major comes with the expectation of participating in an ensemble every semester. So, I auditioned my first semester at Mizzou and got it! Even after changing my major it's remained one of my favorite things that I've done in my undergrad career.

SEL: Who are some of the people you met while in D.C.?

DOUGLAS: We really

didn't get a chance to mingle with any notable people while in D.C. When we weren't at the White House we were usually off doing our own thing. I did, however, meet a wonderful lady named Peggy that gave me a phenomenal tour of the Library of Congress.

SEL: How many people did you end up singing in front of?

DOUGLAS: I would say that over the course of the night there were at least about 200 people that heard us.

SEL: Were you nervous?

DOUGLAS: I was more nervous about navigating the intense security than the performance itself. It took a lot of coordination to make this thing happen.

SEL: What's the most intimidating crowd you've had to perform for?

DOUGLAS: I generally get more nervous performing for smaller crowds, honestly. Voice juries in front of the entire voice faculty at Mizzou generally get me shaking a little bit.

SEL: How does this performance rank?

DOUGLAS: This was definitely a unique performance. I think we sang really well and provided a nice addition to the atmosphere to the festivities at the White House. Overall, though, it was just really rewarding to be representing my university and state on such a visible and reputable stage.

SEL: What sites did you see while there?

DOUGLAS: We hit up all the popular monuments, of course. I really enjoyed going the the Old Post Office and seeing the city from the top of the tower. The Library of Congress was also especially fascinating. There were some really influential pieces of our history just sitting there, right in front of my face.