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While attending the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse to pursue a degree in computer science, Kroes kept singing, and his teachers encouraged him to think about singing professionally because they loved his bass-baritone voice and his potential.
“I really didn’t think singing as a career was a viable option until others encouraged me,” Kroes said.
He transferred to Viterbo University after his freshman year and began taking voice lessons again with Daniel Johnson-Wilmot, who started teaching him during his sophomore year in high school.
Kroes will give his senior recital Sunday, celebrates his 22nd birthday Monday and graduates from Viterbo next Saturday.
He plans to attend Indiana University in the fall to pursue a master’s degree in vocal music. Kroes said Indiana is one of the top three vocal music graduate programs in the country, and he will study with Paul Kiesgen, one of the top bass-baritone teachers in the world.
“I love Andy’s voice, it is a smooth sound from top to bottom,” Johnson-Wilmot said. “He has a beautiful bottom resonance and a very natural quality.
“He is extremely intelligent, and can learn and memorize music quickly,” he said. “I’m looking forward to his singing career.”
Kroes won an award at the Metropolitan Opera district auditions and sang at the audition winners’ recital April 19 in Milwaukee. He was a finalist in the Schubert Club auditions in the Twin Cities last year and won the junior men and senior men college divisions at the National Association of Teachers in Singing state auditions.
“Pursuing singing as a career has been a gradual process for me that is still building,” Kroes said. “I’d like to sing professionally, but I’d also like to teach someday.”
His father, Jeff, has a beautiful bass-baritone voice and sings with the La Crosse Chamber Chorale. His father has a solo in Sunday’s concert of Dvorak’s “Stabat Mater” at Viterbo.
“I’ve listened to my dad sing, and when I started singing, everyone thought I sounded like my dad,” Kroes said.
Kroes said he comfortably can sing an E below the bass cleft. “It’s very low,” he said.
He said he has worked on a wide variety of repertoire and has a pretty solid technical foundation, thanks to Johnson-Wilmot.
“I’m constantly developing my skills and passion for singing,” Kroes said. “I feel fortunate to get this great opportunity at Indiana University.”
If You Go
WHAT: Andrew Kroes college senior recital
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Viterbo University Fine Arts Center Recital Hall
ADMISSION: Free
Terry Rindfleisch can be reached at trindfleisch@lacrossetribune.com, or (608) 791-8227.
