Melissa Irvine – (BMus) Bachelor Music Performance
“Melissa Irvine is an up-and-coming opera singer and musical performer who possesses both natural talent and an admirable drive. Completing the Music Performance diploma program at Camosun College, Melissa now attends the University of Victoria in hopes of earning her Bachelor’s degree in music performance.”
~Nadia Ekkel, Student of the Unversity of Victoria 2021
Before starting her studies at the University of Victoria in hopes of gaining a Bachelor’s degree in music performance, Melissa attended Camosun College and completed the Music Performance diploma program in May of 2020. The diploma program usually takes students 3-4 years to complete but Melissa was able to complete the program in 2 years and looks back on her time spent at Camosun with elation and pride. Flying through the musical performance diploma program, Irvine accredits it for solidifying her love and passion for musical performance – especially classical voice.
The young musician dreams of performing opera, travelling and “being able to share
[her] heart with people” through performance. “I have a heart for ministry”, Irvine shares, “through singing I can call people in and they listen to me and I can actually teach them something”. She sees herself working with a touring opera company in the future, being able to share her talent with people in various places.
Growing up in Sooke with her large and tightly-knit family, Melissa recalls music being a part of her life from a young age, performing as a child through school programs. “I’ve always had a passion for performance” the artist recalls, “music has always been my passion, it’s always been in me”. Her passion coupled with her impressive musical talent and ambition is what has allowed Melissa to succeed as a performer and student.
Irvine is aware of her immense natural talent, including her 3-octave voice range but accredits many of her pursuits to her mentors who have provided her with both guidance and motivation. She began her musical journey by playing the piano as a young child, singing in choirs at the age of fifteen and formally received individual voice training when she was seventeen. Looking to her father for guidance, Melissa knew she wanted to pursue music because her father “could have been either an Olympic runner or gone into electronics, and he chose the path that would provide for his family.” while she admires her father for this, she expresses her desire to “take the path less chosen”.
When she is not crafting her art or studying, Melissa is spending time with her family and friends and almost constantly looking forward to her future, her grad recital in particular. “It’s all I’ve looked forward to for the past three years”, the performer shares, “ I just love music.”.
Artistic Bio Written by Nadia Ekkel, May 2021, University of Victoria, Writing for the Arts