Makeda Hampton

New Castle

Established
Music: Solo Recital

By: Gail Obenreder

“My inspiration is rooted in the desire to elevate the voices and stories of my ancestors, blending classical vocal music with the rich musical traditions of the African Diaspora.”

Growing up, soprano Makeda Hampton never foresaw a life as a professional musician. “Music-making was something my family and I enjoyed casually, not as a conscious catalyst for a career path.” But early on, there was a rich variety of musical influences that surrounded her – gospel, spirituals, a cappella, jazz, and classical – although she “didn’t fully recognize their impact until much later.”

Hampton grew up in New Castle, in a family that frequently sang together at home and at church. At her high school boarding academy, Hampton sang in the concert choir and studied music, but it wasn’t until she attended college that she was introduced to the world of opera. She had originally planned to pursue STEM studies (her family background), but during her freshman year a voice-major friend gave her a recording featuring legendary operatic sopranos. “That 90-minute CD was a game-changer,” opening her to the beauty of opera and “launching me into a journey of vocal discovery.”

Her vocal teacher encouraged Hampton to study music seriously, beginning an artistic journey “shaped by persistence – learning a completely new world, navigating challenging competitions and auditions, [and] building connections.” She was able to study in Graz, Austria at the American Institute of Musical Studies, and she earned a master’s degree from Westminster Choir College in Princeton and a doctorate at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

In 2019 Hampton moved to New York City for her “first big gig” at the Metropolitan Opera, and during the pandemic she commuted to Delaware for teaching and performances. She moved back to the First State in 2023 making New Castle once again her home base. In addition to performing, “teaching voice has since become a cornerstone of my career, allowing me to blend my love of science with artistry while mentoring and inspiring the next generation of singers.”

“Prendi per me sei libero from “L’Elisir d’Amore,” 2022
Length of full work: 120 minutes
Instrument or voice part in the sample: soprano

“This Little Light of Mine,” 2023
Length of full work: 3 minutes 11 seconds
Instrument or voice part in the sample: soprano

Working to achieve her goal of blending musical traditions, Hampton is now at work on a recital and recording project titled The Emancipated Voice: African Romances. The project’s cornerstone is a rarely performed, ground-breaking art-song cycle that was a collaboration of African British composer Samuel Coleridge Taylor and African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. The 1896 work was written for voice and piano, but Hampton’s project “will expand the song cycle’s aural soundscape, enriching it with African musical instruments such as the Mbira.”

Hampton is inspired by family, friends, and colleagues who – even in uncertain times – maintain integrity, creativity, and personal commitment to their work. And drawing on her family’s STEM background, she finds that “the intersection of culture, science, technology, and human experience constantly fuels my imagination and drives my work forward.”

However, one of the challenges of being an independent classical singer is “balancing innovation with the foundational techniques of my discipline,” seeking to “step outside the classical mold” to find the place where “my contributions can thrive.”

The singer deeply believes in the transformative power of her art form, finding great rewards in “the way music connects people.” Hampton is drawn to culinary traditions, and she loves to travel, teach, and reconnect with colleagues, finding that “every collaboration or performance is a chance to contribute to the cultural landscape while staying true to my vision.”

Grateful for the support of the Division’s Fellowship, Hampton considers it “an incredible honor” that will help her complete her first solo album and invest in lessons and coaching sessions to “refine my skills and elevate my work” as she continues to “grow, create, and share my art with others.”

 

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