A performer

Ms. Pearson has been performing since her 2nd birthday party when she asked everyone present to sit down as she sang “Tale as Old as Time.” Since then, that love of music has grown into a passion of not only entertaining, but of engaging and collaborating with the broader community through opera and art song.

With substantial experience in 20th and 21st century repertoire, Pearson aspires to captivate a variety of audiences through contemporary and classic repertoire. Most recently, Kaitlin appeared as an alumnus guest artist in the University of South Dakota Opera’s virtual production of Zoom Speed Dating Tonight by Michael Ching, performing the hectically comedic aria, “Overthinker.”

Kaitlin Pearson received a Master of Music in Vocal Performance in 2019 from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion (USD) under the guidance of Dr. Tracelyn Gesteland. That same year, Ms. Pearson was awarded third prize at the National level of the Music Teacher’s National Association Young Artist Competition and first prize at the North Central Regional NATS Classical Competition, Advanced Women’s Division, qualifying and performing as a semifinalist for the national auditions.

Throughout her graduate studies, Pearson performed a variety of roles, including the title role in Massenet’s Cendrillon, the Mother in Menotti’s The Consul, Hansel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, and Costanza in Haydn’s L’isola disabitata. Ms. Pearson won the USD Concerto/Aria Competition, culminating in a performance at the inauguration reception of USD President Sheila K. Gestring.

Originally from Gretna, Nebraska, Kaitlin earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) in 2015. It was here that she intimately connected with community outreach through operatic performance. Her lead role debut as Amahl in Amahl and the Night Visitors introduced her to performing opera for youth, a practice she actively pursued in future opportunities. While at UNL, she also performed the roles of Nettie from William Bolcom’s A Wedding, and Susie in Robert Owen’s Culture! Culture!.

Ms. Pearson has attended several training programs, most recently performing the role of Tisbe in Rossini’s La Cenerentola with Red River Lyric Opera (2019) in Wichita Falls, Texas. Other training includes Druid City Opera Workshop (2018) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and the final season of the Johanna Meier Opera Theatre Institute (2014) in Spearfish, South Dakota.

A voice instructor

Ms. Pearson strives to guide students of all ages and abilities towards individual, healthy, and confident vocal production through a variety of genres.

During her time at USD, Pearson taught both one-on-one and group voice instruction as part of her graduate assistantship role. This experience prompted her to pursue teaching in the Minneapolis metro area, where she taught in-home, in-studio, and virtual voice lessons. With both personal and professional experience working with people with disabilities, Ms. Pearson seeks to make vocal music more inclusive.

Pearson currently serves students in the Omaha metro area.