If you were at the gymnastics meet versus Georgia on February 10 , you were one of 7,000 people who heard Katherine Graham sing the National Anthem. Katherine, who is studying music and business, has a natural talent for all things music. Her Campus UFL recently spoke to Katherine about her passion.
Her Campus (HC): How did you start singing?
Katherine Graham (KG): My mom always said I sang before I talked, so I guess being musical just came to me. I started taking piano lessons when I was 4-years-old. When I was growing up, I sang in musicals and my church choir. It wasn’t until I got to high school that I realized I wanted to pursue classical music.
HC: You were in the acapella group, Tone Def, last year. How was your experience with that?
KG: I’m obsessed with Pitch Perfect, so I decided it would be cool to try acapella out. It was a great learning experience because it’s a student-led group. There are so many personalities within the group, so we really had to work together to be successful. It was amazing getting to meet so many different people who were passionate about singing.
HC: What does a regular week look like for you?
KG: I spend 6 to 10 hours in the studio each week. One of the really cool things I get to do is research the pieces I sing. With voice performance, it’s about conveying the meaning behind the lyrics to the audience. I look into certain things, like what the relationship was like between the poet and the composer of the song.
HC: How did you get the opportunity to sing the National Anthem at the gymnastics meet?
KG: My studio professor used to be the director of the Gator Band, so he has a lot of connections with UF athletics. He gave my name to some people at UF’s athletic association, and then I got an email from one of the UAA coordinators asking if I’d want to sing at a gymnastic meet.
HC: What was it like singing at the gymnastics meet?
KG: I had never sang in front of that many people, so it was definitely a different experience. It was dark, so I couldn’t see all the people in the audience. There were people performing the National Anthem in sign language next to me, so it was nice to not be completely alone up there.
HC: What are your future career goals?
KG: I think I want to do something more geared toward business. It would be cool to do something in the classical music setting, like working in an opera house or in a studio. But for now, singing and music are just things I want to do on the side.
Photo Credits: Meghan Hettanbach, Catherine Chapman