Bright lights shine on Connor J. Ouly’s face as he sings in front of hundreds, only focussed on his pitch and less on his nerves. His stature says he is confident in his voice and his voice sings confidence back to the audience. As the lights start to dim, the curtains begin to close as Connor bows respectfully to the applauding people who sit before him. The performance is finished, but this is only the start to the exciting life of a Juilliard student who wishes to further their career in theatrics. But, Connor Ouly’s story is a different one. A story that not many people want to tell after they have spent years practicing for such a future as Connor had hoped for when finishing his schooling at Julliard School of Music. When it comes to graduating and finishing his degree in Voice, Ouly has other plans in mind rather than to pursue what he thought was his one and only path up until recently.
New York, New York. The Big Apple, the place where ‘dreams come true’ for young aspiring artists and entrepreneurs. For Connor J. Ouly, an amatuer theatrical stage performer and singer, the dream came to him at the young age of just twelve. For Connor, it was natural. After years of vocal classes and musical lessons, his voice became his biggest weapon on the stages where he performed. Although, after years of singing and performing for ‘fun’, it was time to get serious. As most highschool students were still choosing which college to attend, Ouly had already chosen his dream school, Julliard School of Music, and was attending weekly auditions while adjusting to Juilliard and life in New York.
Moving from a small town in Pennsylvania to New York City was a serious adjustment for Ouly, as he was not used to such a fast paced lifestyle. While it was refreshing to see and meet new people, the city is a hard place to adjust to for young newcomers.
“Living in the city is a big challenge honestly. I always used to think the city was where I wanted to be, but after being here for three years I really just long for peace and quiet! Between the hassle of transportation, and the inability to not spend money when leaving the apartment for any reason, it’s turned out to not quite be my cup of tea.” Ouly tells me.
Now, after three years, Connor Ouly is a Junior and the time for graduation and getting really serious about his path, is itching his brain. For starters, Ouly shares with me that this is technically not what he wishes to do with his future anymore, as he has gained a love for other passions.
When asked if he saw himself finishing his degree at Juilliard and continuing his path of music, he responded: “Finishing my degree, yes. Following this path, no. This last year and a half has been a battle as far as figuring out if this career path is really for me. In the last few months I’ve come to the decision that I do indeed intend to finish my degree but to not continue to pursue performance as a career, but rather pursue other paths, options, and passions of mine. I have learned that it’s always okay to change your mind and that one should never settle”.