- Clarissa Ocampo
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Clarissa Ocampo is a Filipino-American mezzo-soprano opera singer. She is best known for her album Cradle Songs and sings professionally in the United States and Asia.
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Birth to young adulthood
Clarissa Ocampo was born in the Philippines to a concert pianist mother and an obstetrician father who sang opera as a hobby. She graduated from high school in 1986, and planned to attend college in the United States until the People Power Revolution against the Marcos regime took place.
As a result, she enrolled as a pre-medical student at a local university. During this time, she decided to transfer to the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music. It was her time here that cemented her calling to music. "I was able to build a singing career in the Philippines while in college, and I think this was when I knew that singing was going to be my profession," she said.
A short time later, Ocampo was accepted into Juilliard for graduate school. It was then that she began her career in the United States.
Career highlights
Clarissa Ocampo sang the role of Lady Thiang in the Broadway national touring production of The King and I. This production also featured Hayley Mills, Marie Osmond and Faith Prince.
She also sang in The Mikado with New Hampshire’s Opera North.
In 2000, Ocampo released her debut CD, Cradle Songs. This album won "Best Classical Album" in the 2004 Children's Music Web Awards.
Let's Shout Out!
In 2005 Ocampo and baritone Andrew Fernando, also a Filipino-born opera star, founded "Let’s Shout Out!". This organization is devoted to promoting opera among youth.
"We both had the same vision of discovering young talent, honing their skills, helping them gain performance experience, and hopefully being a mentor for them in pursuing their own operatic careers," Ocampo said.
With that as a directive, "Let’s Shout Out!" was made into an internship program for high school seniors. Currently, the organization collaborates with Nipmuc Regional High School in Upton, Massachusetts. Two seniors have completed such internships and gone on to further education in college music programs.
References
Categories:- American people of Filipino descent
- Living people
- Filipino singers
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