Soprano Rayanne Gonzales performed in the Fine Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13.

   Gonzales received the honor of being the National Federation of Music Club 2007 Young Artist Winner.

• “O del mio dolce ardor” from “Paride ed Elena” by Christoph Willibald Gluck

• “Adendempfindung” and “Dans un bois solitaire” by  Wolfgang-Amadeus Mozart

• “Allerseelen," Op. 10, No. 8; “Leises Lied," Op.39, No. 1; and “Cäcilie," Op. 27 No. 2  by Richard Strauss

• “Á Chloris,” “L’Énamourée” and “Le printemps” By Reynaldo Hahn

• “Vocalise-étude en forme de Habernera” by Maurice Ravel

• “Cantar del Alma” by Federico Mompou

• “Tralalá y el punteado” by Enrique Granados

• “Seguildille” by Manuel de Falla

• “ The Rose Family” by Elliot Carter

• “The Daisies” by Samuel Barber

• “I Never Saw a Moor” by Richard Pearson Thomas

• “Sence You Went Away” by Leslie Adams

• “I Stood on de Ribber ob Jerdon”  and “Steal Away” arranged by Harry T. Burleigh

• “Ride On, King Jesus” arranged by Hall Johnson

• “Bali Ha’i” from “South Pacific” by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein

• “I Love Him, I Think” from “Senor Discretion Himself” by Frank Loesser

• “My Man’s Gone Now” from “Porgy & Bess” by George Gershwin

   Gonzales bowed and greeted the audience with a smile after every song. She sings with a big, accurate voice that she uses sensibly, but fearlessly. She sang in German, French, Spanish, Italian and English.

   Gonzales said she received a warm welcome when she arrived.

    "Wonderful, very warm welcome; I have felt like a very honored guest and I appreciate the warm reception the audience gave us,” Gonzales said.

    Gonzales started singing at 6 years of age during her cousin’s baptism. She sang her favorite song “You Light Up My Life” by Debbie Boone and remembers being emotional after the event.

   She grew up singing in the church choir, sang in her high school concert and show choir and majored in music when she stared college. She built her vocal technique while in college. She attended Boston University as an undergraduate and received her Artist Diploma at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Mass.
 
    Ann Rye, professor emeritus of music from Henderson State University, accompanied Gonzales on the piano. Rye said playing for Gonzales was a dream come true. Gonzales picked gorgeous literature and knows what exactly she wants to do. Rye plays organ, piano, harpsichord and other keyboard instruments.  

   Chair of the Division of Music Annette Hall said she enjoyed hearing Gonzales sing.

   “Its such an opportunity to hear a musician of this caliber,” Hall said. “It was a wonderful performance.”