Recent DSU Graduate Receives $70,000 Scholarship for Graduate School

By Allie Garrow, UMAC Intern

As a recent graduate from Dixie State University, Connor Lee has been awarded a $70,000 scholarship as part of a graduate program at Longy School of Music, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he will pursue his master’s degree in vocal studies.

With his musical talents budding at an early age, Connor has continued taking advantage of multiple opportunities during his college career to elevate his musical talents to new heights.

Coming from a family with little to no musical talent, Connor’s interest in music was first introduced through piano lessons at the age of eight. Shortly after starting piano, his curiosity spread to other instruments including the violin, where he attended private lessons throughout his high school experience.

Connor’s journey as a Trailblazer began in 2014 where he originally started as a violin major. While participating in a mixture of voice lessons, and performing for school and local productions, Connor realized his full potential and his passion shifted somewhat, resulting in the change of his major the following year to vocal performance.

In 2015, Connor also participated in Dixie’s Got Talent with his musical performance of “Crystallize” by Lindsey Stirling, and later took the win in 2020’s competition with his vocal performance of “Nessun Dorma,”one of the best-known tenor arias in all of opera.

If you’ve attended any local productions around southern Utah, you might have recognized him as Sheriff Joe in “Spitfire Grill,” Dickson in “Secret Garden,” or even the Musical Director in “Moana Jr.” Not only has Connor integrated himself into many musical productions at the St. GeorgeMusical Theatre, but he also found himself in Italy in 2018, participating in a Summer Abroad Opera Program where he had the opportunity to sing at a handful of historic sites and even took on a solo, sung in Italian.

2020 Dixie's Got Talent Award Winner – Connor Lee

Connor’s involvement throughout his time at DSU is a great example of “active learning. active life.” the university’s student-centered approach to education and commitment to helping students be involved in the community. This foundation will make a difference as Connor makes the move East in pursuit of his dreams of becoming a master vocalist.

To learn more about DSU’s Music Department, visit music.utahtech.edu or, for more information about Dixie’s Got Talent, go to alumni.utahtech.edu/alumni-events/dixies-got-talent/.

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