Makeda Hampton, Soprano


Makeda Hampton is renowned for her beautiful voice and exceptional artistry. She has performed in many solo and joint recitals, operettas, and school opera productions. Her opera roles include Spirit #1 in Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte,” Lucy in Menotti’s “The Telephone,” and Norina in Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale.” Makeda has also been a winner in well-known singing competitions which include the University of Kentucky’s Alltech Opera Competition, NATS Auditions (National Association of Teachers of Singing), Classical Singer National Convention Young Artists Competition, and most recently, the Montpelier Arts Center Classical Recital Competition.

During the summers of 2005 and 2006, Makeda studied abroad at the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria. While in Graz, she worked with internationally acclaimed musicians such as Gabriela Lechner, Dorit Hanak-Tscharre, & Andrea Huber; coaches Beaumont Glass and Harold Heiberg; and former Metropolitan Opera stage director Bodo Igesz. This past year, Makeda coached extensively with Rachelle Jonck, head vocal coach of the Caramoor Music Festival, and Daniel Beckwith, former assistant conductor of the Metropolitan Opera.

As a chorister, Makeda sings with the Lloyd Mallory Singers based in Takoma Park, Maryland and the Abyssinian Baptist Church Chamber Choir in Harlem, New York. She has also toured Spain and Portugal with the Oakwood College Aeolians, where she, in addition to choral engagements, performed as a soloist. While a member of the Westminster Symphonic Choir, Makeda performed major works with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, and New Jersey Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductors David Robertson, Franz Welser-Möst, and Christoph Eschenbach.

Makeda is currently studying voice with Laura Brooks Rice and pursuing a Master of Music degree in Voice Performance & Pedagogy at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. Previous studies were with Dr. Angelique Clay at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama, where she holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance & Pedagogy.

Aside from musical duties, Makeda enjoys shopping, playing basketball & badminton, photography, reading, electronics, mathematics, cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends & family.