Voices That Carry Across the World

When Alissa Rowe, DMA, joined LSU in 2022 as the Galante Chair of Choral Studies, she brought a vision for collaboration and a passion for mentoring students that extends far beyond the rehearsal room. Her work is as much about relationships as it is about music. 

This commitment to collaboration was on full display during the LSU choirs’ trip to London this past summer, a project Rowe described as a milestone for the program. “We had students actually from every ensemble that participated in this trip, and I was really proud of that because it was a collaborative effort. That’s really been my goal since I started here in 2022 — to collaborate across all areas.” 

Over the course of the trip, 35 students performed at multiple venues, including the prestigious Vox Anima London Choral Festival, a multiday event uniting choirs from across the United States and United Kingdom. Rowe recalled the challenge of preparing acclaimed American composer Jocelyn Hagen’s The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, a multimedia piece that required her to conduct in near darkness as images of da Vinci’s original sketches were projected across the stage. The challenge pushed both Rowe and her students to new levels of artistry. 

“I was proud that we made it through the concert and really performed at the highest level that we were able to perform at with our given circumstances … and having the composer come up afterwards and say, ‘That was an incredibly special moment for me.’ It was the UK premiere for the piece,” Rowe said. 

The music was only part of the story. Beyond performance, the trip provided transformational personal growth for the students. For many students, it was their first time abroad — or even their first time on an airplane. 

“It was mind-blowing to be there, especially as a freshman,” said Matthew Davis, a second-year vocal student and recipient of the Gregory S. and Christopher M. Reso Scholarship in Performing Arts. “Representing LSU on that level … not many people have that opportunity, and I even got to sing a solo.” 

“There is no better feeling than when I was on the stage with a community of people creating something together,” said Erin Dixon, a graduate student studying choral conducting.

“So many of us were full of pride that we even had the chance [to perform in London]. It’s rare that you get asked to do something like this, and it’s even rarer that you get to go and experience it with your friends and your community and your professors.” 

In the end, what Rowe witnessed was growth — in artistry, in confidence, and in vision. “Performing for an international audience is special in itself … to realize that what they do with their art is impactful all around the world. It doesn't have to just be in their community and on a daily basis. They can impact someone a thousand miles away in a really meaningful way. That's special.”  

None of this would have been possible without endowed support. When Rowe first shared the idea of going to London, students were excited but hesitant. “The biggest concern from students was this is really expensive, and travel is expensive. Even regional travel is expensive. Buses, hotel rooms, food … and so the Galante chair allows us to help pay for some of that.” 

Rowe sees donor generosity as essential to advancing LSU’s reputation and impact. 

“There is no way to quantify what the impact is on our students, on our faculty, on our community, and what these donors are bringing to LSU and to the experiences that we have there. There’s also no way for me to verbally thank them enough. You know, I feel like the biggest thing I can do is take them to London and show them that we were well-received and that everyone wants us to come back and perform again, and that our students want to go have another experience like that. It’s life-changing. When donors support endowed faculty, they’re really investing in students, faculty, the schools, the colleges, all of LSU, our community and our impact beyond.” 

“Everything in my life is about the arts or music, and I don’t know who I would be without them. It gives you the freedom to just be who you are and that space to express yourself without boundaries,” Dixon added.