Corey Crider

Corey Crider, a 1999 Murray State University music performance graduate, was recently named the 2006 winning recipient at the Cincinnati Conservatory Music (CCM) regional auditions, advancing him to the March semi-finals with The Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions (The Met), in New York.

Crider, 29, who beat 68 singers from three districts, will compete for a $15,000 grand prize, a nationwide broadcast on the Metropolitan Opera Radio Network and eligibility for the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program (LYADP), a curriculum which uses The Met’s unique resources to identify and educate the most gifted young American singers.

Crider will perform with a pianist on the Met stage competing against 24 other regional winners. The top five from that round win $15,000. If Crider is selected for the LYADP program he will receive an annual living expense stipend, specialized training music and language and dramatic coaching from The Met’s own artistic staff and invited master teachers. “Even if I advance to the finals and am chosen as one of the grand winners, I might not be offered a position in the Lindeman Program,” he said. “Your success in this competition is no sure indication one way or the other as to interest in you for the Lindeman.”

Many of the world’s foremost singers, including Renee Fleming, Susan Graham, Thomas Hampson, and Ben Heppner, have received awards from the National Council.

Crider, a Marion, Ky., native, credits his music experience to his southern gospel background in Marion and also his music education at MSU. “I received a stellar music education foundation laid for me at Murray State’s music department,” he said. “In all places I’ve been and the skills I obtained I have been as solidly prepared as my colleagues from some of the best music schools in the country such as Indiana University, Julliard and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.”

A former member of the southern gospel group ‘One Achord,’ Crider said he began singing with the Marion Baptist Church as a child. From there his musical aspirations eventually led him to audition for a music scholarship to coincide with his academic scholarship he had been awarded at MSU. “This career chooses you, you don’t choose it.”

Brad Almquist, MSU professor and director of Choral Activities, said Crider did not participate in his high school choir program. “However, he auditioned at MSU and was awarded the Clarence Walker Basso Scholarship.”

Almquist said Crider’s first assignment in his MSU choir group was to learn over 16 German songs. “He had all he could do to keep up and it was very challenging to him,” he said. “He got quickly beyond and found his passion in music. I think that’s what Murray State did for him we gave him the tools for that and helped him find the passion that lies beyond the notes and wisdom.”

Almquist said this is a significant honor for Corey. “It is also a compliment to Murray State to prepare a student for probably the most prestigious world opera competition.”

Crider said choosing an opera performing career provided many circumstances that for most would have provided a huge amount of obstacles. In addition to learning different foreign languages to perform the songs, Crider had to apply mathematical skills in the required theory classes. “Choosing the musical performance track at Murray meant many theory classes, which I didn’t have the prior knowledge because of the type of music I performed,” he said. “However, with my pre-calculus math background I was able to apply this and it came very easy to me. I had a knack for it and it was then that I knew this is what I am supposed to be doing. This is how I fit into the world.”

While at MSU Crider began a friendship with Chris Thile, a member of the Grammy award-winning musical group Nickel Creek. “I heard an interview with Chris on MSU’s WKMS radio station and knew our music was different, but after listening to the interview I knew we shared the same musical passion.”

Crider and Thile stay in touch and hope to complete a future music project together. “We have a kindred spirit,” Crider said. “We hope to record an album later that would be classically oriented and offers a traditional cycle of songs.”

Crider said he and Thile visited backstage during an International Bluegrass Awards Ceremony. “Chris commented while standing beside each other that we would be on an album cover one day.”