Mary Hoskins Took a Chance and Succeeded in Vocal Performance

Graduating vocal performance major Mary Hoskins will perform “O Divine Redeemer” as the musical number for the convocation for the Department of Dance, School of Music and Department of Theatre and Media Arts. “It is a song I’ve always loved,” Hoskins said. “I’ve grown up listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing it and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to perform it.”

Hoskins’ path to the right major was not always clear. “Although I loved music,” she said, “I thought it was crazy to do it as a career. However, I had wonderful mentors who told me I should consider music as a major and thought I could be successful. I was terrified but I felt that music was what Heavenly Father wanted me to do. So with His support I decided to give it my all.” As part of her time at BYU, Hoskins had the opportunity to participate in vocal competitions which allowed her to learn from her peers. She performed in several of the fall operas the School of Music produces, which she says helped her develop and grow as a performer. One of the most memorable of these experiences was singing the title role in Giacomo Puccini’s “Suor Angelica” in 2017. “The last 10 minutes of that opera are a marathon of singing and emotion,” Hoskins said. “One of the most memorable experiences I've had was stepping out for the applause after those performances. I was blown away by the generosity of the audience and felt they had accepted my efforts.” When asked what Hoskins is most proud of academically, she admitted it was the A- she received in a difficult dictation class. “That was something I truly never believed was possible,” she said. As for the future, Hoskins wants to make a career of performing. “I want to perform,” she said. “It's a big dream, but if you don't believe it will happen, it won't.” Q&A What did you want to be when you grew up? “I wanted to be a world famous fantasy author. I still consider that my fall back job should music not work out. My super secret dream was to go with Indiana Jones on one of his adventures.” Where do you find your inspiration? “My family. I couldn't have done any of the things I've accomplished without them.” What was the hardest challenge you had to cover come at BYU? “It's always hard when you get rejected, whether at a competition or a summer program. It's especially hard when you're in a line of study where people frequently raise their eyebrows at it as a profession. When you sing you don't really know what you sound like. You don't hear your voice the same way others do and I've had times where I start to doubt if I'm doing the right things. Sometimes I've even doubted if I was a good singer at all, usually if I've gone more than two weeks without a lesson. Pushing on when I feel discouraged is probably the hardest thing I do and it's not something that you overcome all at once.” What is your favorite snack? “If only I somehow had access to Thai food all the time...”