Music prof learns through life experiences
For much of the student body, creative arts is a class which has become a part of university life. Michael Ballam, who teaches many of these classes, is well known but many may not know how he got to where he is today.
Ballam said at the early age of 2, he set his sights on a career in music and never looked back.
“I’m not smart enough to do anything else,” said Ballam, the youngest recipient of a Ph.D. in music from Indiana University. Ballam received this qualification at age 24.
However, Ballam said choosing to follow a musical career path was not an easy one.
When in junior high school, Ballam said they pulled him out of class so he could tell them what he wanted to do with his life. Ballam said he wanted to be an opera singer, but they told him it was not on the list of things he could do.
“It is statistically impossible for a kid from River Heights, Utah to make it to the stage of the metropolitan opera, but since nobody told me that, I just went ahead and did it anyway,” Ballam said.
However, on top of the lack of belief from his teachers at junior high, there were other obstacles standing between Ballam and his dream of becoming a professional opera singer. At that time, the only school that offered a Ph.D. in operatic literature was Indiana University. Ballam said he hastily enrolled, urged on by the words of his uncle echoing in his ears: “You’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”
Ballam said there was one person who had faith in him and that was his wife Laurie, who paid his way through four years of school so he could earn his Ph.D. and a new record for the university.
During his time at the university, he signed 14 major roles in school and professional productions. Ballam said he left and his career quickly began in Chicago. From there, it took him all over the world performing on some of the world’s grandest stages including the Metropolitan Opera, the White House, Kennedy Center and the Vatican. Ballam said it also lead him to share these stages with the individuals such as Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Birgit Nilsson and Joan Sutherland.
However, just as Ballam was finally living his dream, he said there would be nights following an immensely successful performance, he would find himself feeling lonely and blue. With his family living back at home in Logan and sometimes only being home one month in a year, he felt like he had no one with whom he could share his dream.
But things were soon to change as Ballam stumbled upon a new dream that would lead him to understand the great power that is held by music. Ballam said following an experience that almost lead to him losing his voice permanently, he decided to begin using his voice to help people as much as he possible. Ballam said he began volunteering at hospitals and rest homes, and while working as a volunteer in a hospice in Philadelphia, he made an incredible discovery.
Ballam said when he began to sing some of the favorite songs of two men who were in earshot, the songs had a remarkable healing effect on these two men. Ballam said when he started singing, both of these men were comatose, and when he was finished, Ballam said they were not.
“I started seeking out opportunities to go to people who were in comas and if it was God’s will, for them to come back. Sometimes it wasn’t, but sometimes I think they’re there. Their brain just needs a little jump start, and music can do that,” Ballam said.
–mjharibo@gmail.com