Help Nehemiah Sing in Salzburg!

Hello everyone!

My name is Nehemiah Jones, and I’m a 21-year-old student in my third year at Western Washington University, studying Vocal Performance and Music Composition. I’ve recently been selected to attend the Austrian American Mozart Academy (AAMA) in Salzburg, Austria this summer—and I’ll be playing Tamino in Mozart’s, "The Magic Flute"!

This is such an exciting opportunity for me as a young opera singer. The program will give me the chance to learn from amazing professionals, grow as an artist, and connect with musicians from around the world.

As a full-time student, covering the cost of tuition, housing, meals, and everything else is definitely a stretch. If you’re able to donate or even just share this, it would mean so much to me. Every little bit helps me get closer to Austria!

A little about me—when I first came to WWU, I was planning on studying just music composition . But my voice teacher, Dr. Richard Hodges, encouraged me to add vocal performance, and I’m so glad I did. Since then, I’ve been working hard to build a career that brings both performing and composing together—and opera has become the perfect way for me to do that. I love how big and expressive it is, both musically and theatrically with its poignant storytelling.

At WWU, I’ve been lucky to be a part of a bunch of cool projects—like singing in Bologne's "L’Amant Anonyme" and Barber's, "A Hand of Bridge", and composing a chamber opera that’s premiering this June through Seattle Opera’s Creation Lab. I also recently won WWU’s 2024 Concerto Competition (got to perform with the Western Symphony Orchestra!) and got first place in our annual composition competition.

I’ve grown so much at WWU, and I’m really excited for what’s ahead. I know this summer in Salzburg will push me even further and help me become the artist I want to be.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this. If you can donate or share my story, I’d be beyond grateful.

See you in Austria!

– Nehemiah