Caitlyn Babcock ’25 wins first place in 2024 Angela Meade Vocal Competition

For the fourth year in a row, Pacific Lutheran University hosted the Angela Meade Vocal Competition, an event that has become a key opportunity for student performers to hone their skills and gain real-world experience in a competitive setting. This year’s competition saw Caitlyn Babcock ’25 take home the first prize, followed by Emily Morse ’26 in second and Dominic Walker ’25 in third.

Angela Meade ’01, PLU alumna and renowned operatic soprano, originally established an endowment at PLU to fund a scholarship. In recent years, however, she shifted the focus toward supporting this vocal competition.

When asked what inspired this change, Meade explained, “I think it’s important in a performance field to hone those performance skills, and what better way to do that than through a vocal competition. Throughout my training and career, I have participated in numerous vocal competitions, and I believe they all taught me something about myself as a performer and singer and also as a person—what I have to offer, what my strengths are, and also what my weaknesses are and what I need to focus my attention on.”

The competition isn’t just about vocal excellence; it’s also an intensive lesson in resilience and self-awareness. Students learn to tackle the complexities of performance, stage presence, and technical skill—all essential for success in the field. Meade’s perspective offers a glimpse into the realities of pursuing a career in opera, a profession that, according to her, involves much more than singing.

Reflecting on her own journey, Meade shared, “I wish I would have known how much of my time is spent not on singing or performing. There are many, many aspects of the career that aren’t focused on vocalism.” 

One of the most powerful takeaways from her time at PLU, Meade added, was the importance of community.

“PLU taught me about community and how important it is. Many of my strongest and most lasting friendships and connections are from my time at PLU.” For students eager to embark on a similar path, Meade emphasizes that this sense of community can be an anchor amidst the challenges of an arts career.

Her advice to aspiring singers at PLU underscores the passion and dedication needed to succeed. “You must be a hard worker with an unending devotion to the art form. You must love language—both the language of music but also the language of words and poetry. You must be willing to give all of yourself over to the business.”

The Angela Meade Vocal Competition is more than a contest; it’s a tribute to PLU’s commitment to fostering emerging artists and to Meade’s legacy of perseverance and excellence in the field of opera. With her support and guidance, PLU vocalists are inspired to embrace the joys and challenges of their art and emerge as the next generation of voices in the world of classical music.