Backstage at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, the sound of the announcer’s voice was muffled. So when BYU vocal-performance student Jonah Hoskins (’20) heard his name called, he didn’t know why. “I turned to [a fellow competitor, soprano Alexandria Shiner] and asked, ‘What are they announcing right now?’” remembers Hoskins. “She said, ‘Winners! We won!’” With four others, Hoskins had just won one of the most prestigious opera competitions in the world—the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition.
For three years, Hoskins and his sister Mary Hoskins (BM ’18), a master’s student, have both auditioned for the competition, competing with more than 1,000 other singers. Last year Mary finished in the top 20; this year it was Jonah’s turn: he won the whole thing.
Jonah’s win came with $20,000 and valuable exposure in the opera world. “I have gotten three job offers since the competition,” says Hoskins. “Winning this competition totally changes everything for me in this career.”
