CADILLAC — Cole Carey was relaxed when he auditioned in front of a panel of Michigan State University officials from the College of Music earlier this year.
He was very comfortable with the songs he would sing — “Come Raggio Di Sol” and “Where’er You Walk” — and wasn’t too worried about not being selected for the program, since he already had offers from Central Michigan University and Western Michigan University to attend their music programs.
Despite his relaxation with the process, however, Carey wanted to do well and very much hoped to be chosen by MSU.
“I’m a longtime State fan,” said Carey, who is a 2022 graduate of Cadillac Area Public Schools with an extensive background in choral performance, including as a member of multiple award-winning barbershop quartet groups, the Five Star Quartet and Shoreline Quartet, and also director of the Cadillac Area Youth Chorus, which is comprised of youths from around the state.
In addition to being a State fan, Carey said there are other reasons why he wanted to be part of MSU’s program, including that it is more exclusive than programs at other universities, accepting only 600 students at a time, which makes for a very tight-knit community, smaller class sizes and opportunities for personalized instruction and one-on-one tutoring.
So when Carey recently learned that his audition earned him a spot in the program, he was happy … and then he was surprised — as MSU also chose Carey to be the recipient of a $10,000 scholarship.
“They just thought I deserved it,” Carey said. “That will help a lot.”
When Carey attends MSU in the fall, his coursework will include music theory, vocal technique, foreign language and general education; he plans to obtain his doctorate in the program, in addition to a minor in social studies.
Ultimately, Carey said he’d like to work as a college instructor or music teacher at a K-12 school.
“I really enjoy teaching,” Carey said. “That’s why I started the “Cadillac Area (Youth) Chorus here.”
Due to the teacher shortage, Carey said by his second year it’s likely he’ll be able to get into a classroom and serve in a long-term substitute teacher role while still working toward his degree.