Today we’d like to introduce you to Mikaela Pace.
Hi Mikaela, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey as a singer and teacher started long before I ever imagined I would make a career out of music. I grew up in Carrollton, Texas, and singing quickly became one of the most important parts of my life. I went on to study Vocal Performance at Texas Tech University, where I earned my Bachelor of Music, and then continued my training at Baylor University, earning my Master of Music in Vocal Performance.
After graduate school, I moved to Austin in 2023, knowing that I wanted to build a life where I could pursue both performing and teaching. Since moving here, I’ve had the opportunity to perform with and learn from so many wonderful artists and organizations throughout Central Texas. I’ve sung roles in opera and musical theatre, performed in concerts and new works, and most recently joined the Austin Opera chorus for my first production with the company. Every opportunity has taught me something new and helped me grow into the artist I am today.
Teaching has become an equally important part of my career. I now maintain a private voice studio and teach students at Vandegrift High School and Round Rock High School. I love helping young singers find confidence in not just their voices, but in themselves!
I’m still very much in the process of building my career, and that’s something I actually love about where I am right now. I’m continuing to audition, perform, teach, and seek out opportunities that challenge me artistically. Austin has given me a community where I can do all of those things while continuing to figure out what the next chapter of my story looks like.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, and I think one of the biggest challenges of pursuing a career in opera is realizing that getting the opportunity to audition can sometimes be just as difficult as the audition itself. As a lyric soprano, I’m in one of the most competitive voice categories, and there are so many incredibly talented singers competing for a limited number of opportunities. You can have a strong résumé, years of training, and a voice you believe is ready for the next step, and still struggle to get an in-person audition.
One thing I’ve learned is that this industry isn’t always solely about how well you sing. Networking, relationships, being known by the right people, and simply having someone willing to take a chance on you can make a huge difference in getting through the door. That can be frustrating at times, especially when you know you are capable of doing the work but aren’t necessarily being given the opportunity to demonstrate it in person.
At the same time, those challenges have taught me to be persistent and to focus on building genuine relationships within the opera community rather than becoming discouraged by every rejection. I’ve learned that every performance, coaching, colleague, student, and connection can become part of a much bigger journey. I’m still working toward the career I want, but I’ve become much more comfortable with the fact that success in this field is rarely a straight line.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At the heart of what I do, I’m a performer. I’m a classically trained soprano, and my work primarily centers around opera, musical theatre, and concert performance. I love bringing characters to life and finding the humanity within the music—whether I’m singing a major operatic role, performing in a musical, singing with a chorus, or presenting a piece in a concert setting. I’m especially drawn to repertoire that allows me to tell a story and connect emotionally with an audience.
What I think sets me apart is the combination of my classical training with my love of musical storytelling. I don’t want to simply sing the notes correctly; I want an audience to feel like they are watching a person experience something in real time. I’ve been fortunate to work across both opera and musical theatre, and I think that versatility has helped me become a more well-rounded performer.
I’m also proud of the fact that I’ve built a career in Austin that allows me to be both a working performer and a teacher. Teaching has given me another perspective on singing and has deepened my understanding of my own instrument, while performing continually reminds me why I fell in love with music in the first place. Ultimately, I’m most proud of continuing to put myself out there, take on new challenges, and create opportunities for myself as an artist even when the path isn’t always straightforward.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love most about Austin is the sense that there is always something happening and always another creative community to discover. There is such a wonderful mix of musicians, singers, actors, teachers, artists, and other creatives here, and I’ve been really grateful to become part of that community since moving here. As a performer, I love that I can find opportunities to perform in so many different settings, from opera and musical theatre to concerts and new works. I also love Austin’s personality—it’s creative, quirky, outdoorsy, and full of people who are willing to try something new.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mikaelap115.wixsite.com/mikaelapace
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mik.pace/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikaela.pace.1
