Native to return as guest artist
Staff writer
Marion native and internationally known coloratura soprano Beverly Hoch will make a visit to her hometown starting Friday.
She’s coming to teach a master class at 3 p.m. Tuesday as part of Opera Workshop in the Flint Hills.
“I’ll be guest artist at the workshop, giving a master class Tuesday, offering lessons and musical coaching, and just being an ambassador of all things rural Kansas,” Hoch said.
Her mother, Nadine Hoch, who lives in Denton, Texas, where Hoch lives now, will be coming with her.
Although her career has taken her far from Marion, she has not lost touch with her roots. Her family makes trips back regularly.
“We come home every year for Old Settlers Day,” Hoch said.
While here, the family, which still maintains a home at Marion County Lake, performs in the Rube Band.
“I usually play melodica,” Hoch said. “We get most of the family in there.”
She was honored to be asked to help teach in the workshop.
“I’m emotional about going back,” Hoch said. “I was just delighted they chose Marion.”
The community room stage holds special memories for her, as does Valley United Methodist Church, where she will sing during church services Aug. 5.
“My husband and I, 50 years ago, performed ‘My Fair Lady’ on that stage,” Hoch said. “My grandfather helped build the Valley church, and that’s where I sang my first solo.
“It’s amazing to me to be coming back to Marion to do what I do.”
While here, she plans to enjoy all Marion has to offer.
“I think I’m going to invite the kids out for ice cream at the lake,” Hoch said. “I hope we can lasso this particular event for more than this year.”
Besides performing in national and international venues, she has been an assistant professor, teaching singing, at Texas Woman’s University since 1998.
Her film performances include a solo in a first-ever performance of Handel’s “Messiah” presented in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, filmed as a documentary and later shown at the Cannes Film Festival.
She was soloist at the wedding of Caroline Kennedy to Edwin Schlossberg.