Former Footballer Sings Opera in Scarsdale

Former University of Colorado footballer Keith Miller, who sung at in Scarsdale yesterday, has an unconventional story.

Miller began his promising career as a professional football player at Colorado University and hoped to take it as far as the NFL. But his plans changed when opera came into his life.

Miller made the fateful decision to take a date to see "Phantom of the Opera," which was the catalyst for a complete career and life change.

The inspiring performance he witnessed that evening ignited a spark within him that led him to teach himself music and getting his training at the Academy of Vocal Arts in 2002.

Miller, who sang Handel's "Messiah" and John Rutter's "Gloria" as the main performer of The New Choral Society’s 18^th season opener, shared his techniques on performing a successful set. 

“You have to have some meaning to the words. You have to have some connection and fluctuation to the voice and be in the moment," Miller said. "Whether you are on the stage moving physically or standing still, you have got to act; you have got to be present and in the moment, always.”

Miller's hard work and non-stop auditioning have paid off. Six years into his professional opera-singing career, the Manhattan resident is seeing the fruits of his labor. In the past, Miller has performed at the Metropolitan Opera. This coming year, he will be performing in productions of "Carmen," "Ballo and Masuda," and "Billy Budd" -- and will also be making his Carnegie Hall debut this January.

“It is a nice mix of having a home base and getting good experience and bigger roles in other houses as well,” Miller said. 

With all this, Keith has also founded Puissance Training, a program which provides aspiring opera singers with a foundation for working through the physical demands of opera singing –- melding his football past with his operatic training.

“I just hope that I can serve the music as well as I can and not ever lose sight of the fact that you just have to work really, really hard all the time," Miller said. 

To find out more about this rising star, visit his website.