Yophi Bost says that majoring in music education was a pretty predictable path for her:

“My mom is an Actors’ Equity Assocation actress, so my younger sister and I were pushed into professional musical theatre as toddlers. I was singing before I learned to talk, and music has always been my passion. On top of that, all the role models I had growing up were educators, including my grandmother and great aunt who hold PhDs in education. This inspired me to want to teach and to teach something that I’m passionate about. Arts education changed my life, but coming from an impoverished rural area in Georgia, I was deprived of it until high school. Majoring in arts education is my way of ensuring that I can provide that experience to others.”

Bost says she was touring several North Carolina schools when she visited UNC Greensboro and discovered that CVPA would be a good fit for her because it was a place that would allow her explore both music and theatre:

“What drew me to UNCG was the freedom to explore every aspect of my passions and the opportunity to cultivate them through performance, service, and academics. My time here has been full of opportunity, literally since day one when I auditioned for the School of Theatre’s musical Caroline or Change. I’ve had amazing experiences around the country with the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and internationally with our 2018 Choral tour to Central Europe. I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything.”

When it comes to opportunities and experiences, Bost says students should take full advantage of everything UNC Greensboro has to offer. She certainly did, holding leadership roles in NAfME and the music fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota Kappa Gamma Chapter. She also served as a peer leader for Grogan Residential College, a CVPA Student Ambassador, and a receptionist in the CVPA Dean’s Office. She also made connections that she says she will carry with her:

“I consider my CVPA professors mentors. The faculty here has provided me endless support, and I’m looking forward to maintaining these lifelong connections. I’d like to give a special thank you to Dr. Askew (School of Music Director), my voice teacher Clara O’Brien for believing in me, David Holley (Director of Opera) and Chad Eby (Director of the Miles Davis Jazz Studies Program) for giving me a chance to perform, the music education faculty for supporting me in my professional and personal relationships, and the choral faculty for keeping my spirits lifted.”

This fall, Bost will be at Arizona State University to pursue a Master’s of Music in Musical Theatre and Opera Performance. From there, she says she’d like to perform in the United States and Europe before beginning her career in academia:

“My ultimate goal is to teach crossover voice — Musical Theatre, Opera, Jazz, etc. — to the next generation of young musicians. I’d love to teach at a university with a community as amazing as UNC Greensboro!”

Maybe we’ll see you back here one day, Yophi. In the meantime, CVPA has another Bost family member ready to grace our stages. “Mom” Willa Bost starts her studies in August in the School of Theatre, pursuing an MFA in Acting.

Photo: Yophi Bost presenting her Junior Voice Recital accompanied by Jacob Dishman ’18 MM Piano Performance