Derrick Speller, '07, has big dreams and aspirations, and he's working hard to ensure they become reality. A vocal major at Ellington, Derrick is primarily interested in opera and musical theater, and this past summer he made major strides to advance his musical career.

Derrick was hired to perform as part of the Washington National Opera's first family opera, Dream of the Pacific, produced by Placido Domingo, which tells the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition to the Pacific Ocean. The production was staged at Bethesda's Roundhouse Theater, with additional performances at the Kennedy Center and Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture.

Derrick wasn't expecting the production to be as elaborate and professional as it was, but he felt prepared for the challenge of a fast-paced project. "No one was there to baby us; no one taught us our music-that was up to us," he reflects. "There was no slacking-it was all work, all the time." Working with a fellow alumna on the production was an inspiration to Derrick. "It was great to see someone I know out there doing what I'm getting ready to do."

He had the pleasure of meeting Placido Domingo at the production's last performance. "I was so excited!" he beams. Little did he know yet another major vocal giant was in his future.

Denyce Graves, renowned opera diva and Ellington alumna, selected Derrick as one of the two students she worked with in a master class when she visited campus in October. These opportunities are part of the Ellington experience, Derrick realizes.

Ellington is one of the best things that's happened to me," he says. "It's given me the opportunity to work my craft, to mold and shape it into something outstanding; it's opened my mind and demanded my dedication."

As he prepares to apply to some of the finest music programs in the country, we see a big future ahead for Derrick.