Cole McIlquham · tenor

AVA First-year Resident Artist

Hometown

Osseo, Wisconsin

Cole McIlquham, tenor, attended Southern Methodist University where he performed the role of Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi. For the past two summers, Cole has been a Lehrer Vocal Fellow at the Music Academy of the West where he appeared as Le Remendado in Carmen, La rainette and La théière in L’enfant et les sortilèges, and the Parpignol in La bohème. Recent highlights include Sam Polk in Susannah with Wichita Grand Opera and Acis in Acis and Galatea, Arthur Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter, and the Podestà in La finta giardiniera. Cole won the Meadows Concerto Competition, received the Strauss Award at the Orpheus Vocal Competition, and is a two-time Vocal division winner of the Naftzger Concerto Competition.  He earned a Master of Music in Opera Performance degree from Wichita State University and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities.