Kennedy Rose Hammond
Kennedy Rose Hammond, soprano, recently won first place in the Bristol Music Club Scholarship Auditions. She is, however, quite familiar with accolades.
She also won the Paramount Chamber Players Award, first place in the Robert LaPella Vocal Competition, Female Vocalist of the Year at Daniel Boone High School, National Semi-Finalist at NATS, Superior+ rating for RADDA, Superior rating for Blair Festival, and scholarships from ETSU and Milligan University.
But what truly interests her is the music itself.
“I have loved music ever since I was a little girl. I was always listening to music or singing around the house, and my grandfather was always encouraging me to sing. The first time I ever sang for anyone was in a children’s Christmas play for my church.
“There are a multitude of things that interest me about music. But I particularly love how vast music is. There is always a new genre to be discovered or a new song to be shared. I think music is a great unifier between people, and I like to consider it as an honorary love language,” she says.
She first became involved with musical groups in school when she auditioned for Daniel Boone High School’s acapella group, The Reflections. She then began participating in events through her school such as All-East, All-State and ACDA. Then she began to study at Blair Academy with Ivy Blair who encouraged her to take part in competitions and music festivals.
“Throughout my life I have had amazing influences. From an early age, my grandfather was always encouraging me to pursue music, and instilling confidence in me. When I entered high school, I met my amazing choir teacher, Mrs. Melissa Powers. From the get-go she has greatly increased my love for music, and she is a great mentor and inspiration for the kind of person I would like to be after high school. She is incredibly hard-working, selfless, talented, and she cares for her students like they are her own, even after they have graduated. She has fostered a musical community and family that reaches far outside the halls of Daniel Boone High School.
“Another one of my great influences is my voice teacher, Mrs. Ivy Blair. I met her about two and a half years ago when I began attending her academy, and she took me in as a student. Mrs. Ivy has inspired me with her incredible work ethic and her vast knowledge of music. She is also incredibly selfless, which I’ve found to be a common trait amongst music teachers. She has been a great motivator, and she is always encouraging her students to work harder to reach their fullest potential. Both of these women have not only grown my love for music, but they have taught me how to be a better human, and I continue to look up to them both musically and personally,” she says.
Her favorite genre to perform is classical because she really enjoys the style, the different stories you can convey and the sound. Her favorite genre to listen to is older soft rock. Her favorite groups are The Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac and Simon and Garfunkel, because she admires their harmonies, lyrics and different instrumentals.
“One of my favorite attributes about music is that I think it can mean whatever you need it to mean depending on the specific moment. If you are having a difficult day, a particular song could serve as a comfort to you. If you are having an incredible day, you may have a song that serves you as a celebration. Oftentimes if I want to remind someone that I love them, I will send them a song that reminds me of them. If I would like to feel closer to God, I can play a worship song that I love. Music can expand as far as bonding over a song with someone, or just playing a song in the background while you study.
“I would really like people to leave my performance understanding the story I told. Even if the song is in a different language, I really hope my emotion conveys what the character is feeling. I hope when people leave, they don’t remember me, but the character and their story,” she says.
Kennedy is going to Milligan University in the fall and major in music and biology, with a minor in worship ministry. She hopes to see which suits her better.
“I have interests in medicine, music and ministry, so maybe if I’m lucky enough, I can find a way to combine the three. Whether I pursue music as a career path or not, I hope to always keep it prevalent in my life,” she says.
She is the daughter of Kelly Hammond, is 18 and she’s from Johnson City, Tennessee.
