Headed for the big stage
Twenty-year-old Measha Gosman gives God credit for her remarkable voice
By Anne Ingram Special to ChristianWeek
FREDERICTON–In the spring of 1995 when Measha Gosman, then 17, walked out onto the stage of Ottawa’s National Arts Centre to accept one of Canada’s most prestigious vocal awards, she offered thanks to her parents, her music teachers, her home-town supporters and God.
Speaking with a maturity that belied her years, the young woman, touted by some as the next Jessye Norman, said, "my voice is a gift from God. Without his blessings I would never have made it this far."
Few teens are willing or able to profess their faith with such confidence, especially on national television, but Measha’s devotion is unwavering. It has helped, she says, "to keep me grounded and able to focus on what is important in life."
Now in her third year of opera studies at the University of Toronto, Measha lives and breathes music. She is in demand as a recitalist and the mantel in her parents’ home is lined with her trophies. Yet she never behaves like a prima donna. Whether she is singing for an international panel of judges, shaking hands with Canada’s governor-general or hanging out with her friends at home, she is relaxed, calm, open and honest.
The youngest of three children, Measha grew up in Fredericton, a small city where, she says with a rueful smile, "there sure weren’t many black kids around." And because she was also overweight, the young girl frequently found herself the butt of classroom jokes.
They stopped laughing
However, even her elementary school peers stopped laughing when Measha started to sing. Her voice was remarkable and the music just seemed to flow from her.
Her parents, Anne and Sterling Gosman, knew they had a major talent on their hands. They asked David Steeves, music director at Brunswick Street Baptist Church, to take Measha under his wing. He coached her slowly and carefully, refusing to allow her to tackle material he felt was too "heavy" or mature for a young voice.
After Steeves declared that he had taken her as far as he could, Measha trained with a well-known Fredericton voice teacher.
Then came university.
Moving from a small town to a large city can be a daunting experience for an 18-year-old, but Measha took it in her stride. Supported by the prayers of her family and members of her congregation, as well as by a group known as "friends of Measha" who have helped to raise money to fund her education, she has gone on from strength to strength.
Won’t compromise
Acclaimed vocal coaches, festival adjudicators and music reviewers have declared that she will one day join the ranks of celebrated divas. Measha, however, has not let the acclaim go to her head. "My voice is a gift," she explains, "and I am merely a vessel."
When she makes statements such as this the young woman with the big voice and smile to match is not just mouthing platitudes. Although she acknowledges that in the ego-driven world of music, values often take second place to ambition, Measha declares that she will never compromise her ideals.
That doesn’t mean she isn’t determined to get to the top. She simply intends to do it through work, practice and study, not by walking over anyone who happens to get in her way.
Whether she is singing a difficult aria or sitting quietly in church, Measha Gosman glows with a joy that comes from knowing whatever life holds in store, she can always "rely on God to be there for me."
