Meet David Ingram | Opera Singer

We had the good fortune of connecting with David Ingram and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, what role has risk played in your life or career?
When I was younger I used to try to avoid taking risks, opting for the “safe” route because it was more comfortable, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized risks are almost like life’s benchmarks. You can test yourself and see if you’re ready to move to that next level, or if you still need some time to learn and grow. As a musician and actor, taking risks is an incredibly important part of the career. It’s always a risk to show up for an audition and bare yourself for strangers, and it’s always a risk to go out on stage and do the same thing for a auditorium filled with loved ones and people you’ve never met before. Growing more comfortable with risk has helped me pursue my dreams, I grew up in Tucson, AZ where opportunities were limited, so I took the infamous risk to uproot and move to Los Angeles for a shot at more performances and it’s really just proven to me that in order to grow taking risks is essential.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve been a professionally performing musician since I was 10 years old, after a visit to my school, I joined the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus. The Boys Chorus was an intense extra-curricular of sorts, in three years I performed in over 100+ concerts as well as touring New York, the Midwest and Southwest United States. In addition, we were a guest of the Chinese Ministry of Culture, spending a month travelling and performing overseas including on national Chinese television with almost 15 million viewers. My start was intensive, but taught me the skills that I’ve used my whole life, such as integrity, teamwork, dependability, and work ethic. The life of an artist, no matter the field, has always been romanticized as one full of struggle and strife, but at the end of the day the love for the art keeps the artist sane and committed to their craft. It has not always been like this. After a difficult four years at the University of Arizona, I was left alone and with no answers or help right at the beginning of the lockdown for the Covid-19 pandemic. I had lost everything, all my upcoming performances were cancelled, I was furloughed from my jobs as a singer, I was living off unemployment in my parents house before an old friend reached out, inviting me to his new school Cal State Northridge. After some encouragement from him and my parents I made the decision and enrolled. I’ve lived in LA for close to two years now and I firmly believe that moving here was the best decision I’ve made. It also taught me the importance of surrounding yourself with people that motivate you and don’t accept mediocrity. Throughout it all, I’ve maintained my honesty as an artist and my unbroken determination to succeed. I believe that’s what sets me apart from other artists in my field, an unparalleled thirst for progress and honest and down to earth performances.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First and foremost, we would make a trip to Anaheim and visit The Mouse for a day. Disneyland has always been a favorite spot for my family and to this day I still enjoy visiting and spending time there even if I’ve rode all of those rides a thousand times. Of course, the beach is a must stop, I’ve always loved the water as it reminds me of my Dad. I love Tabletop Roleplaying Games, so I would take them to Geeky Teas, a great store that helps feed my habits. Breakfast at R Coffee House in Northridge, Lunch at In N Out, dinner at a food cart. There are still so many things in this city I haven’t had the chance to explore yet.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m privileged to be where I am today, but I know that my success is largely due to my parents support of my interests and hobbies from when I was such a young age, allowing me to take those hobbies into a full career. So, Mom and Dad, I love both of you so much and I can’t be more proud to be your son.