“I realized that the best teacher and the best program with the people that cared the most was going to be at NEC.”
When Anthony León started college, he was on a pre-med track with a double-major in music. It was not long before he knew that his childhood passion for singing was going to be the focus of his career. After earning his bachelor’s degree in music, he looked for a graduate program and decided on NEC because, “I realized that the best teacher and the best program with the people that cared the most was going to be at NEC.”
That decision worked out well because Anthony did form a close relationship with his teacher and mentor, Bradley Williams. Anthony said, “[Bradley] has taught me so many things and has given me the tools to be able to do what I’m doing now—launching into the next phase of my career.”
The importance of the teacher-student relationship in a field like music is emphasized by NEC students across the board. Ask any student what makes NEC special, and you will invariably hear, “my teacher.” Anthony reflected on this, sharing, “Not only do we get amazing training—perhaps the best training around—but the teachers really care. They’re thinking about you as the artist; you as the artist in training. I’m so grateful for how generous they’ve been with me.”
Anthony will continue that legacy of generosity in his career, “My goal in music is to be able to contribute a unique voice in the endeavor of healing and communication. I want my voice and talent to be a light in the opera world, on the concert stage, and beyond. My hope is that I can communicate to the intangible part of humanity and help others feel the joy that music brings me.”
While at NEC, Anthony was the recipient of a scholarship made possible by the Wendy Shattuck '75 Presidential Scholarship Fund for Vocal Studies.
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