DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Cecile Cooper newspaper clippings, 1966-1987 | ""Simon Estes returning to aid University of Iowa""

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Cecile Cooper newspaper clippings, 1966-1987

""Simon Estes returning to aid University of Iowa""

Simon Estes returning to aid University of Iowa
By Margy McCay
Associated Press writer
Iowa City (AP) - He grew up in Centerville, the son of a black coal miner. He had to sit in the balcony at the movies, because "coloreds" weren't allowed on the main floor.
When he decided to study at the University of Iowa - first pre-med, then theology, then social psychology - he paid his way by scrubbing floors and washing dishes.
But Simon Estes finally turned to an early love - music - which has rewarded him with unimagined success. He now travels the globe, filling opera houses everywhere with his rich bass-baritone voice.
Estes, 42, returned to his native state to sing a concert of arias Wednesday at University of Iowa. This appearance is his fifth in Iowa City. Proceeds from the benefit performance will aid the university's music students.
"When I think of Iowa, I think of Iowa City and the University of Iowa," Estes said Monday. "The happiest time in my life up to now was here."
Estes, accompanied by his Swiss wife Yvonne, took a break from lunch ("I'll have the 'jumbo broiled hamburger,' " he told the waitress. "We just got back from Europe and hamburgers don't taste the same there.") to reflect on his 25 years in Iowa.
It was at the university, said Estes, "that I got my first taste of freedom. There were a lot of barriers broken down."
His experiences in Iowa City contrasted with his early years in Centerville, where there was a "covert, as well as overt, discrimination. I don't think it was just Centerville; it was representative of the times."
But his eight years in Iowa City "provided a lot of opportunities. In the university there was a lot less of this (discrimination)."
Working with voice teacher Charles Kellis, Estes developed an interest is opera and won a scholarship to Juilliard. Two years later he won the Munich International Vocal Competition and the next year - 1966 - Estes won the first International Tchaikovsky Vocal Competition in Moscow.
Since then Estes has sung 83 roles with most of the great opera companies and performed with symphonies and in recitals throughout Europe, Canada, Australia, and the United States. Later this month he will make his debut at Carnegie Hall and next year will find him singing with New York's Metropolitan Opera.
Now that he has achieved a measure of success, Estes said he enjoys using some of his earning to help people.
"I consider myself a person fortunate enough to have achieved something that I can share," said the man who helps about a dozen students in the United States and Europe with his money and "connections."
"Money is representative of achievement," Estes said, offering his feelings on the significance of wealth. "Sometimes - not always - it's representative of how hard you have worked. And it's a way to help people.
"It really saddens me when people have this money and don't share it with people. And wills - why wait until you die to share it? I believe in living wills."
Estes' musical career has been one of breaking barriers. He was the first black to sing with University of Iowa's Old Gold Singers, the first black to perform as Escamillo in "Carmen" and the first black to sing at the Beyreuth Festival.
He said he views his success as proof to both races that blacks can do more "thank sing jazz or rock and roll or rhythm and blue or do sports."
But Estes said much more must be done to encourage blacks as both patrons of and participants in the arts.

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Simon Estes returning to aid University of Iowa By Margy McCay Associated Press writer Iowa City (AP) - He grew up in Centerville, the son of a black coal miner. He had to sit in the balcony at the movies, because "coloreds" weren't allowed on the main floor. When he decided to study at the University of Iowa - first pre-med, then theology, then social psychology - he paid his way by scrubbing floors and washing dishes. But Simon Estes finally turned to an early love - music - which has rewarded him with unimagined success. He now travels the globe, filling opera houses everywhere with his rich bass-baritone voice. Estes, 42, returned to his native state to sing a concert of arias Wednesday at University of Iowa. This appearance is his fifth in Iowa City. Proceeds from the benefit performance will aid the university's music students. "When I think of Iowa, I think of Iowa City and the University of Iowa," Estes said Monday. "The happiest time in my life up to now was here." Estes, accompanied by his Swiss wife Yvonne, took a break from lunch ("I'll have the 'jumbo broiled hamburger,' " he told the waitress. "We just got back from Europe and hamburgers don't taste the same there.") to reflect on his 25 years in Iowa. It was at the university, said Estes, "that I got my first taste of freedom. There were a lot of barriers broken down." His experiences in Iowa City contrasted with his early years in Centerville, where there was a "covert, as well as overt, discrimination. I don't think it was just Centerville; it was representative of the times." But his eight years in Iowa City "provided a lot of opportunities. In the university there was a lot less of this (discrimination)." Working with voice teacher Charles Kellis, Estes developed an interest is opera and won a scholarship to Juilliard. Two years later he won the Munich International Vocal Competition and the next year - 1966 - Estes won the first International Tchaikovsky Vocal Competition in Moscow. Since then Estes has sung 83 roles with most of the great opera companies and performed with symphonies and in recitals throughout Europe, Canada, Australia, and the United States. Later this month he will make his debut at Carnegie Hall and next year will find him singing with New York's Metropolitan Opera. Now that he has achieved a measure of success, Estes said he enjoys using some of his earning to help people. "I consider myself a person fortunate enough to have achieved something that I can share," said the man who helps about a dozen students in the United States and Europe with his money and "connections." "Money is representative of achievement," Estes said, offering his feelings on the significance of wealth. "Sometimes - not always - it's representative of how hard you have worked. And it's a way to help people. "It really saddens me when people have this money and don't share it with people. And wills - why wait until you die to share it? I believe in living wills." Estes' musical career has been one of breaking barriers. He was the first black to sing with University of Iowa's Old Gold Singers, the first black to perform as Escamillo in "Carmen" and the first black to sing at the Beyreuth Festival. He said he views his success as proof to both races that blacks can do more "thank sing jazz or rock and roll or rhythm and blue or do sports." But Estes said much more must be done to encourage blacks as both patrons of and participants in the arts.