Blaring trumpets and thundering drums accompany a piano’s jazzy tunes. Senior Ingrid Aumiller’s voice stood out in the mix of powerful instruments, while perfectly tying the instruments together.
Aumiller auditioned and entered the A capella choir in her freshman year and has taken Camerata Choir ever since. This year, Aumiller joined the Music Collective.
Miller said she had several options for university and plans to study music there, and continue writing her own pieces. She plans to study vocal music performance and major in music management.
Dr. Michael Driscoll, who has taught Aumiller since her freshman year, said she has strong goals to carry on with her musical passion. While it is a difficult task to undertake, he said Aumiller has shown she’s capable of continuing music professionally and will put in the work necessary.
“She’s got a lot of potential. Great voice, great musician. She wants to do lots of different things and meet lots of different people,” Driscoll said. “It’s a tough field to try to break into, making a career of performing, so you have to be really dedicated to it. So far, she’s shown she’s willing to put in the work.”
Aumiller is already signed to Heartbreak Records, a Boston record label that focuses on giving young artists the exposure they need to thrive in a difficult industry.
Driscoll said Aumiller has raw talent that helps her make a space of her own when performing. He said her voice and personality help attract an audience and keep them interested.
“She is kind of a soulful singer. She has a really nice, warm alto sound,” Driscoll said. “She just really enjoys performing. You can tell that when she gets up and sings, she’s really engaged and engaging with her audience,”
Aside from singing, Aumiller creates original music. Her single “Current” is on Spotify under the artist name “Inga Chabela.” Aumiller said the song is in honor of her late grandmother.
“I only have one song out, but I have a whole other song I’m recording right now. So that was more of a folksy, indie ballad, I would say,” Aumiller said.
Aumiller said she plans to step away from the indie genre in the future and explore more production and singing styles.
“So the new song that I just wrote and I’m going to record now is an R&B slow song that’s kind of funky,” Aumiller said. “It’s called ‘Boy Make Up Your Mind.’ That’s my next song that’s going to come out. I’m hoping to drop some singles before I graduate,”
Aumiller said her Hispanic heritage is an important aspect of her music and performances.
“This past summer, I performed at Berklee for the Blowout Show. It was for the five-week summer program. I was in the Salsa Ensemble, and that was just crazy. We closed the night,” Aumiller said. She added, “I just felt really culturally proud to be performing Salsa in the middle of the stage, it was really cool with the Salsa Ensemble.”
Music Collective teacher Carolyn Castellano said Aumiller’s tenacity, passion and drive will help her forge a path in the music world.
“I think she has the passion and ability to want to get stuff done and [is] willing to be collaborative,” Castellano said. “I think that she’s really passionate about music, and I think she can be successful in the contemporary world.”
