aspirations to eventually return home and establish a performing arts school at the Bermuda College.

Mr. Brian Semos, who is currently pursuing his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in vocal performance in the United States, believes such a department is necessary.

"I think there's enough talent (in Bermuda) to warrant it,'' he said during a telephone interview this week. "It always struck me that there was no venue for people who couldn't afford to go away to college immediately and who wanted to find out if (the performing arts) was for them. We really should have some sort of place for those people on the Island.'' The Mount Saint Agnes graduate is on a assistantship-scholarship at the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at the Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington DC -- the same institution that produced 1993 Bermuda Festival artist, soprano Harolyn Blackwell.

This will be the 29-year-old's third music degree, having already earned a Master's at CUA, and a Bachelor's from Adrian College in Michigan, Illinois.

Although he originally set out to become a teacher, a professor at Adrian College encouraged Mr. Semos spend equal time concentrating on the performance aspects of the curriculum.

His local voice teacher, Ms Gloria McCully, was also an inspiration.

"She was really the first person who got me started on this road,'' Mr. Semos recalled.

By his junior year in college, he decided to take a shot at a stage career before settling down as an instructor.

"You only have a certain amount of time to do this,'' he said of professional singing. "It's unfortunate, but you can't teach, then later decide you're going to go get a performance career.'' "You have to try it while you're young...then when you get back into teaching, you have all this experience to bring with you. That probably makes a better teacher than somebody who has never been out on stage.'' Mr. Semos knows first-hand the value of studying under seasoned professionals.

His voice teacher, Ms Sharon Christman, sings with the Metropolitan Opera and has guided many other operatic hopefuls to competition victories and successful careers with various companies.

"This is the kind of training you can't get in Bermuda, which makes all the difference in the world,'' Mr. Semos said. "Professionally, she is really top of the line.'' Dr. Michael Cordovana, who is also helping to train his voice, is a coach of international standards who has worked with many of the opera world's brightest stars, including Jose Carreras, Joan Sutherland and John Ayler.

"If I started a division at the Bermuda College, these would be the kind of people I would like to attract,'' he said. "The benefits of being able to work with these people are just phenomenal.'' The life of this budding star is hectic at best. In addition to classes in such subjects as music history, theory and literature, he is required to study Italian, German and French -- the most common operatic languages.

He said a fourth language is recommended by the university.

"In the singing world, Spanish and Russian are becoming very popular for recitals and opera,'' he said. "If you're in the New York Metropolitan Opera chorus, you're expected to sing in five languages.'' At one of his recitals last year, he sang a number of Hebrew folk songs, which were composed during the years leading up to the formation of the State of Israel.

"I wanted to do something for my Master's recital that was completely different,'' Mr. Semos said. "The Hebrew songs were a lot of fun and they seemed to be quite a favourite of the audience's.'' During the two years remaining in his Doctorate studies, he must prepare and perform six more recitals.

Mr. Semos makes his home a short distance from the Washington DC area in Wheaton, Maryland, with his wife Beth.

Mrs. Semos, better known as Beth Hall to local drama enthusiasts, is a graduate of Ithica College's theatrical department, and has appeared in numerous Gilbert and Sullivan Society and Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society productions.

The pair met in a musical atmosphere -- naturally -- while members of the Saint Theresa's Cathedral Choir and the Daylesford Choir.

Next to his wife, Mr. Semos' biggest fan is his mother-in-law, Ms Carol Nichol of Bermuda, who is an accomplished vocalist in her own right.

"I've seen him come so far in just a few years,'' she said recently. "He's got such a fantastic technique. He can sing just about anything, and he just floats up to high C's.'' Mr. Semos made his operatic debut in a title role last month in the Catholic University's production of Britten's "Albert Herring''.

It's the story of a mother-dominated young man who is crowned "King of the May'' because he is more virtuous than any of the girls in his village, who then finds his liberation by behaving scandalously.

A glowing review in the February 17 edition of the Washington Post said Mr.

Semos "gave a marvellous portrayal of sullen obedience changing into intoxicated rebellion.'' Despite such high praise, Mr. Semos is remaining cautiously optimistic about his chances of breaking into the upper echelons of the competitive world of opera.

"In this day and age, its not enough to have a good instrument, you have to be good with the languages, have a stage presence and some acting ability, otherwise you'll never make it,'' he said. "You have to plug away for a long time to really get somewhere.'' For the moment, his studies come first. He has bypassed local competitions and offers to sing in the chorus of the area's largest opera company, the Washington Opera, because he feels they would interfere with his role at the university.

"I've tried to keep my degree as my primary goal,'' Mr. Semos said. "I'm going to finish my Doctorate because I need that in order to teach, and I also need time for my sound technique to mature and to get more finesse.'' When his Doctorate studies are complete in 1995, he plans to "get out and audition like all of the other singers'', probably for leading roles with the New York City opera.

"Fortunately, the people I'm studying voice with here, Ms Christman and Dr.

Cordovana, have contacts in New York who will get me some auditions. Maybe I'll have to study with a coach for the Metropolitan Opera for a year in New York City.'' This year, Mr. Semos plans to perform in several Washington Summer Opera Company presentations in minor roles or as a member of the chorus.

As for a local performance, he may get his chance in 1995. His mother-in-law is currently "campaigning'' to have a production of "The Barber of Seville'' included on the Bermuda Festival's lineup for that year.

Ms Nichol plans to direct the Rossini opera, with Mrs. Marjorie Petit serving as conductor and musical director. The leading tenor role, Count Almaviva, has naturally been earmarked for Mr. Semos.

BRIAN WELLMAN -- World indoor contender.