As a 7-year-old at 16th and Haak Elementary School in East Reading, Angel Alvarado knew that there was a voice deep down inside him just waiting to burst forth in song. “I sang in the elementary school choir, and I was always the loudest!” he recalls. “These early days in choir definitely solidified my decision to make music a part of my life.”
Although Angel was drawn to singing opportunities at 16th and Haak, and later at St. Peter’s School in Reading, it wasn’t until high school that he began developing his vocal and theatrical talent in serious way. “My earliest supporter was probably my music theory teacher in high school, Sarah Fikowitz. She was my AP music theory teacher, and she mentored me. I was introduced to Alexandra Booth during my junior year and took private voice lessons with her. She really helped me understand my voice. Between the two, they really started me off on my career as a performer of music.”
Angel discovered many opportunities to showcase his vocal talent during his high school years. “There was definitely more to get involved with in high school in terms of vocal performance; musical theater, voice recitals as a solo artist, and choral work. My first real show was In the Heights in my junior year. I got the opportunity to play the role of the Piragua Guy and that propelled me to my first big show on stage, and I had a solo. That started it off for me. From there I did The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as a senior. It was during this show that I decided that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. In the spring of my senior year I played King Charlemagne in Pippin. It was such a perfect show, and it really showcased the demographic at Reading High School and embodied the school community. It was such a perfect show.”
Angel graduated from Reading High School as the Senior Class President of a class of 954 students, a record number of graduates for the school. He was a member of the theatre choir, vocal company, select choir, Key club and the Knight News. With an extensive list of achievements, he set his sights on a college education to fulfill his dreams of a career in music. As a first-generation student applying to college, Angel benefitted from the assistance of his college advisor Myrna Fuchs, who helped him through the entire process. “I did all of my college application work with Myrna Fuchs who helped with filling out the applications (a crucial part of the process), writing my college essay, helping with acceptances, which we sat and analyzed, and all of the financial process. She walked with me through the entire process.”
Angel is presently a junior at Albright College, where he is immersed in campus life and developing his talent as a vocalist. “I feel like my career skyrocketed when I started college” he explains. “I am Vice President of one of the social fraternities Alpha Sigma Phi, I am a campus outreach coordinator, a peer orientation person leading first year students at welcome weekend orientation, a resident assistant, a tenor and bass section leader in the choir. I am a Domino Player in the Albright Theatre Troupe, a member of the honors program, and I work as a front desk assistant at the Welcome Center and a tour guide for the Admissions Office. I am also currently working on The Magic Flute as Tamino with the Berks Opera Company.”
Angel is active in the community service fraternity, which focuses on conducting events and donating the proceeds to support five philanthropies: RAINN, a national sexual assault hotline; ShatterProof, a national organization to reverse addiction crisis, Stop Haven, combatting hazing on college campuses; Active Minds, dedicated to promoting positive mental health; and Homes For Our Troops, which builds and donates custom homes nationwide for post 9-11 severely injured veterans.
Giving back is big part of Angel’s philosophy and future goals. “I hope to get my master’s degree in education, and I want to gain performance experience and teach and direct theatre acting and voice. I am looking for opportunities to use my voice to help those who are struggling and to do what I can for those who are underprivileged. I want to give back.
