UR sophomore raises his voice for science

Some things just naturally fit together. Pen and paper. Debits and credits. Peanut butter and jelly. Opera and biology.

... Wait.

Donte' Thompson has studied and performed opera since he was a freshman in high school. He shares this passion for vocal performance with a longstanding interest in biology, but he never truly knew how the two might intersect — until he came to UR.

"I came to UR to study biology, but the music department was just what I was looking for," said Thompson. "One single voice lesson with [Coordinator of Vocal Studies] Dr. Cable was enough to convince me that I needed to also major in music."

While the combination of opera and biology is not particularly common, Thompson's studies have presented several connections between the two fields.

"My concentration is neurobiology, which studies how the brain reacts to stimuli in the environment," said Thompson. "Music produces serotonin into the brain, which draws a natural connection between the science and music almost instantly."

As he looks toward his future career, sophomore Thompson has begun considering how his concentrations might influence his future career. "I'm seriously considering going into pediatrics," he said. "I've used music when working with children at my church, because children relate to music so easily. I could see using music therapy a lot with my patients."

Regardless of what he pursues, Thompson knows that his expertise in both science and music sets him apart. "Music has such a huge impact on the brain," he said. "No matter what I do in the future, my musical experience will allow me to see the brain differently when working with patients."