Accomplished Music Grad Visits TMU

Dr. Desirée Hassler (Miller) (’00) has performed at concert venues across the United States, but earlier this school year she returned to sing at a place that was instrumental to her musical journey: the Music Recital Hall at The Master’s University.

Hassler – a decorated soprano, active concert performer, and regular on the stage of the Lyric Opera of Chicago – has always loved to sing. “I don’t know how I wouldn’t sing,” she said. “I think this is just how God made me.”

But she didn’t truly start pursuing music until high school. When she came to TMU (The Master’s College at the time), Hassler was able to explore a range of music styles and develop her vocal mastery in the classical genre. She built relationships with professors and voice teachers like Dr. Kimberlyn Jones, the now-retired founder of TMU’s opera program, who would continue to mentor Hassler for the next 20 years.

“The camaraderie and shepherding nature of the professors was really influential,” Hassler said. “I felt really prepared and inspired by them.”

At TMU, she also met another music student, Daniel Hassler. They’ve now been married almost 25 years.

After graduating, Desirée went on to the University of Illinois, where she received her master’s degree and then a doctorate in vocal performance and literature, with a minor in historical musicology. She and her husband also began raising their family of four children.

Hassler’s everyday life involves “a lot of teenagers, and a lot of Costco runs” — but she’s never stopped teaching and performing. Hassler and her husband both work at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, where Desirée is a professor of music and the voice area coordinator, offering private voice instruction alongside a variety of music courses.

She continues to perform widely. In fact, she’s sung over 1,200 times onstage at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, performing roles in important works such as “Tannhäuser,” “Oklahoma!,” and “Macbeth.” As part of the Lyric Opera, Hassler performed in an opera film of Pagliacci that went on to win the 2022 Emmy for Outstanding Achievement Arts/Entertainment Long Form.

Hassler’s repertoire includes classical pieces like Bach’s Mass in B Minor with the Chicago Bach Project, and popular operas such as Verdi’s La Traviata with the Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra. She’s also successfully competed from the regional to international level, receiving distinguished awards such as winner of the Voice Division of the International Franz Liszt competition in 2004.

In September, Hassler made time in her schedule to fly out and spend a few days at TMU. Although she’s visited several times since her graduation — most recently to sing in the concert honoring the retirement of Dr. Paul Plew, former dean of TMU’s School of Music — this visit was particularly memorable for her.

Hassler taught several lessons to vocal performance students, as well as a voice master class open to the public. She also performed in a guest recital of her own, collaborating with Dr. Ken Mays, professor emeritus at TMU and Hassler’s former theory teacher. The recital included some of the very pieces she learned as a student, as well as two hymn arrangements Mays wrote especially for her.

When she thought back on her experience at TMU — first as a pupil, now as an alumna — Hassler said that though the paint on the music building may be a different color, “the feeling here is also very familiar. Different faces, but the same goals.”

“Being back feels extremely meaningful,” she said, “and I’m feeling a lot of gratitude to come full circle with this program and be able to collaborate with some of my former professors.”

TMU’s Paul T. Plew School of Music exists to glorify Christ through passionate pursuit of musical excellence. If someone you know would be interested in studying music at TMU, tell them to visit masters.edu/music.

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