Frog of the Week
By David Reese
Features Editor

You may not know Jen Gerber, but you better get to know her now because you will definitely know her voice in the future.

Gerber is a junior vocal performance transfer student from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. She was born in Michigan and lived there until moving to Aloha, Ore., at the age of 2. Her family still resides in the city just outside of Portland.

Her love of music began at an early age. She said she watched her eldest brother, Jason, now 31, perform at the piano and became mesmerized. She said by the age of 5, Gerber learned and practiced numerous solos and harmonies.

While still in elementary school, Gerber began acting and performing in local high school productions. She played such roles as Pepper (one of the orphans) in “Annie.”

By the time she entered high school, Gerber became very involved in the theater and choir departments. During her senior year, she played the lead role of Guenevere in “Camelot.”

Initially, Gerber attended Utah State where she soon after left to take a year off before she enrolled at the University of the Pacific with a major of music therapy. Again, she left that university and joined the TCU family this past fall. Her impact in the music department has been greatly heard.

During the fall, Gerber had the lead in the opera, “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” that was performed with cooperation of the Fort Worth Opera and TCU Opera at the University Christian Church. She also had a solo at the Gershwin Gala event at Bass Hall with the TCU orchestra and jazz band.

Gerber will graduate in May of 2004 and plans to pursue a master’s degree in vocal performance. She has yet to decide at what educational institution but she is setting her eyes on New York. Gerber said although music has been around her house all her life, she will be the first in her family of nine to pursue a professional music career.

David Reese
d.w.reese@tcu.edu