A Standing Ovation: Tori Tiller ’25 Shines Center Stage at Valparaiso University

Tori Tiller ’25 looks at life with an artist’s eye. Where we may see a billboard, she sees the hard work of a designer; while watching her favorite shows, she makes a point to admire the work of the actors who bring it to life; a composer wrote that familiar jingle, and a photographer shot those photos hanging on the wall. As an artist herself, it only makes sense to acknowledge all of the things, big or small, that make our days – our lives – more beautiful.

For Tori, singing has always been a part of her life. “I was the kid who liked to put concerts on in my grandparents’ living room. I held up a plastic microphone and would sing for them,” Tori shares, citing her love for Taylor Swift’s debut album. A few years down the road, she brought her passion to center stage in middle school theater with “Annie Jr.,” Glee Club, and frequent appearances at the school talent show. It wasn’t until she was a sophomore in high school that Tori decided to more intentionally lean into her vocal talents. “That was my first year of choir and of doing voice lessons,” Tori says. “I stuck with it throughout high school. And then I came here and kept doing it.”

Tori first began her Valpo experience as a music education student before switching into our bachelor of arts in music program with a concentration in voice her sophomore year. “There’s not a lot of people in the world you specifically want to be arts educators. … It’s extremely demanding and takes a very special soul,” she says. “I switched to music because I really wanted to focus on performing. I still would like to teach someday, but that’s something I’d be looking into further down the road.” From there, Tori struck a chord in Valpo’s musical performance community. You may recognize her from several different performances – like our sword-fighting drama “She Kills Monsters” last fall – or from singing at last year’s Convocation ceremony. “My favorite thing to do is musical theater. There’s just so much that goes into it. I love to dance. I love to act,” she says. It’s only fitting that her final performance with Valpo theater would be a sold-out rendition of “Anastasia,” a story of a brave young woman who evades Soviet capture to uncover the mystery of her past. 

“It was fun to end my time with Valpo theater with all of my friends and with such an awesome, touching show. Anya’s story in “Anastasia” is about taking a leap of faith and not knowing if she’s going to get to Paris and find her family, but she goes anyway,” Tori explains. “I think that really relates to the students who are graduating this year: not knowing what comes next, but taking that leap of faith and doing what it is that you really want to do.”

So, what does that leap of faith look like for Tori? After a summer of voice lessons, dance classes, and back-up dancing with a Taylor Swift cover band, she plans to move to Chicago and begin professionally auditioning. “I can’t wait to meet more people who love what I love to do, and love it so much that they have to do it professionally,” she shares. For Tori, her passion is a profession – and one she encourages students considering an arts education to recognize as achievable.

Tori’s experiences with Valpo’s music faculty and community emboldened her to take the next step toward fulfilling her dream. “I tell people all the time that I’m really glad I ended up choosing a smaller school like Valpo because all of the relationships I have with my professors and people around me are very personal. They really get to know you and support all of their students at their performances,” Tori explains. Throughout her time in music, theater, and various other student organizations – including Valpo Chorale, Playmakers, and BEST (Body, Energy, Space, and Time) – Tori also had the opportunity to broaden her professional network with faculty members who also work in the field: Associate Professor of Music Marin Jacobson, DMA, Adjunct Professor of Music Maura Janton Cock, M.A., and Adjunct Instructor of Music Anne Marie Ouverson Bice, M.M., all of whom been supportive of their students’ desires to take their love for music to the next level. Tori was also able to perform under Associate Professor of English George Potter, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of Theater Andrew Gutshall, MFA., who both have active roles in the industry.

Needless to say, Valpo’s theater community will have some big shoes to fill now that Tori is radiating her talents far beyond our campus. We wish Tori the very best of luck in her future adventures in the Windy City and look forward to seeing her shine her light on the big stage. If you too feel called to the spotlight as a singer, musician, or performer, we invite you to radiate your talents in Valpo’s music program and take part in performance opportunities in the Valparaiso University Department of Music.