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Music Alumnus Shines on World Series Stage

Dan Olivas has sung in front of some large crowds. He sang the National Anthem before 1,000 fans at an international auto race at Laguna Seca. He did the same at a minor-league baseball game in front of about 3,000.

The CSU Stanislaus graduate and staff member found himself on a slightly bigger stage Oct. 25, when he sang "God Bless America" in front of more than 40,000 fans and millions more on live television during Game 2 of the World Series. (See video and media coverage of Olivas' performance.)

Olivas, who graduated from CSU Stanislaus with a bachelor's degree in music in 2011 and is now a staff member in the Office of Information Technology, is a member of the Air National Guard Band of the West Coast. He performed a cappella in full uniform during the seventh-inning stretch of the San Francisco Giants' victory over the Detroit Tigers.

"I focused on the crowd in front of me, and the other 40,000 kind of faded into the background," Olivas said. "The nerves went away as soon as I stepped to the microphone. My instructor (CSU Stanislaus Professor Joseph Wiggett) told me to think of it as an intimate recital at Snider Hall, so I took that with me.

"It felt good. There's kind of a competitive rush, like an athlete feels. I owned my opponent — which was myself."

The 30-year-old Olivas, who was born in Modesto and grew up in Ceres, has done singing at military events and is also the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the guard's brass quintet, often performing at military ceremonies and public concerts. He performed with the guard's concert band in front of President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry during the 2004 presidential campaign at an event in Las Vegas.

He credited the music faculty at CSU Stanislaus for helping him hone his natural talents and grow as a singer and musician.

Wiggett taught him about the mechanisms involved in singing and breathing. Deborah Kavasch trained his ear to not rely on accompaniment. Daniel Afonso taught him to be fearless in the face of vulnerability when performing in front of an audience. Stuart Sims taught him to keep his mind cool and focused, regardless of his emotions.

"The music faculty is amazing," said Olivas, who also relied on Professor Geoff Mulder and music technician Phil Short for help with his audition tape. "They helped me perfect my craft, so to speak. I owe a lot to the university."