Music major discovers his voice at Blinn College

Sophomore Desh Cunningham embraces his passion for singing

December 16, 2024

Desh Cunningham has discovered more than an education at Blinn College – he has found a supportive community, a renewed sense of purpose, and the joy of singing.

A sophomore music major at the Blinn College-Brenham Campus, Cunningham credits Blinn with helping him rediscover his passion for music and the confidence to pursue a dream career in performance. Along the way, he has developed a newfound appreciation for opera and connected with a faculty committed to nurturing his talent.

“I’ve been in survival mode most of my adult life, and I decided one day that I wanted to change all that,” Cunningham said, “so I chose to come back to school. I had been surviving. Now I wanted to live.”

The son of a disabled military mother, Cunningham has always been musically inclined. His love of Gospel music led him to sing publicly for the first time in a Baptist church in Oakland, Calif., where congregants would often pay him to sing. He said the congregation’s support was “affirmation this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”

When his family moved to Brenham, Cunningham got a job at Brenham Wholesale Grocery. At age 17, he attended Brenham High School while working the evening shift.

“I lived on Germania Street, and I would walk or ride a bike to Brenham Wholesale and high school. If I was lucky, I caught a ride,” he said. “I did pretty good the first two semesters, but by the third semester, I had to make a choice. I decided to drop out of high school. I had to do what was best for me.”

Cunningham also stopped singing, at least in public.

“I put music on the backburner. I wouldn’t sing publicly,” he said. “I might sing in the shower, but I didn’t perform in public.”

That changed in 2019 when Cunningham, a first tenor, performed at his late grandfather’s funeral service and was encouraged by the reaction.

“I had a lot of people tell me, ‘You’ve got to get back to music,’ so I decided to go back to school,” he said.

Cunningham had already earned a General Educational Development (GED) degree, posting the highest score possible in English. His older sister, who had attended Blinn, urged him to consider the college.

“She told me, ‘You’ve got a gift. I know you want to be practical, but there’s nothing wrong with following your dreams. You can still get a practical job,’” he said.

Cunningham decided to pursue a music degree and enrolled at Blinn. He plans to transfer to Texas A&M University and earn a bachelor of arts in performance. Cunningham currently commutes from Bryan to his Blinn classes in Brenham.

“At first, I was kind of hesitant, mostly because of being around younger students,” he said, “but they’ve welcomed me with open arms and been very helpful.”

Dr. Daniel Johnson, Professor of Voice and Opera, has become a mentor and an inspiration, Cunningham said.

“I look up to him. He’s gotten to where I’m trying to go. I really appreciate a lot of the things he’s teaching me,” said Cunningham. “Dr. Johnson has been very inspirational. I’m confident I’m getting the most out of being here. He’s introduced me to different kinds of music and an appreciation for that music.”

Johnson entered Cunningham last April in a Greater Houston National Association of Teachers of Singing competition where he won first place.

“He’s come a long way,” said Johnson. “He has really solidified his musicianship skills and become a much more solid student overall, starting last January and particularly this past semester. He is progressing well.”

Cunningham said his difficulties in life have made him stronger and helped him in his career choice.

“I tell people that I’ve gone to the University of Life, majoring in Survival, but now I’m enjoying life,” Cunningham said.

The Blinn College Music Department offers small classes, one-on-one attention, practical learning, and accessible faculty so that students are actively engaged in a superior learning environment. Students can pursue an Associate of Arts Degree in Music that provides a solid foundation in the creative and technical aspects of music, including music theory, history, composition, and performance.

For more information regarding the Blinn Music Program, including scholarship and audition guidelines, visit www.blinn.edu/music.