Daughter of professional opera singer will sing at UNK commencement TYLER ELLYSON, UNK COMMUNICATIONS May 6, 2026 May 6, 2026 0 Sayo Kajiyama, a native of Nara, Japan, is a senior at UNK, where she’s studying vocal music performance. ERIKA PRITCHARD, UNK COMMUNICATIONS Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save TYLER ELLYSON, UNK COMMUNICATIONS When Sayo Kajiyama sings, she wants to convey emotion and connect with her audience on a deeper level.kAm%92E >:?5D6E H:== 8F:56 E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 }63C2D<2 2E z62C?6J D6?:@C @? @?6 @7 E96 3:886DE DE286D @7 96C 4@==686 42C66C]k^AmkAm~? |2J g[ E96 >FD:4 A6C7@C>2?46 >2;@C H:== D:?8 E96 ?2E:@?2= 2?E96> 2E &}z’D DAC:?8 4@>>6?46>6?E]k^AmkAmxE H:== C6AC6D6?E 96C 8C@HE9 2D 2 A6C7@C>6C 2?5 2 ;@FC?6J E92E 3682? 92=7H2J 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5]k^Am kAm“pE E96 368:??:?8[ x ;FDE =:<65 36:?8 @? DE286[” D96 D2:5] “}@H[ x H2?E E@ D92C6 >@C6 766=:?8D E9C@F89 E96 D@?8D] x H2?E E@ 92G6 >@C6 :?E6C24E:@?D H:E9 E96 2F5:6?46] (96? x 766= =:<6 >J >FD:4 E@F4965 E96:C 962CE[ x 766= D@ 8@@5]”k^Am People are also reading… Eagle man killed in crash near Elmwood after allegedly trying to run wife off road Ashland duo arrested in Beatrice for alleged drug charges SEC meets at a crossroads — and its grip on college football is at stake Nebraska softball vs. Michigan live updates, stats and highlights Lincoln man cited for November fatal crash near Waverly, deputies say Kyle Loftis, Omaha-area founder of street racing media company 1320Video, dies at 43 Malcolm man dies after motorcycle crashes near Lincoln Airport during pursuit with State Patrol Nebraska to host Florida State commit for official visit Nebraska baseball falls in Coaches Poll after weekend struggles Former Nebraska head coach Scott Frost to host Husker commit for visit Rural Nebraska village aims to survive, grow with new housing efforts Nebraska football quarterback commit earns high praise at camp Nebraska commit Trae Taylor named to 2026 Elite 11 Finals roster Llamas, margs and taco deals: Your guide to Cinco de Mayo in Lincoln An ex-Nebraska coach watched from Northern Colorado’s bench. He says this team is title-bound k9am‘$96 492?865 6G6CJE9:?8Vk^9amkAm~C:8:?2==J 7C@> }2C2[ y2A2?[ z2;:J2>2 2CC:G65 2E &}z 2D 2? 6I492?86 DEF56?E DEF5J:?8 A@=:E:42= D4:6?46[ 7F=7:==:?8 2 DEF5J 23C@25 C6BF:C6>6?E 7C@> 96C F?:G6CD:EJ 324< 9@>6]k^Am kAm“x ?6G6C E9@F89E 23@FE 36:?8 2 D:?86C[” D96 D2:5]k^AmkAm%96 52F89E6C @7 2 AC@76DD:@?2= @A6C2 D:?86C[ z2;:J2>2 :?:E:2==J 2G@:565 D:?8:?8[ :?DE625 7@4FD:?8 @? A:2?@[ 244@>A2?J:?8 96C D49@@= 49@:C]k^Am kAm“x C67FD65 E@ D:?8 367@C6 3642FD6 >J >@E96C :D G6CJ 8@@5[ 2?5 x H2D 27C2:5 E@ A6C7@C> :? 7C@?E @7 96C[” D96 D2:5]k^Am kAm%92E 492?865 27E6C D96 >6E p??6 u@C25@C:[ E96? 2 G@42= >FD:4 AC@76DD@C 2E &}z]k^Am kAm“|J 962CE :>>65:2E6=J >@G65 E@ >FD:4[” z2;:J2>2 D2:5 H:E9 2 D>:=6]k^AmkAmu@C25@C:[ H9@ C6E:C65 =2DE J62C[ C64@8?:K65 E96 A@E6?E:2= C:89E 2H2J]k^AmkAm“(6 >6E[ D96 D2?8 7@C >6[ 2?5 x :>>65:2E6=J H2?E65 E@ H@C< H:E9 96C[” D96 C642==65] “w6C :?E6C6DE 2?5 565:42E:@? E@ :>AC@G:?8 96C 4C27E 2D 2 D:?86C ECF=J DE2?5 @FE]”k^AmkAmz2;:J2>2 D@@? DH:E4965 96C >2;@C E@ >FD:4 2?5 564:565 E@ C6>2:? 2E &}z 2D 2 7F==\E:>6 DEF56?E]k^Am kAm“x 4@F=5 92G6 C6EFC?65 9@>6 @C EC2?D76CC65 E@ 2?@E96C F?:G6CD:EJ[ 3FE x C62==J 6?;@J :E 96C6[” D96 D2:5] “%96C6 2C6 D@ >2?J @AA@CEF?:E:6D E@ 86E :?G@=G65 2?5 5@ D@>6E9:?8 3:886C]”k^Amk9amp VDH66E[ 4=62CV G@:46 k^9amkAm%9@D6 @AA@CEF?:E:6D D92A65 96C 6IA6C:6?46 @G6C E96 A2DE 7@FC J62CD]k^AmkAmz2;:J2>2 A6C7@C>65 H:E9 {@A6C ~A6C2 2?5 42>AFD 49@:CD[ A=2J65 uC6?49 9@C? :? E96 $J>A9@?:4 q2?5 2?5 D6CG65 2D 2? 244@>A2?:DE 7@C 76==@H DEF56?ED]k^Am Sayo Kajiyama starred in the Loper Opera production “Zémire and Azor,” a retelling of the “Beauty and the Beast” fairytale. ERIKA PRITCHARD, UNK COMMUNICATIONS kAm$96 92D 2=D@ A6C7@C>65 H:E9 z62C?6J $J>A9@?J ~C496DEC2 2?5 H:== 36 762EFC65 5FC:?8 E96 %F6D52J 4@?46CE :? &}z’D u:?6 pCED #64:E2= w2== 2D 2 H:??6C @7 E96 2??F2= r@?46CE@^pC:2 r@>A6E:E:@? C64@8?:K:?8 @FEDE2?5:?8 DEF56?E >FD:4:2?D]k^Am kAm“x =:<6 E@ 492==6?86 >JD6=7[” z2;:J2>2 D2:5] “%92E 2==@HD >6 E@ 56G6=@A 72DE6C]”k^AmkAmw6C :?DECF4E@CD D2J E92E 5C:G6[ 4@>3:?65 H:E9 96C >FD:42= 23:=:EJ[ D6E 96C 2A2CE]k^AmkAm“{:<6 96C >@E96C[ $2J@ :D 2 =JC:4 D@AC2?@[” u@C25@C: D2:5] “w6C G@:46 :D DH66E 2?5 4=62C] w6C AC6D6?46 @? DE286 :D 6?828:?8[ 6?6C86E:4 2?5 2FE96?E:4]”k^Am kAm|FD:4 AC@76DD@C $92C@? r2>A36==[ H9@ :D ?@H z2;:J2>2’D G@:46 E62496C[ 6>A92D:K65 3@E9 96C E649?:42= D<:== 2?5 2CE:DECJ]k^AmkAm“$2J@ 92D 2 362FE:7F= =:89E =JC:4 D@AC2?@ G@:46 H:E9 2 3C@25 C2?86 E92E 762EFC6D DEC@?8 3FE >6==@H =@H ?@E6D[ 6I4:E:?8 2?5 G:3C2?E 9:89 ?@E6D[ 2?5 6?E:4:?8 DH66E?6DD :? 96C >:5\G@:46 E@?6[” r2>A36== D2:5]k^Am kAm“$96 :D 2? 2==\2C@F?5 6I46==6?E >FD:4:2? H:E9 E6CC:7:4 A:2?@ D<:==D :? 255:E:@? E@ 96C D:?8:?8 D<:==D[ D@ 96C 2EE6?E:@? E@ ?F2?46 2?5 56E2:= :D 9:89=J 56G6=@A65[” D96 25565]k^Am k9amq6J@?5 D:?8:?8k^9am kAmz2;:J2>2’D :?G@=G6>6?E 2E &}z 6IE6?565 36J@?5 A6C7@C>2?46] $96 A2CE:4:A2E65 :? E96 y2A2?6D6 pDD@4:2E:@? 2E z62C?6J[ G:D:E65 =@42= z\`a D49@@=D E@ AC@>@E6 >FD:4 2?5 6G6? C6AC6D6?E65 y2A2? 2E E96 }2E:@?2= |@56= &?:E65 }2E:@?D 4@?76C6?46 :? }6H *@C< r:EJ]k^AmkAm$96 2=D@ AFCDF65 C6D62C49[ AC6D6?E:?8 2E 2 }2E:@?2= ~A6C2 pDD@4:2E:@? 4@?76C6?46 :? $2G2??29[ v6@C8:2] w6C AC@;64E 6IA=@C65 H2JD E@ 96=A y2A2?6D6 DEF56?ED =62C? xE2=:2? AC@?F?4:2E:@? :? G@42= >FD:4 3J FD:?8 72>:=:2C y2A2?6D6 A9@?6E:4 DJ>3@=D]k^Am kAm“xE H2D 2 4@@= 6IA6C:6?46 E@ D92C6 E96 y2A2?6D6 =2?8F286 :? E96 65F42E:@? DJDE6>[” D96 D2:5]k^AmkAmp s6A2CE>6?E @7 |FD:4[ %962EC6 2?5 s2?46 @FEDE2?5:?8 D6?:@C 9@?@C66[ z2;:J2>2 25>:ED E96 :?G:E2E:@? E@ D:?8 E96 ?2E:@?2= 2?E96> @? |2J g 42>6 2D 2 DFCAC:D6]k^AmkAm“x’G6 ?6G6C DF?8 E96 ?2E:@?2= 2?E96> 367@C6[ 6G6? :? y2A2?6D6] x’G6 ?6G6C 925 E96 492?46 E@ D:?8 7@C DF49 2 =2C86 2F5:6?46[” D96 D2:5]k^AmkAm$:?46 4@>A=6E:?8 96C D6?:@C C64:E2=[ D96 92D 7@4FD65 @? AC6A2C:?8 7@C E96 A6C7@C>2?46 — DEF5J:?8 E96 >FD:4[ :ED 9:DE@CJ 2?5 >62?:?8]k^Am kAmp44@>A2?J:?8 z2;:J2>2 H:== 36 y2D@? #@36CED@? @7 z62C?6J[ 2 &}z >FD:4 8C25F2E6]k^AmkAmp7E6C 8C25F2E:@?[ z2;:J2>2 H:== 4@?E:?F6 96C DEF5:6D :? y2A2? H:E9 E96 8@2= @7 364@>:?8 2 >FD:4 E62496C H9:=6 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ A6C7@C>]k^Am kAm“%96D6 7@FC J62CD 2E &}z 492?865 >J =:76[Q z2;:J2>2 D2:5] “x >6E =@ED @7 A6@A=6 2?5 925 D@ >2?J @AA@CEF?:E:6D] |J :?DECF4E@CD :? E96 >FD:4 56A2CE>6?E DFAA@CE65 >6 :? D@ >2?J H2JD]”k^AmkAmr2==:?8 96C 2 “3C:89E =:89E[” r2>A36== 36=:6G6D z2;:J2>2 :D 2? 6I2>A=6 @7 H92E’D A@DD:3=6 E9C@F89 565:42E:@? 2?5 2 H:==:?8?6DD E@ 6>3C246 6G6CJ 492==6?86]k^Am kAm“$96 :D 2D C6=6?E=6DD=J A@D:E:G6 2D D96 :D 92C5H@C<:?8[” r2>A36== D2:5] “$96 :D 2? :?DA:C2E:@? 7@C @E96C DEF56?ED]Qk^AmkAmu@C z2;:J2>2[ E96 8@2= C6>2:?D E96 D2>6i E@ 4@??64E] pE 4@>>6?46>6?E[ 96C G@:46 H:== 5@ ;FDE E92E]k^Am 0 Comments Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Gibbon senior wins grand prize in America 250 essay contest, but they're all winners Buffalo County students in grades 3-12 wrote 150-word essays for Buffalo County’s America 250 Essay Contest. Winners were recognized Saturday. Recommended for you Watch Now: Related Video Video shows advocates thwarting ICE arrest in Columbia County York General Children's Academy York General Children's Academy BHS graduates walk through elementary BHS graduates walk through elementary The Malone Center finally opens their doors again after two years of construction The Malone Center finally opens their doors again after two years of construction
Gibbon senior wins grand prize in America 250 essay contest, but they're all winners Buffalo County students in grades 3-12 wrote 150-word essays for Buffalo County’s America 250 Essay Contest. Winners were recognized Saturday.