The Road Is Home - Classical Singer

Transcription

February 2016
Musically
Empowering
Your Child
Family Man
Corey Crider
U.S.A. $6.50 • Can $8.70
The Road
Is Home
Anne-Carolyn Bird
and Matthew Burns
CS Readers Balance
Career and Family
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TUITION AND FEES
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music.uh.edu
music.uh.edu/opera
February 2016
cover story
Burns as Papageno and Bird as Pamina in Opera Coeur
d’Alene’s production of The Magic Flute, 2015
Vol. 29 No. 2
The Road Is Home
Soprano Anne-Carolyn Bird and bass-baritone Matthew Burns are currently having the adventure of a lifetime. In the midst of two full-time singing careers and as
parents of two small children, the couple made an unusual and “crazy” decision.
While they knew it was unconventional and not for forever, they also knew it was
the best and right decision right now for their family of four.
by Michelle Kunz
12
features
in every issue
22 Musically Empowering Your Child’s Development:
Cognitive Benefits of Music Making in the Home
6
7
44
51
For singer parents, improvisational singing with their children
at home probably seems like the most mundane and natural of
things. But a new study suggests such activities may have longterm and lasting impacts on children’s development. Read about
the study here and see what musical parents have to say about
such music making. by Peter Thoresen
Bulletin Board
From the Editor
Audition Listings
Competition Listings
28 Family Man
Opera is a family affair for up-and-coming baritone Corey Crider,
who balances being both full-time singer and full-time husband
and father to his wife and their four children.
by Megan Gloss
32 Breaking Barriers: Four Pioneering African
American Singers in Opera
February marks Black History Month. Read about four singers
who changed history—and the forward-thinking administrators
who helped them. by Dean Southern
Steven Carpenter literally
balancing practice with his
4-month-old daughter, Katherine.
36
Indira Mahajan at home with 4-year-old
daughter, Isabella Sirianni. “Isabella loves
to play ‘opera dress up,’”
36 C
S Readers Balance Career and Family
We asked singers to show us how they balance career and family.
The response was overwhelming. As one singer wrote, “Singers
are real people, too!” Enjoy these pictures of real life singers
finding time for music and relationships in their lives.
monthly columns
8
The Music Major Minute: Advice from the
40 Iron Clad: Remembering Daniel Ferro
Graduates
Singer, teacher, and summer program director Daniel Ferro
passed away November 18, 2015. Read about his life and the
optimistic future of the summer program he started 20 years ago.
by Sara Thomas
Singers look back on their college years and
share what they wish they would have known
before they began their music major.
by Christi Amonson
42 The Doctor Is In: A Different Kind of
Breath Control
Corey Crider with his
wife, Michelle, and their
four children
4 Classical Singer / February 2016
Is bad breath getting you or someone you know
or love down? Learn about the possible causes
and how to keep yourself smelling minty fresh
onstage and off.
by Dr. Anthony F. Jahn
28
ADVERTISER INDEX
We have listed our advertisers in this issue by what they’ll do for you. While we cannot vouch for any advertiser’s product or service,
we do not run ads from vendors with unresolved complaints. Please e-mail and tell us about your experiences with our advertisers.
Coach
Hastings, Elizabeth........................ 52
Recording Studio
Premier Sounds LLC..................... 24
Competitions
American Prize............................. 45
CS Competitions........................... 60
Gerda Lissner Foundation in Association
with the Liederkranz Foundation.... 59
The Giulio Gari Foundation............. 51
The Licia Albanese-Puccini
Foundation................................. 48
National Association of Teachers
of Singing.................................. 21
Opera At Florham......................... 58
Stichting’s-Hertogenbosch
Muziekstad................................ 55
Vocal Arts Society......................... 54
Summer Programs
AIMS.................................... 13, 18
American Singers Opera Project..... 47
Amherst Early Music..................... 29
Barcalona Festival of Song............. 52
The Boston Conservatory............... 24
California Opera Association........... 47
Curtis Institute of Music.................. 15
Druid City Opera Workshop.............. 9
Early Music Week at Pinewoods...... 25
Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival....... 58
Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar......... 53
Florida Opera Theatre.................... 25
Greeve Opera Academy................. 53
Indiana University.......................... 46
Lingua e Canto............................. 51
Little Patuxent Opera Institute.......... 34
Lotte Lehman Academy................. 56
McGarvey Voice Studio.................. 49
Molloy Summer Music Institute....... 34
Musiktheater Bavaria..................... 29
Nautilus Music Theater.................. 27
New York Lyric Opera Theater......... 27
New York University....................... 43
Oklahoma City University................ 44
Opera Viva!.................................. 17
Redwoods Opera Workshop........... 48
Shenandoah University - CCM Vocal
Pedagogy Institute...................... 11
San Miguel Institute of Bel Canto..... 50
Siena Music (SSMA)..................... 56
Torggler Summer Vocal Institute...... 43
University of Miami at Salzburg....... 14
UNT Pedagogy Workshop.............. 56
Westminster Choir College Summer Programs..................... 57
62
Convention
Classical Singer Convention.............. 2
Education
The Academy of Vocal Arts............. 39
Baldwin Wallace University............. 35
Columbus State University.............. 45
Lee University.............................. 31
Palm Beach Atlantic University........ 10
Shattuck-St. Mary’s School............ 57
University of Houston...................... 3
Musical Accessories
Opera Practice Perfect................... 49
Pocket Opera............................... 52
Sing & See, LLC........................... 56
Song of Joy Industries, LLC........... 54
Printed Music
Leyerle Publications...................... 54
Packard Humanities Institute........... 40
Publications
Aria Ready!.................................. 30
The Invisible Thread...................... 16
Pavane Publishing......................... 41
Recordings
David Jones................................. 55
Voice Teachers
Davis, Osceola.............................. 54
Jacklin, Diana.............................. 52
Websites
Singer Websites........................... 19
Vol. 29 No. 2
Publisher
David Wood
Editor in Chief
Sara Thomas
General Manager
Alex Stoddard
Design and Layout
Horizon Design
Advertising Manager
Dane Trimble
Auditions Plus Manager
Kimberlee Talbot
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Marianne Johnston
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On the cover: Anne-Carolyn Bird and Matthew
Burns as Susanna and Figaro in Virginia
Opera’s production of The Marriage of Figaro
photo by David A. Beloff
www.classicalsinger.com 5
Bulletin Board
N E W S ,
T I D B I T S ,
M U S I N G S ,
A N D
M O R E
.
.
.
B Y
NYCO Renaissance Announces
Tosca at Lincoln Center
Architect Gene Kaufman has agreed to accept $300,000 to withdraw his bid
for the now defunct New York City Opera’s assets, according to the Wall Street
Journal. The withdrawal will
allow hedge fund manager
and philanthropist Roy
Niederhoffer and his group
NYCO Renaissance to pay
creditors and revive the
fondly remembered opera
company. When NYCO
was a functioning company,
Niederhoffer was on its board
of directors.
Michael Capasso, former
head of the smaller Dicapo Opera Theatre, will be the general director of the new
company, which plans to present a mix of popular and less frequently heard operas.
www.wsj.com/articles/city-opera-plan-moves-forward-1449103787
Knoxville Opera Comes Out Swinging,
Later Apologizes
An audition notice for an outreach cast
of La bohème on the Knoxville Opera
Facebook page stated, “Knoxville Opera
will cast age appropriate, attractive artists
in these roles,” according to Knoxnews
.com. Some prospective applicants
interpreted the sentence to mean that
physical qualifications would be more
important than vocal ability. Numerous
reactions on Facebook and elsewhere
were intense.
Knoxville Opera then posted an apology
saying, “When considering all artists, our
first priority has always been and always
will be a person’s vocal ability to sing the
role. We are a company committed to a
culture of inclusion and will continue to
hold ourselves ethically accountable for
hiring diverse artists.”
www.knoxnews.com/knoxville/music/
knoxville-opera-notice-spurs-nationalonline-debate-over-casting_67694556
Pop Singer Gives Seattle Symphony
$50,000
The Seattle Symphony’s recording
of John Luther Adams’ Pulitzer Prize
and Grammy winning symphonic
work, Become Ocean, inspired singer,
songwriter, and recording artist Taylor
Swift to write to the orchestra’s Music
Director Ludovic Morlot and gift the
company $50,000. Speaking of her
letter, Morlot said, “I was thrilled to hear
that Taylor was moved by Become Ocean,
like all of us at the Seattle Symphony.
This is a powerful piece with a unique
soundscape. We’re especially thankful
that she wishes to support our musicians,
and that she shares our belief that all
people should be able to experience
symphonic music.”
Her generous gift will be divided
between the orchestra’s pension fund
and its program for fifth graders called
Link Up: Seattle Symphony. Link Up
will reach over 12,000 school children
this year.
M A R I A
N O C K I N
w w w. s e a t t l e s y m p h o n y. o r g /
about/watch%20and%20listen/
beyondthestage/thankyoutaylor
The Dallas Opera Hosts FirstEver Training Institute for Female
Conductors
The Linda and Mitch Hart Institute
for Women Conductors is an annual
program designed to provide training and
career support for distinctively talented
female conductors under the age of 41.
From among 103 applicants representing
27 countries, the Dallas Opera General
Director Keith Cerny, Music Director
Emmanuel Villaume, and Principal Guest
Conductor Nicole Paiement chose the six
participants and four observers. Nearly
half the applicants came from the United
States. Other nations making a strong
showing included Germany, Italy, Israel,
Taiwan, Greece, Canada, Australia, and
Spain.
The applicants included principal and
assistant conductors, concertmasters,
and music staff who work at top-ranked
symphonies, opera companies, and
conservatories. Stephanie Rhodes and
Lidiya Yankovskaya from the United
States, Jennifer Condon and Jessica
Gethin from Australia, Natalie Murray
Beale from the United Kingdom,
and Anna Skryleva from Russia were
the fellows who participated in the
program, which ran from November 28
to December 6, 2015. Observers were
Arianne Abela, Alexandra Grabarchuk,
Avlana Eisenberg, and Co Boi Nguyen, all
from the U.S. Although the 2015 program
lasted just one week, the 2016 program
will run for two weeks.
d a l l a s o p e r a . o r g / l e a r n / wo m e n s conducting-institute/
From the Editor
THE BALANCING ACT
I have the opportunity and challenge of working from home. I started working remotely years ago when I was
single, living in New York City, and actively pursuing a singing career. Now, some years later—after (mostly) exchanging my singing (for
now) to be mom to three little girls, ages 4.5, 3, and 8 months—I use the kitchen table, the couch, and the nursery room floor as extensions
of my office.
Recently we asked readers to submit photos of themselves balancing work and family. One afternoon I was working through these
submissions, selecting those to send off to our layout department for inclusion in this issue. I had to have them submitted by a 4 p.m.
deadline. I got the baby down for a nap and let my older two girls have their daily “TV time.” I settled into work on the photos, but
before long the baby started crying. Already? I had hoped for a
longer nap! But, alas, I needed to stop what I was doing to change
her, feed her, and set her up with some toys. By then it was time
to turn the TV off and get the older girls playing upstairs.
Phew! Everyone was settled once again, and I resumed my
work sorting the photos, my deadline even closer now. I managed to get another good chunk done before the baby got fussy.
Another quick break to help her, and then I turned back to my
e-mails. Not five minutes later I heard my three-year-old call from
upstairs, “Mom, I went potty!” Good for her, I thought. Until she
added, “On the stool!” I left my laptop and raced up the stairs to
assess and clean up the situation.
My attempt to balance my own work and family while editing
photos of others doing the same was laughable. And in the midst
of the mess, the irony was not lost on me.
The responsibilities of children and family life are just that—
responsibilities! They require time, commitment, dedication, and
significant sacrifice. And when our careers require the same, but
with more tangible and seemingly significant expectations (like
looming deadlines), juggling and prioritizing it all can often feel
utterly overwhelming.
So, why do we do it?
Soprano Anne-Carolyn Bird and bass-baritone Matthew
Burns, featured in this month’s cover story (p. 12), do it because
they can’t imagine their lives any other way. The couple and
their two children are currently living on the road from gig to gig
because it gives them more family time—something they place
Sara Thomas with her three daughters at the Classical Singer office.
significant value on.
The same goes for baritone Corey Crider (p. 22), who says not having children just wasn’t an option. He and his wife, Michelle, also
take their four children on the road with them. Crider says coming home to his family keeps him grounded, centered, and less insecure
(as singers can be prone to feel).
Christi Amonson sums it up best in her column featuring advice from graduates on what singers need in order to succeed (p. 8).
Included on that list? Friends, family, and significant others. As Amonson says, these loving relationships help singers be resilient in the
face of a very competitive career.
If you’re still feeling unsure or alone in your sacrifice, read Peter Thoresen’s article about the lasting impact music can have on the
cognitive development of children (p. 22). And then take in the photos of fellow singers juggling personal lives and singing careers
(p. 36).
And now excuse me while I go change a diaper and make peanut butter sandwiches before sending this off to the printer.
Sara Thomas, Editor
THE MUSIC MAJOR MINUTE
Advice from the Graduates
BY CHRISTI AMONSON
Singers look back on their college years and share what they wish they would have known before they
began their music major.
I
f you dream of singing, teaching, or conducting choirs,
then you might be majoring in music or you’ve been
watching too many episodes of The Voice. You were
probably advised to pick a more stable career path—but here
you are reading Classical Singer, so you obviously didn’t listen.
As a three-time music graduate and a current professor of
voice majors, I see the struggles of existing music majors and
the infinite possibilities graduates face—from donning your
Starbucks apron by day to specializing in Baroque opera by
night.
There are many music majors who will fail theory and change
their major or end up taking jobs that have nothing to do with
the music industry. There is no single path that will guarantee
success, but there are important aspects of studying music that
will aid in your transition from student to emerging singer. I
polled singers I know to find out what advice they would have
now for singers just beginning their college careers.
When asked, “What do you wish you knew before you began
your college music major?” most singers immediately began
a dialogue about less than friendly competition, educational
preparation, and job security. You might think that opera is a
competitive field, but graduates will tell you that it’s not just
competitive, it’s fiercely competitive. In order to successfully
audition your way to paid gigs, you will need the following:
Resilience
• A teacher who will mentor you through the ups and downs
• A deaf ear for unsolicited criticism/negativity
• Friends/family/significant other (loving relationships)
• Colleagues to commiserate and celebrate with
• Money to pay rent and buy your burritos—“and you know
guac is extra”1
• Commitment to continue studying
• Language coaches
• Acting coaches
• Audition pianists
• Collaborative pianists
• Enough piano chops to learn your own music
• Good mental health
• Did I mention money yet? You’re going to need it.
Consider the following reflective advice from graduates as
you pursue your dreams in music, specifically in your vocal
studies. Warning: you are now entering the hindsight zone.
Competition
Several singers discussed the unexpected levels of
competition in music programs and performing careers.
“Looking back, I wish that I knew the intense level of
competition out there for singers. . . . I always thought that
students wanting to be opera singers was a rarity, but was sorely
mistaken in not only the vastness of competition but also the
talent pool.”
“Competition is tricky in the singing world. Constantly
comparing completely different voices, qualities, bodies, etc.
What is the expectation? That we will suddenly meld into one
freak voice? It’s incredibly confusing and frustrating for a young
singer because being a singer is so incredibly complex. I find
The Music Major Minute: Advice from the Graduates
myself constantly riding the fabulously thin line that is balancing
ego and humility. Positive affirmations disguised as narcissism to
our fellow divas, who are also struggling with self-identity . . . we
must all follow our path and not try to share an identical journey
with our peers.”
“I wish I had recognized the support network I have in the
college of music earlier, particularly the voice and choral faculty. I
was so consumed by the competitive nature of my degree itself that
I didn’t realize how much love and support we all have for each
other at the end of the day. Sure, there are times for collaboration
and times for competition, but I wish I had seen the separation of
the two earlier on.”
Preparation
Many grads answered the question by wishing they had
researched their school, their goals, and their degree before
beginning college and evaluating their programs throughout their
studies.
“I wish I would have known that this degree is almost impossible
to achieve in four years.”
“Take chances! Mistakes are meant to be building blocks, not
stumbling blocks. It’s OK to not know all the answers, but know
and use your resources (teachers, library, Internet, databases, etc.)
to find them.”
“At a school like mine that was dominated by instrumentalists,
you can never guarantee time in a practice room. As a voice major,
you better invest in a full-size keyboard. It will also come in handy
for theory and aural skills practice.”
“I wish that before I began my major in music that I would have
known to be more confident in myself. Entering into the school of
music full of talented undergraduates as well as graduate students
was overwhelming for me and hard for me to not negatively
compare myself to others. It wasn’t until my last couple of years
that I gained confidence in myself. I wouldn’t trade my experience
for the world . . . being a music major maybe overwhelming, busy,
and tough, but there is no other major I’d rather have!”
“I wish I would have known that you can say no! Conductors
and teachers will demand everything from you, and many don’t
care if it pushes you over your limit.”
“As a wide-eyed freshman, you want to believe that your hard
work and talent will be all you’ll need to succeed at this degree, but
just know that there are politics that existed long before you arrived.
Do not be discouraged if you do not get into the top ensemble or
rock out as the diva opera lead your first semester, because you
have growing to do as a musician and an artist. There is always a
game being played. Learn the moves, learn who is on your side,
and learn what you need to do and whose Monopoly game piece
you need to kiss to ‘pass go’ and get scholarship money.”
A singer that moved to NYC and is now doing film and
theatre work wrote, “I wish I knew that if I wanted to pursue a
career in music full-time, then getting a degree isn’t necessary.
There are so many other alternatives. I think if I could go back,
I would just independently study with a few different teachers
and take it from there. My favorite thing about undergrad was
my lessons.”
“I wish I had known how different everyone’s path can
be. There can be an expectation that you’ll go to undergrad,
graduate school, Young Artist Programs (YAPs), and then go to
a program every summer. But there are so many other options!
Sometimes, you need to take a summer and backpack across
Europe to better understand art and culture. This is real life,
and everyone has a different story. We can’t forget why we sing.”
Job Security
A degree in vocal performance will guarantee you absolutely
nothing. Many grads wrote about wishing they had invested
more time in a minor or created a “plan B” that would provide
stability while pursuing their vocal dreams.
“I wish I had been advised on financial aid. The reality of
student loan payments makes it almost impossible to freelance
and continue auditioning.”
“Throughout college, I was always commended on my
interpretation rather than my actual voice, but I pushed through
and graduated because I was naïve and driven. Then I realized
that I found the constant criticism (both from myself and others)
May 18-26, 2016
An intensive opera training and young artist program
with performance opportunities for singers, pianists,
and directors.
Total cost of tuition and housing:
$1,100
For more information:
opera.music.ua.edu/
“There is no single path that will guarantee success, but there are
important aspects of studying music that will aid in your transition from
student to emerging singer. Consider the following reflective advice
from graduates as you pursue your dreams in music, specifically in your
vocal studies.”
and immense work sucked the joy out of singing for me, and I
was no longer up for the uphill battle of trying to make a living
with music. Finding a way to adequately support myself became
more important, which led me to the military.
“I always tell people that after I graduated with a music
degree, I soon realized that I enjoyed eating much more than
being a starving artist! Unless you somehow become the
‘Renée Fleming 1 percent’ of the singer population, you should
minor in music if you want, but be sure to major in something
that you can get a stable job [in] that will put food on the table.
My music degree ultimately resulted in seven years in the Air
Force, and that was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
“I wish I had taken time off between undergrad and grad
school. If I had taken time to focus on lessons, take a church
job, do some community theatre, or a summer program in Italy,
I would have been more prepared for the demands of a graduate
program.”
The Good Stuff
Many responses ended with the sentiment that given the
opportunity, the graduates would do it all again. Here are a few
of my favorite positive affirmations for music majors.
“The music department is not like other departments on
campus. There is constant activity. We’re loud. Everyone is
constantly talking and laughing—even during class. We have
arguably one of the most difficult majors, but we’re going
through it together. We spend so much time together, there is a
real bond that makes it all bearable.”
Bring your
musical passion to life!
Voice Performance, B. MUS
Applied Voice, B. A.
and degrees in composition, music education, keyboard,
instrumental, worship and popular music.
Classical
Audition Dates:
Opera
February 13, 2016
March 21, 2016
April 2, 2016
For additional audition
dates and information: www.pba.edu/music
888 GO TO PBA (468-6722)
Faculty:
Marilyn Mims, artist in residence, opera director
Bryon Grohman, associate professor, chair of voice
Mark Aliapoulios, associate professor
Lloyd Mims, professor, dean, school of music and fine arts
Geoffrey Holland, associate professor, chair of choral studies
West Palm Beach, Florida
“I wish I had met some of the faculty and staff before the first
day of class as a freshman. I had no clue that I would be cared for
by so many. I had always imagined professors to keep a traditional
distance from the students, but most of my professors have been
the complete opposite. My professors became my mentors and
in my freshman year, the department secretary closed the music
office to sit with me in the ER for several hours so that I was not
alone—and she didn’t even know me at the time. It would have
saved me a summer of anxious worry had I known almost every
faculty up to the chancellor would be so welcoming and willing
to help the students.”
Making a career in music is possible! There are many ways that
singers can generate income while auditioning for opportunities
to develop a performing career. What many young music majors
do not know is how hard it can be. If you are not absolutely
committed to your music and confident in your abilities, then a
candid talk with your advisor is in order. Aspiring singers need
a “plan B” that they love, because it is almost certain that you
will need to work a day job of some sort in order to support your
opera habit.
College is only the beginning of this incredible journey. We
say on stage, “There are no small parts.” Well, there are also “no
small jobs.” Take as many opportunities you can to build your
network and earn more stage time. Successful music major grads
work hard and learn to love the journey. So, go get ’em, tiger!
Soprano Christi Amonson is an assistant professor of voice and
director of opera workshop at Troy University. She earned her
DMA in voice and theatre at the University of Arizona, her MM
in voice at the Manhattan School of Music, and her BM in music
education at the University of Idaho. Amonson is an active singer,
writer, and NATS member and she serves on the advisory board
for the Vann Vocal Institute with the Montgomery Symphony
Orchestra. She lives in Troy, Alabama, with her husband and
three daughters.
Endnotes
1 Matt Bellassai. “The Worst Things about Being an Adult.” BuzzFeed.
July 22, 2015. www.buzzfeed.com/mattbellassai/the-worst-things-aboutbeing-an-adult#.bqwOwkVQG
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Matthew Edwards with guests Wendy LeBorgne & Marci Rosenberg
SESSION II: JULY 19 – 21
APPLYING VOCAL FUNCTION & CORRECTING
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Soprano Anne-Carolyn Bird and bass-baritone Matthew
Burns are currently having the adventure of a lifetime. In
the midst of two full-time singing careers and as parents
of two small children, the couple made an unusual and
“crazy” decision. While they knew it was unconventional
and not for forever, they also knew it was the best and
right decision right now for their family of four.
The Road Is Home
Burns as Basilio (right) and Steven Condy as Bartolo in Sarasota Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville, 2014
T
his past fall I sang in the
chorus of Appomattox for
Washington National Opera’s
revised production of Philip Glass’
stirring work. As sometimes happens,
I never had the opportunity to really
speak with any of the principal cast
members until the closing party. I
eventually found myself chatting
over a celebratory glass of wine
with Anne-Carolyn Bird, who
sang the roles of Mary Todd
Lincoln and Lady Bird
Johnson.
It’s
always
immensely
gratifying to work with talented
singers who are also professional,
kind, and just really down-to-earth,
nice people. Most of the time this is
the case, in my experience, and Bird
did not disappoint. Soprano Melody
Moore, who sang the roles of Julia
Grant and Viola Liuzzo in Appomattox,
agreed. “She’s the type of star that
shines without having to be seen. She
shines anyway,” Moore says. “She’s a
consummate professional while still
attending beautifully to her family and
to the hearts around her. It was a joy to
work with her.”
Having experienced Bird’s positive
attitude and sense of humor throughout
the Appomattox run, I was eager to
photo by Rod Millington
learn more about her. As we chatted,
Bird shared a few details about just
how she attends to a husband and two
small children while also pursuing a
major singing career, including how she
and her singer husband bass-baritone
Matthew Burns had recently given up
their New York City apartment for life
on the road with their young family.
Without an actual street address to call
AIMS in Graz 2016
home, they describe themselves in their
Twitter account (see sidebar p. 19) as
“Two itinerant opera singers, two kids,
living and gigging in the road. If we’re
not crazy yet, we’re well on our way!”
Intrigued by what I learned in
our conversation (between joyful
interruptions from Bird’s energetic son
Henry, who was happy to see mommy),
I asked if she and her husband would
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Boston MA • Saturday, February 20
Chicago IL • Sunday, February 14
Flagstaff AZ • Saturday, January 23
Fort Worth TX • Saturday, February 6
Houston TX • Wednesday, February 24
Greeley CO • Sunday, February 7
Kalamazoo MI • Tuesday, March 1
Kansas City MO • Thursday, February 25
Laramie WY • Tuesday, February 9
Los Angeles CA • Sunday, February 14
Missoula MT • Sunday, February 7
Morgantown WV • Saturday, January 30
Nashville TN • Sunday, February 28
New York NY • Thursday, February 18
Oberlin OH • Saturday, February 13
Oxford OH • Friday, February 12
Philadelphia PA • Monday, February 22
Pittsburgh PA • Sunday, February 7
Provo UT • Saturday, February 6
Rochester NY • Sunday, February 21
San Francisco CA • Friday, January 29
Seattle WA • Sunday, January 31
Tampa FL • Saturday, March 5
The Road Is Home
“I am hugely involved in raising our children; we
are truly 50/50 partners. So, being alone on a gig
for three weeks or longer can get really lonely.”
be willing to share more of their
experiences in a formal interview for
CS. Here is what they thought you
would want to know.
Who were some of your key mentors
and how did you find them?
Burns: I spent several summers in
the Gerdine Young Artist Program
at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and
developed a mentor/friend relationship
with Stephen Lord. I often talk with
him about role appropriateness and
career trajectory. [Thomas] Muraco
has been a strong advocate since grad
school. He laid the foundation for my
strength in foreign languages. Before
that, Melanie Kohn Day at Virginia
Commonwealth University encouraged
me to pursue this career. I wouldn’t
have started my New York City
education [master’s degree in vocal
performance from Manhattan School of
Music and post-graduate artist diploma
from the Juilliard Opera Center]
without her guidance, and those years
in the city were instrumental for my
getting started in the business.
Bird: Early mentors for me included
Dawn Upshaw, whom I met at the
Tanglewood Music Center. Hers was
the first voice I heard that made me
want to be a classical singer, and I was
lucky enough to be involved in several
of her projects in the early years of my
career.
My summers at Wolf Trap Opera
company led me to Kim Witman, a
wonderful woman whom many singers
are proud to call a mentor and friend.
[Bird received her master’s degree
from New England Conservatory and
completed her undergraduate degree
at the University of Georgia. She was
twice a young artist with the Santa Fe
Opera Apprentice Program for Singers
and twice a fellow at the Tanglewood
Music Center.]
To what extent do you rely on your
colleagues for support? Do you find
that the business is friendly or more
competitive?
Bird: We both lean on our colleagues
who are currently performing and
working in the business as mentors
of a sort; you can’t make it in this field
without a good support system, and
your fellow singers should make up the
The Road Is Home
majority of that. The vast majority of
singers are good people—supportive,
encouraging, and helpful. Build
relationships with them and support
them in return.
What’s it like being married to a
singer?
Bird: I always say it’s not about
whether your spouse is a singer or a
“civilian,” it’s about the match. Matthew
and I were both married before to nonsingers. The fact that we divorced had
little to do with careers and lots to do
with being married to the wrong people.
But, that being said, it is nice being
married to someone who knows the
business as well as you do. We are both
teachers, so we often help each other
with little vocal technique reminders
(never without being asked first, though).
Burns: I would add that I have
learned a lot about performing from
Anne-Carolyn. She has a strong
background in theater. As I have
watched her performances over the
years, I have tried to learn from her how
to bring my acting up to the level of my
vocal technique.
Bird: True! We are opposites in many
ways, and that gives us a good balance
if we pay attention. I am a big-picture,
relaxed, “perfect is boring” kind of
performer, while Matthew is more
detail oriented and analytical. Watching
him has encouraged me on more than
one occasion to be specific in my
preparation, to bring some of that fine
detail work to my “just do it” mentality.
Burns: And I have learned to step
back and see the big picture at the end
of the process.
The best part about being married
to a singer is that when one of us isn’t
performing, we have nothing but time,
so we can travel together while the
other is on a gig. While it might be nice
to have a steady job with two weeks of
paid vacation every year, it is nice to be
able to pick up and go any time in order
to be together.
How has having a family impacted
your careers?
Bird: This is a hard question. I want
to be able to say that it hasn’t—that I
have been able to step out to have two
babies and then step right back in to
the flow with no change. And that is
largely true. I am currently working the
same amount of time as I did before
my children were born. We both work
about 9–10 months out of the year.
But certain things have changed.
For example, I can no longer accept
many small-fee gigs, simply because
my expenses are higher. Childcare is
expensive! (But fully tax deductible
when working away from home.) I had
to pass up on some really great gigs due
to my pregnancies, but it’s impossible
to say one way or another whether they
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The Road Is Home
photo by Scott Suchman for WNO
Tom Fox as Lyndon B. Johnson and Bird as Lady Bird Johnson in Washington National
Opera’s production of Appomattox, 2015
would have been game changing for
me. We all know that one gig does not
a career make. It’s important to keep
remembering that. Burns: My career is largely
unchanged, although it is much harder
to be away from home now. I am hugely
involved in raising our children; we are
truly 50/50 partners. So, being alone on
a gig for three weeks or longer can get
really lonely. It’s nice to be able to sleep
in every day—but other than that, it
stinks. Missing out on the daily activities,
both the fun ones and the challenging
ones, can make it hard to be apart.
What made you decide to give up your
apartment in NYC?
Burns: Shortly after Gloria was born
(March 2015), we were looking ahead
on the calendar and realized that we had
almost no time at home in NYC in the
coming year. It brought up questions of
keeping our apartment or subletting it
and, more importantly: what to do about
Henry starting school? How would we
be able to maintain our “spot” in an
NYC school with all the traveling we
would have to do? Not to mention the
fact that everyone in our family thrives
best when we are all together.
So we knew it was time to leave NYC.
But where would we go? If we were
going to be on the road all year, did it
make any sense to move somewhere
else? What if we just put our stuff in
storage and lived like gypsies for a year
or so until the next step presented
itself ?
Bird: I still remember looking at
Matthew and seeing a look in his eyes,
as I’m sure he did in mine, that said,
“This is it. This is the answer, crazy as
it seems.”
As a good friend said to me,
“Sometimes the right answer just seems
crazy until it’s the right answer. Then
it just feels right.” Don’t know if that
makes sense to anyone else, but it’s
pretty much how it was for us. When we
came up with this idea, all of a sudden
there was no other option that seemed
feasible. This crazy undertaking was the
right choice for us.
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The Road Is Home
Bird, in rehearsal while Burns and their son Henry watch from off-stage.
We would save money by not having rent and other NYC expenses.
We would dramatically increase our “together as a family” time.
And, maybe most importantly, we would have an adventure! I know
Gloria won’t remember any of this, but Henry already talks about the
night we spent in a cabin at Yellowstone and the deer we would see
every day in Idaho. We were driving through an area of Washington,
D.C., this fall, and he said, “This looks like St. Louis.” He’s five! I
love that he is growing up with an awareness of the world outside his
neighborhood. Even if that neighborhood had been Astoria, Queens—
which is very diverse—it’s not the world.
How would you describe your current living arrangement?
Bird: We joke that we are living out of a trailer! But that’s only partly
true. Most of our belongings are in storage near Matthew’s parents,
outside Richmond, Virginia. The rest comes on the road with us as we
travel from gig to gig. We have a Honda CR-V and a 4x6 cargo trailer
that we load up with the things we’ll need to live on the road. With
two kids, it’s a lot of stuff ! The obvious clothes and toiletries—but also
toys, strollers, cribs, high chairs, paperwork and schoolwork, seasonal
items, and music for current and upcoming gigs. We also bring along a
mini-trampoline for Henry. Five-year-olds have a lot of energy!
We had to pack for all seasons this fall, as our gigs took us through
several climates: swimsuits to heavy coats in a matter of weeks! This
season we have gigs in Idaho, Nebraska, NYC on two different
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The Road Is Home
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occasions, Washington, Hawaii, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona,
Florida, and Washington D.C.
What about school?
Bird: We are homeschooling Henry, our kindergartener,
this year. I’ve always had a leaning toward homeschooling
anyway, so this was an easy step. We are teaching him to read
and write using some simple, low-stress curricula; the rest of
our learning is play-based (lots of building toys and exercise).
We visit the science museums in every city we visit and we’ve
even stopped by one or two that were along our driving route.
I could see us homeschooling until middle school—or until
Henry asks to go to school—but for now, we love it.
Do you have a nanny?
Burns: We had an au pair last year for a short period of
time; unfortunately, it ended up being a bad match, and so we
are without a traveling nanny at this point. I always contact
the opera company before we arrive and ask if anyone in the
chorus has babysitters they are willing to share with us for
a few weeks. We have found some truly wonderful sitters
around the country! Young singers make great nannies, and
we can supplement their meager pay with voice lessons. The
barter system is amazing. We lucked out in Omaha and found
a retired kindergarten teacher; she was fantastic and gave us
some great suggestions about schooling.
How do you handle extended family and holidays?
Bird: We don’t have much extended family that is available
to travel with us, but we stay with them in the few short breaks
we have between gigs. Matthew’s folks are in Richmond and
mine are near Charlotte, NC, so we spent the holiday weeks
between them while Matthew traveled to NYC and Seattle for
his Messiah concerts. They are happy to have the grandkids
around, and we are happy to have a place to land that feels
somewhat like home.
How do you make time for romance when you are
constantly traveling?
Bird: I don’t think we do anything more than most twoincome couples with small children—which is not much! It
often feels more like we’re running a business [rather] than
a romantic relationship, but we know that these years with
young children are like that. We’ve been married for seven
years, and with our life like this, we have to focus more on
communication than romance.
We do relish the chance to dress up and go out for each
other’s opening nights; it’s fun being the “arm charm” while
the other basks in their glory. That and putting the kids to bed
early enough that we have some grown-up hours at the end of
the day are about all we can manage most of the time.
The Road Is Home
Find Bird and Burns on Social Media
You can follow Bird’s and Burns’ adventures on their
Facebook page, MOM & POPera (www.facebook.com/
momandpopera), and on Twitter at twitter.com/momandpopera.
You can also find Bird on Instagram at www.instagram.com/
acbsings. Their pages are filled with articles about traveling with
kids; pictures of individual singers with colleagues, singers with
kids, singers with each other, and the family; as well as ongoing
commentary about life on the road, life backstage, and general
life as a singer/singer couple. It’s easy to see where their values
lie, and you can’t help but want to smile back at all those
smiling faces reaching out to you from somewhere on the road.
What has surprised you about your decision?
Burns: The thing that has surprised us the most about this
decision is how open to it people have been! Almost everyone
has been totally supportive and encouraging. Our extended
family, especially, recognizes the benefit for us—we all function
better when we are together!
Do you have any advice for other couples thinking about
making a change like this?
Bird: Make sure your relationship is solid before you
embark on something as stressful as this, especially your
ability to communicate. Being able to talk about the challenges
and concerns on this endeavor is essential to your success.
Burns: Get comfortable with logistics, especially making
lists. There is always something to pack or plan. AnneCarolyn has a notebook that she calls her “brain” that she uses
to keep us organized. We try to have semi-regular “business
meetings” where we cover upcoming travel and housing, as
well as finances. Bird: Be flexible and comfortable with change. Most singers
who are working steadily are already good in this department.
The nature of our business requires us to be able to work
and perform in a wide variety of circumstances. Add children
to the mix and it goes up a level. Our son is a great traveler,
but there was a period of about two months when he kept
asking when we were going “to our real home in New York.”
It was heartbreaking to remind him that we didn’t live there
anymore. But even he understands the value of spending this
time together as a family, so it is worth it.
Burns: Make it an adventure, not just logistics. We
make sure to fully explore our temporary homes, as well as
interesting things along our travel routes. It’s better to take
an extra day driving and spend half a day exploring a national
park than to push through.
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The Road Is Home
Burns and Bird with Henry and Gloria after seeing Santa Claus, 2015.
your life in a manner that satisfies all of
the elements of your personality. A well
rounded individual off stage is a well
rounded individual on stage.
How long do you think you’ll
continue this arrangement?
Bird: As much as we’re enjoying the
experience right now, it’s important to
note that we are not planning to keep
this up for long. It’s exhausting! It was
the right choice at the time, and we
knew when we started that we would
know when and where to “land” when
the time was right.
Halfway through this first season,
we have each made discoveries about
our career goals, and together we have
made decisions about our family. We
have enjoyed leading masterclasses at
many of our stops along the road, and
both of us are exploring the idea of
adding teaching to our résumé [voice
and languages/diction for Burns, opera
studies/theater/voice for Bird]. We
are trying to stay open to whatever
direction our life takes us.
A year from now may see us in a very
different circumstance, but for now we
are loving the adventure!
Do you have any general advice for
young singers?
Bird: It’s more about life than career,
but I always tell young singers who ask
me about having a family to just do it.
If you have a partner with whom you
know you want to have children, do it
now. There will never be a time when
you have enough money, or when you
won’t have to cancel a gig, or when
you will otherwise be ready. So do it
now. Our children are the best things
that ever happened to us, save that day
we ran into each other on the streets of
NYC.
Burns: Find trusted advisors that
will be honest with you and then take
their advice. Get on stage as much
as possible. That stage can be any
environment where you are performing;
it doesn’t have to be a professional
stage. Organize groups of friends and
try out new rep. Don’t leave it until
you are in the audition to sing that new
aria for people. This is how we grew
in college but there is not a system
of support that exists after school,
so create it for yourself. Learn to be
your own manager—of your career,
your finances, and the logistics of your
personal life.
Establish strong relationships both
at home and in the workplace and keep
them. You’re going to need them in
this gratifying and lonely life. Without
family and friends, with whom will you
share your triumphs and work through
your failures? And, lastly, prioritize
2016 will see Bird singing
with Hawaii Opera Theatre, the
Metropolitan Opera, and Miami’s
IlluminArts, while Burns will appear
with Austin Opera, Arizona Opera, and
Opera Southwest (Albuquerque, NM), so
no doubt the family trailer will be filled
with a variety of clothing options and
log quite a few miles once again.
Michelle Kunz is a soprano chorister
with the Washington National Opera.
She is active in her local AGMA area
as well as nationally. Additionally,
she works with women who are ready
to finally find the love they have been
seeking in relationships. Read her blog at
www.yourlovevoice.com or write to her
directly at michelle@yourlovevoice.com.
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Peter Thoresen with kids during an in-home music activity.
Musically Empowering Your
Child’s Development:
Cognitive Benefits of Music
Making in the Home
BY PETER THORESEN
For singer parents, improvisational singing with their children at home probably seems like the most
mundane and natural of things. But a new study suggests such activities may have long-term and lasting
impacts on children’s development. Read about the study here and see what musical parents have to say
about such music making.
I
n our lives as singers, we play numerous roles, both on stage
and off. For many singers, the role of parent is a major part
of the personal repertoire. Along with the challenging and
beautiful requirements of this role is a tremendous opportunity
for informal yet meaningful music making. In her book Songs
in Their Heads: Music and Its Meaning in Children’s Lives,
author Patricia Shehan Campbell posits that “Music appears to
be everywhere in the lives of children, and they love the musical
parts of their lives.”1
And in the homes of singer parents and their children,
the concept of music being “everywhere” is a beautifully
inescapable reality. Whether it’s in the form of a parent singing
his aria package for a faux, furry casting panel made up of a
toddler with a teddy bear assistant, or the sound of a voice
student having a lesson in the other room, music making is a
daily reality for every person in a singer parent’s household.
The benefits of raising a child in a musical household are
hard to ignore, yet have been challenging to quantify and assess
formally. A recent study published in Early Childhood Research
Quarterly has removed some of that challenge. It provides new
statistics and insight for the ongoing discussion centered on
linking developmental progress with music making in the home,
as well as additional social and emotional cognitive outcomes.
Findings from this study have direct application to what so
many musician parents (and children of musician parents) have
learned and experienced in their own homes. “Children, every
one of them musical, deserve to be taken as far as their many
‘talents’ can carry them,” advises Campbell. “We teachers and
parents are key players in this challenge.”2 The study sheds
continuing light on just how much of a musically developmental
role these key players truly have.
About the Study
The study, whose findings are published in the paper
Associations between Early Shared Music Activities in the Home
and Later Child Outcomes: Findings from the Longitudinal
Study of Australian Children, drew its data from Growing Up
For flutist, Juilliard faculty member, and mom Carol Wincenc, music making was an
integral part of home life with her son, Nicola.
Musically Empowering Your Child’s Development
in Australia: the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children
(LSAC), which included over 5,000 children from infancy to 12
months of age. Data was collected biennially using assessment
tools for children and parents, including questionnaires,
computer-assisted interviews, and direct assessments. The
subsequent study, highlighted here, included over 3,000
participants and drew from the data collected when the infant
group was ages 2–3 and then again at ages 4–5.
This study is centered on cognitive links and developmental
associations between early shared book reading and shared
music activities in the home. Parents in the study were asked
to quantify how many times they had read to their child within
the space of a week. Using the same response scale, parents
were asked to report how many times they had shared a
y
or
at
rv s
se am
on gr
o
n C Pr
to n
os nsio
’15
e B te
Th E x
THE BOSTON CONSERVATORY
VOCAL/CHORAL
INTENSIVE
musical activity—including a song or a dance—with their child.
The findings suggest the possibility of “a role for parent-child
home music activities in supporting children’s development.”3
The study emphasizes the importance of location as it
relates to early childhood cognitive and musical development.
“A substantial body of literature has established the relations
between the general quality of the home learning environment
and positive academic and social outcomes for children,”
the study reports. “The general quality of the home learning
environment in the early years has been linked to a wide range
of positive developmental outcomes for children including
enhanced communication, language, and literacy skills,
numeracy skills, school readiness, social and emotional skills
including self-regulation, and fewer behavioral problems.”4
The study is a compelling read for anyone interested in
how children develop musically in the home outside of more
formalized musical development, such as private lessons or
classes.
Practical Application
Much of the informal music making that occurs at home
with young children is song based—an improvised song to
help learn how to complete a task, to put clothes on in the
correct order, or to remember to brush their teeth before bed.
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Members of the rock band Caverns: Nicola Wincenc (center),
Russell Holzman (left), and Nick Katz (right)
And because singer parents live so much of their working
and teaching lives in some form of song, it’s empowering to
know that the findings of this study further affirm that using
critical components of their work and artistic lives—singing,
improvising, etc.—have dual use at home.
To explore this a bit more outside of the study, I checked
in with some friends ranging from an early childhood music
education specialist, to a two-parent opera-singer family, to a
celebrated Juilliard professor whose son, now grown up, is a
recording artist and rock singer.
Flutist and Mother Carol Wincenc
My first call was to Carol Wincenc. Regarded as one of
the international stars of the flute, Wincenc is a celebrated
professor of flute at the Juilliard School and Stony Brook
University. She also happens to be a terrific singer. Wincenc
grew up in as musical a home as one can imagine, with a pianist
mother and a conductor/concert violinist father. Her own son,
Nicola Wincenc, is now grown up and the lead singer and
guitarist of the popular New York City rock band Caverns.
With such a musically diverse family, I was curious to find
out about the less formalized music making that went on in
her home as she raised her son. “I sang to him constantly—a
lot of new mothers do that,” Wincenc says. “He did hear me
vocalizing. There was singing going on all the time, and he
would hear me teaching flute lessons.”
Wincenc emphasizes the importance of incorporating
coordination and rhythm and she fondly recalls putting on
recordings in their home and acting them out. “We’d be Peter
and the Wolf,” she remembers.
“Just keep singing to your kids, from day one,” Wincenc
advises new parents. “It’s essential for their brain development.”
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Natalie and Tamaron Conseur and family
Parents and Singers Tamaron and
Natalie Conseur
Soprano Natalie Conseur and her
husband, baritone Tamaron Conseur, are
active on stage as singers and at home
as parents of three little ones: Julian (7),
Claire (4½), and Daniel (1). With the
spacing between each child, Natalie and
Tamaron could run their own study,
collecting data every two or three years—
similar to the study highlighted in this
article—to gauge development and trends
with their own sampling of adorable
subjects.
Natalie is one of my dearest friends,
and I love having any reason to call her.
Yet knowing how busy she and her family
are—like so many other singer parent
households—I got right to the point and
asked her about music making in the
Conseur home. “We’re singing all the
time,” she tells me. “We’ll be at the dinner
table and Claire will say, ‘Let’s play Guess
the Music!’ She’ll start humming, and
singing and see you go off to sing. Your
example is a wonderful thing for the
kids.”
whoever guesses the song correctly gets
to pick the next one.”
When I ask about musical meaning
in her household, Natalie says how
important it’s been for her to keep singing
as much as she can. Like so many singers,
Natalie maintains a job that isn’t centered
on singing and she balances its demands
with the details and responsibilities of a
multi-child household and her singing
work. Both she and Tamaron sing with
the Chicago Symphony Chorus.
“I feel a little guilty,” she confides,
referring to being away from their kids
while making the commute into the city,
in addition to the time spent in rehearsal
and performance, “but it’s so fulfilling
to me. It makes me a better parent and
it brings more joy to our kids’ lives, that
mommy and daddy love to sing. It’s a fun
and wonderful part of our lives.”
Natalie’s charge to singer parents
is similar to Wincenc’s. “Don’t stop
singing,” she says. “They hear you
Music Education Specialist Cynthia
Nasman
Making up songs is a critical
component in a child’s process to
develop and cope, both musically and
personally. To address sung, musical
improv and its role in the home, I
reached out to my friend Cynthia
Nasman, adjunct instructor of music
education at Eastern Washington
University in Cheney, Washington.
She has shared her musical talents
(voice, flute, guitar—you name it!)
with countless children in the Pacific
Northwest and now teaches, mentors,
and guides future music educators as
they prepare to begin their teaching
journeys.
When I called her to talk about the
topic of this article, she immediately
brought up her granddaughter, Astrid.
Nasman speaks enthusiastically, yet
quietly, as not to wake Astrid (age 3),
who happened to be in the backseat of
her car when I called a few days before
Christmas. “Astrid hears her favorite
piece—the March from The Nutcracker—
and she says, ‘Oh this is my favorite!’”
Nasman says, “and then she secretly
hums along and then makes up and sings
words that that we can’t understand.
She doesn’t know that we’re listening,
otherwise she’d stop.”
Nasman’s enthusiasm for the topic
of children’s musical development and
cognition is infectious. And when I ask
her to talk about informal music making
in her home as she raised her three
children, it becomes clear that she, too,
had her own in-home lab for a series of
informal studies. One particular time,
Nasman was charged with teaching
numerous children of varying ages. Her
own kids were 5, 8, and 10 years old and
in kindergarten, third grade, and fifth
grade. So she tried out her lesson plans
and classroom activities on her kids at
home, observing how they reacted and
responded to various musical activities
and styles at different ages.
In addition, as her children were
growing up, she made sure to always have
music playing. “We listened to classical,
pop, a little country, religious music, and
jazz,” she recalls with a laugh. “I exposed
them to so many genres that at one time
when they were all teenagers, they all
came to me—they’d been talking about
this—and told me that it was hard for
them to find a form of rebellion. There
wasn’t a style or genre we hadn’t all
shared together.”
For those actively engaged in singing
and music making, the links this study
finds between childhood development
and shared, improvisatory musical
activities may seem obvious. But a little
qualitative data never hurt to inspire us to
seek out even more musical opportunities
in our own homes. Ask questions of
yourself like those posed in the survey:
“Have I sung to/with my child yet
today?” “Have we danced this week?”
“Have we made up a song together
recently?”
Because, after all, what might seem
like the most natural of home activities
can actually have the greatest long-term
impact on our children’s lives.
Peter Thoresen is a Manhattan-based
voice teacher, countertenor, and writer.
He is a voice faculty member at Musical
Theater College Auditions and Broadway
Kids Auditions (New York) as well as
Winter Harbor Music Festival (Maine).
He maintains a thriving private voice
studio in Manhattan (Voice Lessons in
Washington Heights), and his students
appear regularly in productions on
and off Broadway and in national
tours and they record regularly for
the Broadway Records and Columbia
labels. He previously served as business
manager to legendary operatic baritone
Thomas Hampson and was a visiting
faculty member at Indiana University
Jacobs School of Music, where he earned
his doctor of music degree in vocal
performance and also studied philosophy
and sociology of music education. Find
him on the Web at www.peterthoresen.com
or on Twitter @DrPetesTweets.
Endnotes
1 Campbell, Patricia Shehan. Songs in Their
Heads: Music and its Meaning in Children’s Lives
(Oxford University Press, 1998), 168.
2 Ibid, 171.
3 Williams, K.E., M. S. Barrett, G.F. Welch, V.
Abad, and M. Broughton. “Associations between
Early Shared Music Activities in the Home and Later
Child Outcomes: Findings from the Longitudinal
Study of Australian Children,” Early Childhood
Research Quarterly, no. 31 (2015): 113.
4 Ibid: 114.
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Crider family: (L to R) Cade, Corey, Grier, Holt, Michelle, and Rhodes
Family Man
BY MEGAN GLOSS
Opera is a family affair for up-and-coming baritone Corey Crider, who balances being both full-time
singer and full-time husband and father to his wife and their four children.
C
orey Crider is on the brink of
what could be an explosive
operatic career.
Lauded by the likes of Opera News for
his “rich, dark baritone; a sumptuous,
steady stream as smooth as silk,” he is
rapidly attracting a following throughout
the industry for his portrayals of such
leading roles as Escamillo in Carmen,
Marcello in La bohème, Sharpless in
Madama Butterfly, Scarpia in Tosca,
Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, Guglielmo in
Così fan tutte, and Sweeney in Sweeney
Todd, among others.
But offstage, away from critical acclaim
and the call of the limelight, Crider
is simply known as “Dad” to the four
children he shares with wife, Michelle:
Cade, 10; Grier, 5; Holt, 4; and Rhodes, 1.
Though not unheard of, juggling
the demands of a thriving career in the
performing arts with raising a family
frequently can be a controversial topic
among industry professionals, along
with posing unique parenting challenges.
Some performers risk spending so much
time en route to and from engagements
that quality time spent with family is
a rarity. Others opt to forego marriage
and children altogether to focus on
honing their craft while developing and
maintaining their career.
But, Crider says, choosing one over
the other is something he has found to be
nothing but a myth.
“Between having kids and not having
kids, it was never a question,” the
39-year-old baritone and graduate of
the prestigious Patrick G. and Shirley
W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera
of Chicago says. “And, it was never
something that was calculated. We didn’t
want a career to prevent us from having
a family. So, Michelle and I decided that
we’d just let things go and see how they
went. We always knew we wanted a family.
We knew it was going to be hard. But the
fact that it was going to be hard didn’t
Family Man
photo by DongSoo Choi
Crider as the title role in Opera Roanoke’s
production of Sweeney Todd, 2015
make us afraid. Michelle and I got married
because we actually like each other and
like being around each other. We didn’t
get married to be apart, and we didn’t have
children so that we couldn’t raise them.
Not having children was never something
that was on the table. And I imagine that
if we would have waited and not been
able to have had children, we would have
adopted.”
Recently wrapping up the first half
of his first full performance season—“I
had breaks but no holes, which is a good
place to be,” Crider says—going on the
road in the name of making music has
become a family affair. When Crider is
booked for an operatic role or concert
performance—as he recently was for
Handel’s Messiah in Jacksonville,
Florida—his family accompanies him.
The children are homeschooled, attend
Crider’s performances, and revel and learn
in the surrounding community—wherever
that community might be.
That’s the way it has been since 2005.
When Crider was training with various
Young Artist Programs and completing
his artist diploma, along came a bouncing
baby boy named Cade.
The Start of a Family and a Career
Crider and Michelle—who also has a
background in classical voice—were five
years into their marriage when Cade was
born. And, in an ironic twist of fate, the
couple’s familial beginnings were perfectly
aligned with the beginnings of Crider’s
performance career.
“What’s interesting is that my family
started around the same time it was
becoming evident that [singing] would
become the thing that I’d be doing,”
Crider says. “I spent a lot of time as a
young artist before eventually getting a
manager and gaining the interest of people
in the industry.”
However, it wasn’t long into Crider’s
professional career that the time demands
of the profession became evident.
“I was just finishing up as a young artist
in Miami, before being accepted into Lyric
Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center,”
Crider recalls. “I was talking with a singer
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Family Man
about how much time he divided between
traveling for his career and being home;
it wasn’t much time at home. The idea of
me being away all the time and home so
infrequently—maybe two months out of
the year—was just out of the question.”
And, so, the decision was made.
By the time Cade was 2, the couple
had decided to lay the groundwork to
implement homeschooling.
The Road as a Classroom
When Cade was 4, the couple
welcomed Grier, followed by Rhodes and
Holt.
Today, the family of six hits the road
together, with the backdrop of each
community Crider calls his temporary
home during rehearsals and performances
serving as a kind of classroom.
“We’ll add things like the local libraries,
museums, galleries, and other places
of interest and historic significance to
the curriculum we’ve developed for the
kids,” Crider says. “Many libraries will
offer a temporary library card for visitors,
which we always take advantage of during
our time wherever we happen to be.
Michelle is a saint and is a huge part of
this operation. She’s not only ‘Mom’
but she’s their teacher. During longer
performance stretches, she’ll take the kids
out from the hotel in the morning so Dad
can get some sleep. The kids kind of know
when it’s time to let Dad get ready for his
performances.”
Upon his hiring, companies are made
aware that Crider will arrive with his
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A Future in Opera?
The influence of music and theater
is, without a doubt, meaningful to these
young minds. One need look no further
than Crider’s eldest son to see it.
“I think it’s amazing,” Cade says of
getting the chance to see his dad perform
on stage. “I feel like I have a very special
childhood. Traveling is fun. I get to
see a lot of great things. I think I’ll look
back when I grow up and think that I’ve
gotten to do a lot of things that other kids
will never get the chance to do.”
Recently taking up singing in a
children’s chorus in the family’s
hometown of Marion, Kentucky, Cade
has his sights set on following in his
father’s footsteps. He’s gotten a head
start, treading the boards with Crider
in La bohème and L’elisir d’amore, in
addition to performing in Amahl and the
Night Visitors.
“I think I’d definitely like to be a singer
too,” Cade says.
“I’m still trying to talk him out of it,”
Crider jokes.
At the End of the Day . . .
When the curtain falls and the Crider
family checks out of the hotel and piles
into the family van to head home, Crider
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family in tow and make accommodations
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“All we really need is a good Internet
connection, so we can hook up the
kids’ school work,” Crider says. “Of
course, it’s always ideal, for those longer
engagements, if we can have enough
hotel space. But we’ve learned to pack
very minimal and do a little more
laundry.”
It’s an arrangement that has been made
all the more possible by company and
even patron support.
“To my surprise, companies have
been very supportive and very positive,
and that’s great to see,” Crider says.
“Traditionally, I think the perception
has been that companies aren’t always
as kind or as willing to be supportive of
singers with families, and that’s not the
right mentality for the survival of the
industry. But I think they see the good in
what Michelle and I are trying to do.”
And despite the misconception of
children who are homeschooled not
having the same social opportunities that
other kids might have in a traditional
classroom setting, Crider says that’s lost
on his children.
“We’ll be at a gathering after a
performance, and there are my older
kids—3, 4, and 10—holding court
with the singers from the chorus or the
musicians from the orchestra. It’s a real
joy to see,” Crider says, with a chuckle.
“They are very socially adept. They have
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Family Man
says it never fails to occur to him how
fortunate he is or how grateful.
“It can be done, one step at a time,” he
says of balancing a performance career
with a family. “It’s the kind of thing where
you meet singers with big careers who
say they’ve chosen that over having a
family. Some have this tacit look in their
eyes. They chose because they believed
they had to in order to give 100 percent
of themselves in front of the curtain
every night. There’s others that do try to
balance it and end up, in some twisted
way, resenting their children for it. But
then there’s the other side of the coin—
what might have been. To think that you
can’t have both is simply a lie. It’s not easy.
But it’s not impossible.”
Aside from company and patron
support there is also the advent of
technology, which has lent Crider a hand
when it comes to auditioning.
“There is so much you can do now with
YouTube and recording,” Crider says.
He also has the support of his parents,
who also reside in Marion and who—
in addition to offering to assist Crider
in flying him to audition hubs like New
York City when needed—maintain a close
relationship with their grandchildren.
“I think I do a better job because of
my family,” Crider says of his family’s
influence over his career and life. “I don’t
carry around the same insecurities in
terms of constantly being worried about
how I sing or what I sound like. Granted,
anyone can have them, and we all judge
how we sound. But for me, singing
facilitates and supports the life I have with
my family. It’s not my life.”
And while Crider says it certainly
might have been easier to turn away
from singing, that—like passing on the
opportunity for a family—was never an
option either.
“I’m not a Plan B kind of guy,” Crider
says, with a laugh. “But I wouldn’t trade
any part of my family for any amount
of success. Without them, I don’t know
where I’d be. To be able to come home
to a family and kiss my kids on the
forehead at the end of the day instead of
coming home to an empty hotel room,
I’m rewarded. I’m more myself, am more
grounded in real life, and am better for
Michelle and my children because of that
and not the parameters of my job, even
though it’s a job I love. I do the best I
can—and I do it all for them.”
To learn more about Crider and his
upcoming performance engagements, visit
www.facebook.com/coreycriderbaritone or
follow him on Twitter @BravoCCRider.
Megan Gloss is a vocalist, writer and
editor based in the Midwest. E-mail her at
mgloss@mchsi.com.
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Breaking
Barriers:
Four Pioneering African
American Singers in Opera
BY DEAN SOUTHERN
February marks Black History Month. Read about
four singers who changed history—and the forwardthinking administrators who helped them.
“In truth, I knew of a certainty before
I launched my career that my blackness
would play a role covertly or overtly
wherever and whenever I appear onstage
in an operatic role. I, like every performer,
wished to be assessed, accepted, or
rejected on my artist merits alone.”
—George Shirley1
O
n January 7, 1955, history was
made when Marian Anderson
(1897–1993) became the first
African American singer to perform with
the Metropolitan Opera Company. Her
landmark performance as Ulrica, the
sorceress in Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera,
was a long overdue fracture in the color
barrier that had kept black singers from
appearing in opera on one of the world’s
great stages.
In many ways, Anderson’s momentous
performance at the Met was a culmination
of the rich legacy of black American
classical singers who had ventured into
opera before her.
Due to prevailing attitudes of racism in
the United States, black classical singers
were blocked from singing with major
American opera companies. Many—
including Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield
(“The Black Swan”), Sissieretta Jones
(“The Black Patti”), and tenor Roland
Hayes—found great celebrity in the
concert arena. Others performed with
opera companies, such as the Theodore
Drury Opera Company, the National
Negro Opera Company, Opera Ebony,
and Opera South, which were founded
by African Americans to provide
performance opportunities for African
American singers.2
One of the first black singers to
perform with an established American
opera company was bass-baritone Jules
Bledsoe (1897–1943), who sang the role
of Amonasro in Aida with the Cleveland
Stadium Opera in 1932.3 In 1933, he
reprised the role and was joined by
Caterina Jarboro (1898–1986) as Aida
in a production presented by Alfredo
Salmaggi’s new opera company at the
Hippodrome in New York. Despite
their success, segregation in opera was
to remain for another 12 years. Enter
baritone Todd Duncan and New York
City Opera.
Todd Duncan
When George Gershwin was preparing
for the premiere of Porgy and Bess, he
was unhappy with the 100 baritones
who auditioned for the role of Porgy. He
eventually learned about Todd Duncan
(1903–1998), a baritone who had sung
Alfio in an all-black production of
Cavalleria rusticana during the single
season of New York’s Aeolian
Opera Association.4 The 31-yearold Duncan was a music professor
at Howard University in Washington,
D.C., who Gershwin persuaded to
come to New York to sing for him. After
hearing 12 bars of “Lungi dal caro bene”
by Sarti—Gershwin knew he had found
his Porgy.5 Duncan’s place in opera
history was secured on September 30,
1935, when he created the role of Porgy
in the world premiere of Porgy and Bess
in Boston. He subsequently sang it in the
Broadway premiere 10 days later.
As notable as this accomplishment was
for Duncan, perhaps even more notable
was when he sang the role of Tonio
in Pagliacci with the New York City
Opera in 1945. With that performance,
he became the first African American
to sing a featured role with a prominent
American opera company. He would go
on to sing Escamillo in Carmen as well as
Rigoletto with the company.
Duncan’s primary artistic focus,
however, was as a recitalist. He sang some
2,000 recitals in 56 countries over the
course of a career that lasted more than
25 years.
Camilla Williams
Todd Duncan’s 1945 groundbreaking
debut at New York City Opera had
Breaking Barriers
Top: Todd Duncan
Bottom: Camilla Williams
been enabled by the young company’s
first music director, Laszlo Halasz. The
next year, Halasz facilitated another
milestone: on May 15, 1946, Camilla
Williams (1919–2012)—an unknown
soprano from Danville, Virginia—sang
the title role in Madama Butterfly with
New York City Opera. That night she
became the first African
American woman to
appear with a major
opera company
in the U.S.
Williams
graduated
from Virginia
State College
in
1941,
after which
she
taught
third
grade
and elementary
music for a year.
Then, through an
alumni scholarship, she
moved to Philadelphia to study
voice with the renowned teacher Marion
Szekely Freschl. In 1943, Williams tied
for the inaugural Marian Anderson
Award; she entered again the next year
and won it outright. Anderson would
prove to be a faithful mentor to Williams.
Fate played its hand when Metropolitan
Opera star Geraldine Farrar was invited
through various connections to attend
an early concert appearance by Williams.
Farrar enthusiastically wrote on Williams’
behalf to her influential concert manager,
Arthur Judson, who arranged for Williams
to audition for Maestro Halasz at the New
York City Opera.
Farrar was in the audience for Williams’
debut, which received excellent reviews.
Williams would go on to sing Nedda in
Pagliacci, Mimì in La bohème, Marguerite
in Faust, Micaëla in Carmen, and Aida
with City Opera. So, even if she was not
the first black artist to sing with a major
American opera company, she was the
first to receive a regular contract with one.
Williams took her Butterfly to the
Vienna State Opera in 1954 and, in doing
“On January 7, 1955, history was made when
Marian Anderson (1897–1993) became the
first African American singer to perform
with the Metropolitan Opera Company.”
so, became the first African American
artist to sing a major role with that
venerable company. Her career was full of
many other “firsts” and was punctuated
with numerous honors and awards. In
1977, Williams became the first black
professor of voice at Indiana University,
where she remained until 1997.
Robert McFerrin
Baritone Robert McFerrin (1921–
2006), father of the Grammy Awardwinner Bobby McFerrin, notably made
his Metropolitan Opera debut just 20
days after Marian Anderson’s debut.
McFerrin began an association with
Boris Goldovsky, the noted Russian
impresario, in 1949. For Goldovsky,
McFerrin performed the title role in
Rigoletto at the Tanglewood Music
Festival and Valentin in Faust with the
New England Opera Theater. He sang
regularly with the National Negro Opera
Company and the New York City Opera
in the 1940s and 1950s.
A crucial advance in McFerrin’s career
occurred in 1953, when he won the
Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the
Air. It was not uncommon at the time for
winners of the prestigious competition
to subsequently receive contracts with
the company, but no black singer had yet
performed on the Met stage. Met General
Manager Rudolf Bing, however, was
determined to integrate his company’s
casts.
On January 27, 1955, Robert McFerrin
became the first African American male
singer to perform with the Metropolitan
Opera, appearing as Amonasro in Aida.
Although Anderson’s debut preceded
McFerrin’s by 20 days, he had already
been under contract when Anderson was
signed. Thus, McFerrin was the first black
singer to receive a contract with the Met, a
detail that is often overlooked.
He sang with the Met for three more years
as Amonasro, Valentin, and Rigoletto, but
performances came sparingly, so he left
the company and headed for California.
While there, he provided the singing voice
for Sidney Poitier’s Porgy in the 1959
film adaptation of Porgy and Bess and he
continued to perform and began to teach.
After returning to his boyhood home
of St. Louis in 1973, he held the position
of artist-in-residence at the St. Louis
Conservatory of Music.
Marian Anderson
In many ways, Anderson was the right
person at the right time for her momentous
debut at the Met. The contralto was 57
years old and was widely known and
highly regarded due to her already long
and distinguished concert career.
Anderson conquered Europe by the
mid 1930s, more than 20 years before for
her Met debut, giving 142 concerts in the
Nordic countries from September 1933
to April 1934 alone.6 Her appearance at
Austria’s Salzburg Festival in 1935 was
abruptly cancelled due to “a ‘non-Aryan’
rule, particularly aimed against people of
color.”7 A privately arranged concert took
place at the Hotel de l’Europe instead,
with renowned soprano Lotte Lehmann
and conductors Arturo Toscanini and
Bruno Walter, as well as the Archbishop
of Salzburg in attendance. The success
of the Salzburg concert was so great
that word soon spread to the U.S. The
Russian-born impresario Sol Hurok
took Anderson under his management
and arranged for a homecoming concert
at New York’s Town Hall. Soon after,
a ticket to a concert by Anderson was a
prized commodity, and she became one
Breaking Barriers
Marian Anderson as Ulrica in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of
Un ballo in maschera, 1955. (photo by Metropolitan Opera Archives)
of the highest-paid concerts
artists in the country.8
Wider national attention
came to Anderson in 1939
when the Daughters of
the American Revolution
barred her from singing
at Constitution Hall in
Washington, D.C. The DAR,
which owned the hall, was at
first evasive in its reasoning, but
in the end it upheld its policy to not
allow blacks to perform there. The media was
sent into a frenzy, and eventually First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt
resigned from the DAR over its refusal to allow Anderson to
perform in its hall.
Amidst all of this controversy, Anderson remained passive
and continued with her concert schedule. Her manager, Hurok,
however, proposed that she bring the episode to a close by giving
an open-air concert. At first Anderson was hesitant, but she
eventually capitulated and performed for a crowd of 75,000—
and a radio crowd of millions—from the steps of the Lincoln
Memorial.9 It was an iconic moment.
Anderson’s Metropolitan Opera debut in 1955,
nearly 16 years after the Lincoln Memorial concert,
was long overdue. The company had a policy of
not hiring black singers, which persisted despite
the success several African Americans had found
elsewhere. When Rudolf Bing took the helm at
the Met in 1950, however, things began to change.
He brought black ballerina Janet Collins to the Met
stage in Aida in his first season and was undaunted in
his desire to hire Anderson, despite her advancing age
and lack of operatic stage experience.
“No other black singer had the universal appeal, both
artistically and personally, of Anderson,” explains her biographer,
Allen Keiler. “No other black singer would serve the Met as well
in preparing the way for others. The weight of history and of
conscience went into Bing’s decision.”10
Anderson sang her last performance with the Met as Ulrica on
tour in Cleveland on April 24, 1956, and it was her last season
in opera. After more than 30 years before the public, Marian
Anderson gave her farewell concert at Carnegie Hall on April
18, 1965.
It is perhaps worth noting that the debuts of Duncan, Williams,
Anderson, and McFerrin were all brought about by the forwardthinking decisions of Europeans, Laszlo Halasz and Rudolf
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Breaking Barriers
Robert McFerrin as Amonasro in the
Metropolitan Opera’s production of Aida, 1955
(photo by Metropolitan Opera Archives)
Bing, who came to
America to lead major
opera companies. The
Hungarian
Halasz
studied at the Liszt
Academy in Budapest
and later served as
assistant to George Szell
in Prague and Toscanini
and Walter in Salzburg.
Bing was an Austrian, who
worked in Darmstadt and Berlin
before helping to found England’s
Glyndebourne Festival.
Regardless, once those stage doors were opened, they were not
to be closed again. Anderson and McFerrin were quickly followed
at the Met by lyric coloratura soprano Mattiwilda Dobbs who, in
1956, became the first black soprano to sing with—and to secure a
long-term contract with—the company. George Shirley sang with
the Met for 11 seasons after becoming the first African American
tenor to sing a leading role with the company in 1961. That same
year, Leontyne Price made her house debut at the Met, having
first sung with the company at a fundraiser at the Ritz Theater in
1953, two years prior to Anderson’s historic debut.
These bold pioneers left an inspiring artistic legacy, which
challenged the operatic world and changed it for the better.
Dean Southern teaches voice at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Endnotes
1 George Shirley, “Il Rodolfo Nero, or The Masque of Blackness,” in
Blackness in Opera, eds. Naomi André, Karen M. Bryan, and Eric Saylor (Urbana,
IL: University of Illinois Press, 2014), 260–261.
2 Eric Ledell Smith, Blacks in Opera: An Encyclopedia of People and
Companies, 1873–1993 (Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co., 1995), 1.
3 Shirley, 263.
4 Walter Rimler, George Gershwin: An Intimate Portrait (Urbana, IL:
University of Illinois Press, 2009), 93–94.
5 Ibid., 95.
6 Rosalyn M. Story, And So I Sing: African-American Divas of Opera and
Concert (New York: Warner Books, 1990), 45.
7Ibid.
8 Ibid., 46–48.
9 Ibid., 48–52.
10 Allan Keiler, Marian Anderson: A Singer’s Journey (New York: Scribner,
2000), 271.
photo credit: Arielle Doneson
Conservatory of MusiC
VOCAL PERFORMANCE AT BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY.
When Jennifer Rowley came to BW she had dreams.
When she left she had skills. Now she sings all over the world.
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Musette in La Bohème
Metropolitan Opera
Your first step toward making your dreams a reality: www.bw.edu/conservatory
photo credit: Marty Sohl
CLASSICAL SINGER
CS Readers Balance
Career and Family
Private voice teacher and adjunct voice professor Hanna
York teaches a voice lesson with her newborn daughter,
Raelynn, about two weeks after an emergency C-section
last March. In York’s words, “I was so stir crazy that I
decided to have a few students come over for lessons
much earlier than originally planned. We do what we
love!”
We asked singers to show us how
they balance career and family. The
response was overwhelming. As one
singer wrote, “Singers are real people,
too!” Enjoy these pictures of real life
singers finding time for music and
relationships in their lives.
David Small as Dandini with his son Jamie (clutching the
ever present fruit newton) following a production of La
Cenerentola with Des Moines Metro Opera.
Kristin Roach with her teenage sons Karl (age 16) and Kyle (age
12) in her dressing room before she conducted Bon Appétit! and
Gallantry for Opera Piccola San Antonio.
Brian Thorsett studying Edward Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius
with Stanzi on his lap, while his wife Amy (not pictured) paints bird
houses with their children Matthew (right) and Gretchen (left).
Karen Esquivel and with her youngest son, Christian,
age 7, when Esquivel was a single mother of three
singing with the Houston Grand Opera Chorus. “After
many twists and turns,” writes Esquivel, “I am married
to an opera coach, teaching voice and opera workshop
at the University of Oregon, and still am blessed to have
Christian at home. He is now 31.”
Robyn Frey-Monell rehearses for a Christmas Eve
quintet with her son Davis at her feet. “Davis has
always felt comfortable sitting at my feet or climbing
into my lap as I rehearse and has never been
disruptive,” writes Frey-Monell.
CS Readers Balance Career and Family
Barbara Harris Kovacs with her two daughters, Alyssa (5) and Lauren (3 months), while studying a Rutter choral/string
orchestra score. Kovacs works as a full-time singer, choral conductor, organist, and teacher.
Rachel Inselman practices with dog,
Peanut, in arms. Peanut’s favorite aria is
“Una voce poco fa.”
Voice teacher Meribeth Dayme and her dog Sky, who loves
to sit attentively next to Dayme while she teaches.
Rachel Coleman with her husband, Michael,
both recent masters program graduates. “I
have begun singing with lots of professional
choirs across the country,” Rachel writes.
“Michael prefers the operatic side of the
professional singing world, and has been on
full-on audition mode since graduation. We
both travel a lot and don’t get to see each
other as much as we would like. While he
was in NYC at the beginning of December
for two weeks of solid auditioning, I went to
visit him just so we could have some time
together. We snapped this picture in our
Airbnb on the upper East side of town.”
Pamela South as Minnie and
daughter, Ava Mattaliano, during a
production of La fanciulla del West
with Central City Opera in Colorado.
Sarah Barber rehearses with her
3-month-old daughter Etta. “I was
asked to rehearse on short notice,
so had to bring the baby along,”
Barber writes, “and the only way to
keep her happy during rehearsal was
to keep her moving.” (L to R) Ben
Wood, Erin Hauger Hackel, Deborah
Morrow (Education and Community
Engagement Director for Central City
Opera), and Barber (with Etta McCurdy,
baby)
CS Readers Balance Career and Family
Audrey Babcock’s daughter eyes her mother as Carmen
on OperaDelaware’s billboard. “I take it you don’t want
the [pictures] pumping breast milk in various costumes
all over the world?” writes Babcock. “Because that’s the
real deal—barely making it on stage for act 2 because
mommy nature calls. Diva moms are tough.”
“My daughter came to the piano this morning when I
was playing through some music I was learning and
she jumped up and started ‘singing’ it. I snapped a
picture! The two parts of my heart intersected at that
beautiful moment!” —Jessica Zamek
Monica Griffin Hunter, 7 months pregnant
with her second boy, at her Walla Walla
Symphony debut singing Barber’s
“Knoxville, Summer of 1915,” April 2014.
“It was such a memorable experience,”
Hunter writes, “and Mason, now 18
months, loves music. Both of the boys
love music.”
Sarah Lawrence nurses her daughter
Giulia Grace (Gigi) at intermission of The
Mikado with Lyric Opera of the North.
“Gigi wouldn’t take a bottle . . . ever. So
she spent a lot of time visiting me at
rehearsal breaks and backstage during
performances. . . for 18 months!”
Kristine Dandavino and pianist Brett
Kingsbury rehearse a few details in a
final sound check for a 2015 Mother’s
Day concert while daughter, Zoé Lee,
dances in the aisle.
Soprano Lois Alba with three children and
two grandchildren. Alba married young and
had three children while actively singing. She
moved first to Paris and then to Milan with her
children, then ages 11, 9, and 8. “At a certain
moment, it seemed we needed to return to the
States because of my children’s schooling and
I needed to assist my aging parents,” writes
Alba. “We dearly loved Italy and cried all the
way to the airport.” Alba will celebrate 40
years of marriage to Arthur Wachter in May.
Susan Brownfield, after a concert in Bulgaria, four
months pregnant with her second daughter and with
4-year-old daughter, Mia, by her side.
Iron Clad: Remembering Daniel Ferro
BY SARA THOMAS
“W
e spend all our lives trying to find the right
tone. I say, forget tone. Find yourself, and then
you can sing.” Those were the words printed
on the program for Daniel Ferro’s funeral service, quoted from
Ferro (1921–1915) himself. Ferro spent the first part of his career
realizing that on the opera stage, and the rest instilling it in others
as voice teacher and program director.
Ferro was born Daniel Eisen in New York City on April 10,
1921. A Juilliard and Columbia University graduate, Ferro
received a Fulbright scholarship that allowed him further study
in Austria and Italy. As a bass-baritone, Ferro sang with the Graz
Opera Company, the Israeli Philharmonic, and on the Carnegie
Hall and Lincoln Center stages.
Ferro was always committed to teaching and education. He
joined the faculty at Butler University while still pursuing his
solo career. He then returned to New York City where he taught
at Hunter College and the Manhattan School of Music. In 1972,
he joined the Juilliard faculty
where he remained until receiving
emeritus status in 2006, but
continued a relationship with the
school giving masterclasses.
Ferro’s teaching extended well
beyond Juilliard. He was a guest
teacher at nearly all of the major
Daniel Ferro’s 90th Birthday
universities both in the U.S. and
abroad, as well as maintaining a vibrant private studio in New
York City.
In 1995, Ferro and his wife, Joy, started the Daniel Ferro Vocal
Program, a summer program where singers could study Italian
and beautiful singing in the charming village of Greve in Chianti,
Italy. Ferro’s work there over the last two decades (the program
celebrated its 21st year last summer) earned Ferro recognition
from the city’s mayor.
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Singer, teacher, and summer program director Daniel Ferro passed away November 18, 2015.
Read about his life and the optimistic future of the summer program he started 20 years ago.
Iron Clad: Remembering Daniel Ferro
Future celebrations of Ferro and his
passion for beautiful singing:
• April 10, 2016 (Ferro’s birthday)—
New York, New York (location TBD)
• July 15, 2016—Greve in Chianti,
Italy, at the Castello di Verrazzano,
where the book Twenty Years of
the Daniel Ferro Vocal Program will
be presented.
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“The mayor, Paolo Sottini recognizes
Daniel as the ambassador of lyric music
in Greve in Chianti and acknowledges his
international and cultural contribution
to Greve and the region,” shared Ferro’s
wife, Joy, in an e-mail after her husband’s
passing. “He attributes Daniel for
establishing Greve in Chianti as a capital
of music culture.”
It’s no surprise, then, that even after
Ferro’s passing the program will continue.
“The [city] of Greve is very supportive
and wants to ensure that Daniel’s legacy
also continues in Greve,” says Joy.
And Joy, longtime manager of the
program, intends to carry the torch. “I am
committed to continue to pass on to the
next generation Daniel’s legacy and lifelong commitment to the vocal arts,” she
vows. “So many of his students and so
many of our faculty are very enthusiastic
about continuing his work and we will be
moving forward after the first of the year.”
Not long into his career, Ferro changed
his given name of Eisen, which means
“iron” in German, to Ferro, which means
“iron” in Italian. From his firm dedication
to teaching, to his unwavering love of and
commitment to healthy singing, his name
is most fitting to his iron-clad approach to
life and song.
To read more about Ferro and the
Daniel Ferro Vocal Program, see “Torch
Song,” in the January 2014 issue
available in the online CS archives or visit
www.ferrovocalprogram.com.
Sara Thomas is editor in chief of
Classical Singer magazine.
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THE DOCTOR IS IN
A Different Kind of Breath Control
BY DR. ANTHONY F. JAHN
Is bad breath getting you or someone you know or love down? Learn about the possible
causes and how to keep yourself smelling minty fresh onstage and off.
N
ot only is bad breath a personally
and socially frustrating problem,
but it can also impact your
professional life. Unless you live in a
cave and limit your singing to Fafnir the
Dragon (and you sing opposite the fearless
Siegfried), halitosis can be a liability
on the stage as well as off. Commercial
solutions, ranging from mouthwashes to
breath fresheners, really don’t address the
underlying issue.
So, let’s look at some common causes
and potential solutions that work. Warning:
some of this is pretty disgusting, but is
important. You have been warned.
One way to analyze bad breath is in
terms of local causes and other sources
that are more distant. Locally, the common
culprits are the teeth, tongue, and tonsils.
The mouth is generally full of bacteria,
but these for the most part do not cause
an infection—they are part of the normal
microbiome that covers every surface of
our body, inside and out. However, there
may also be areas of localized infection
that involve other bacteria, some of which
produce pus. These must be sought out
and removed.
The number one cause of bad breath is,
arguably, the teeth and gums. If your teeth
are carious and infected, you will probably
know—they usually become sensitive and
painful. However, if the infection involves
the gums, you may not develop symptoms
until much later. The pockets between
the gums and the teeth are like miniature
moats that can be filled with debris—bits of
food and bacteria. As gingivitis progresses,
the gums recede and more of the tooth
becomes exposed. In other times, this was a
common finding with age, giving rise to the
expression “long in the tooth.”
Good dental and gingival care is the
answer. Floss your teeth, several times a day
if possible—I recommend after every meal—
and brush using an electric toothbrush.
A visit to the periodontist for accurate
diagnosis and possible additional treatment
should take care of dental-related halitosis.
Gentle brushing of the top of the tongue
is also recommended, although this by
itself is rarely cause for bad breath. More
important are the tonsils. Chronic tonsillitis
may not cause acute pain, but the pockets
in the tonsils can become filled with a
white debris containing bacteria and dead
cells, which can produce bad breath. The
solution here is to clean the white stuff out
of your tonsils with a Q-tip or a water pick,
if possible. If chronic recurrent tonsillitis
continues, consider having them removed.
One purpose of good oral hygiene, apart
from dislodging food particles, is to remove
the biofilm. This is a matrix containing
bacteria, debris, and mucoid proteins that
covers the surface of the mucous membrane
and is believed to be a source of infection.
In the mouth, biofilm is best removed
mechanically by brushing, flossing, and
vigorous rinsing.
Another common source of halitosiscausing infection is the nose and sinuses.
Chronic postnasal drip, especially if green
or yellow, is a sign of infection. If the sinuses
are infected, smelly mucus will drain into
the nose and down the back of the throat.
This can happen even in the absence
of acute sinus symptoms such as pain,
pressure, or tenderness. If mucus becomes
stagnant in the nose, it can become thick
and unpleasant. The many causes for such
stagnation include a deviated septum and
enlarged adenoids (in young people), as
well as allergy and nasal infection.
If your nose is blocked and you are a
mouth breather at night, this can also cause
bad breath. This area is best addressed
by an ENT examination, but before you
focus on the nose as a halitosis source, be
sure that the mouth and teeth are clean.
You can then begin to address this area by
aggressive saline nasal washes, using a Neti
pot or NeilMed sinus rinse. Adding a bit
of Alkalol brand nasal wash to the solution
will freshen things up further.
Less commonly, bad breath comes from
down below—stomach and lungs. Chronic
low-grade lung infections, such as seen
with COPD and bronchiectasis, frequently
involve the accumulation of bad-smelling
mucus. Since most singers don’t smoke
(right?!), this is infrequent in the singing
community but does occur, especially in
older singers who smoked in the past. And,
finally, consider problems in the stomach
and esophagus. While reflux is common,
it does not in itself cause bad breath
unless you are refluxing material such as
undigested food.
Another important category is what we
put into our bodies. Obviously, strongflavored and spicy food will affect the
breath. It just goes with the territory—if
your vice is kimchi, you will not smell like
roses. Eating raw garlic as a health measure,
drinking alcohol, smoking or chewing
tobacco . . . and the list goes on. Keep in
mind that the smell from such indulgences
can last for many hours and just plan your
dietary adventures around your social and
professional schedule. In this regard, meat
is worse than vegetables; routine flossing
and brushing after your meal will minimize
the impact.
A final, less common cause of halitosis
is from metabolic abnormalities. When the
The Doctor Is In: A Different Kind of Breath Control
body metabolizes certain materials, they can exude through the
mucous membranes and affect your breath. If you are metabolizing
fat and form ketones, this produces a characteristic breath. A ketotic
smell is seen in diabetes, but can also occur in people on a strict
“starvation” diet—you’re not burning carbohydrates, but are now
metabolizing fat. Yet another example is in people with kidney
failure. Urea backs up into the blood and is excreted through the
mucous membrane, generating a smell of ammonia.
A couple of final words about mouthwashes. Based on what you
have read above, you will realize that this is a superficial measure
which will not really address any chronic infection. Furthermore,
alcohol-containing mouthwashes can irritate and damage the
mucous membrane, making it more vulnerable to bacteria. Despite
those commercials, “tingly” is not equivalent to “clean.” While
aggressive washing of the mouth using salt or baking soda is a good
additive measure, avoid sugary and alcohol-containing commercial
preparations. Old-fashioned breath fresheners, such as mint or
clove, work just as well.
Anthony F. Jahn, M.D., has offices in New York and New Jersey.
His latest book, The Singer’s Guide to Complete Health, was
published by Oxford University Press and his book Care of the
Professional Voice is now in its second printing.
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY INSTITUTION.
M USI C A N D PE R F OR M I N G A R T S PR O FE S S I O N S
Summer Classical Voice Intensive
July 18-August 4, 2016
Explore the techniques of classical vocal performance from
the perspective of the singing actor.
• Group and individual instruction in voice, interpretation,
diction and repertoire
• Master classes with Harolyn Blackwell and Dr. Robert C. White, Jr.
• Being a Singer 101: Auditioning, applying for schools, programs,
and agents, utilizing today’s technology, building your resume,
song and aria preparation
• Yoga for singers, dance and stage movement
• Attend concerts and other cultural events in the evenings
• Final performance on Thursday, August 4
Also: Summer Study in Music Theatre, June 26-July 14
For high school and college students 16 and over
Visit steinhardt.nyu.edu/classicalvoice2016 or call 212-998-5154.
Job: A1601_01_ClassicalSinger
OPPORTUNITIES
Auditions........................ 44
Competitions.................. 51
The audition and competition listings in Classical Singer magazine come from our online audition management tool Auditions Plus. With Auditions Plus you can find, save,
manage, and track all types of singing opportunities. More than 1,400 job postings, training program opportunities, volunteer positions and educational listings are available on
AuditionsPlus.com, including more than 400 audition and competition listings. Auditions Plus is free for all Classical Singer subscribers. Find and post opportunities today!
Auditions
Coordinator: Kimberlee Talbot
Email: auditions@classicalsinger.com
Website: www.classicalsinger.com/auditions
Audition listings published in Classical Singer must
either be no pay/no fee or paid engagements. If you
have an experience with a listed company that does
not meet this qualification, or if you have any other
problems with a published audition notice, please
contact Kimberlee Talbot immediately at auditions@
classicalsinger.com. We do not publish notices from
companies with unresolved complaints.
Opera Solo
Hubbard Hall Opera Theater - Cambridge, NY
(D, Paid, EmgPro)
Auds for Madama Butterfly Mar 19, ‘16 in Niskayuna, NY and Mar 25-26, ‘16 in New York City, NY.
Website: www.hubbardhall.org
NEW Atlantic Coast Opera Festival - Philadelphia, PA (D, Paid, EmgPro)
Auds May ‘16 for sum seas prod of Otello and
concert version of Ballo in Maschera.
Website: www.facebook.com/AtlanticCoastOpBUDGET CATEGORIES
eraFestival
Contact Info: OperaFestivalTix@aol.com
Where available, budget categories are listed for
Appl Deadline: May 2, ‘16
performing companies. Budget categories conform
NEW Center for Contemporary Opera - New
York, NY (D, Paid, Pro)
Seas auds Mar 17-18, ‘16 in NY.
Website: www.centerforcontemporaryopera.org
Contact Info: js@conopera.org
Appl Deadline: Mar 1, ‘16
to Opera America annual budget levels as reported in
Musical America.
Level
Level
Level
Level
Level
A=$10,000,000 and above
B=$3,000,000-$9,999,999
C=$1,000,000-$2,999,999
D=less than $1,000,000
U=Unknown
APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR
VOCAL ARTS INSTITUTE 2016!
Scholarships available at Classical Singer Competition!
For new and complete listings, go to www.AuditionsPlus.com
Respond only to auditions for your level, and area of the
country, CAREFULLY noting all restrictions.
The following are Artist Level
guideline
definitions
for
Classical Singer audition listings.
Definitions, as such, do not
perfectly describe all singers but
should be helpful for artists to
determine their qualifications for a
given audition notice.
It is still important for artists
to observe these guidelines as
performing companies continue to
express their frustration with those
singers who send materials for
audition listings for which they are
not yet qualified.
Student: Currently enrolled in a
university or conservatory music
program.
Emerging Professional: Graduate
of a college level vocal program
or conservatory. Or in the last year
has been in a Young Artist Program,
Apprentice Program or performed
in Workshop productions or No-Pay
productions. Or equivalent. These
artists rarely have management.
Professional: In the last year has
performed a principal role in a
company with Opera America
Budget
Level level C or D or equivalent.
Artists in this level are considered
full-time professionals and the
majority of their time spent and
income are singing-related. Many
of these artists have management.
Established Professional: In the
last year has performed a principal
role in a company with an Opera
America level A or B company or
equivalent. Artists in this category
are employed full-time singing
principal roles with companies of
any category in multiple venues
domestic and international. These
artists have management.
Why do so many classical vocalists apply,
and then apply again the next year?
Friedrich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Awards
� no live competition—recorded performances only
� written evaluations (judges include MET artists)
�certificates of achievement & cash awards
�few repertoire restrictions
�no age limits
�opera & art song/oratorio divisions
�for professionals & pre-professionals
www.theamericanprize.org
Suzanne Vinnik,
2-time TAP Winner
Columbus State University
Schwob
School of Music
Voice Studies
Alumni
Maureen McKay, soprano
Metropolitan Opera, Komische Oper Berlin
Michael Sumuel, baritone
Finalist, 2012 Metropolitan Opera National Council
Auditions; San Francisco Opera; Houston Grand Opera;
Glyndebourne Festival (England)
Paula Sides, soprano
English Opera Company
Gwendolyn Reid, mezzo soprano
Universität der Künste, Berlin, Germany
Kimberli Render, soprano
First Place Winner, Denver Lyric Opera Guild
Competition
Faculty
Earl Coleman
William and Isabelle Curry Eminent Scholar Chair in Voice
Kimberly Cone
Michelle Murphy DeBruyn
Dian Lawler-Johnson
Constantina Tsolainou
Paul S. and Jean R. Amos Distinguished Chair in Music
choral | studio | opera
Degrees
BA in Music | BM in Music Performance | MM in Music Performance
BM in Music Education | MM in Music Education
Awards
Over $800,000 in music scholarships annually
Woodruff Award: For entering undergraduate students. Winners
receive full tuition, room and board, plus a $5,000 stipend. Video
applications due March 1
Assistantships: Tuition plus stipend for qualifying graduates
For audition and scholarship information, please visit our website
Deadlines March 2016. Additional contest:
Chicago Oratorio Award: $750 prizes/performance
ColumbusState.edu/music
Auditions
Contact Info: alixjones@hubbardhall.org
NEW Opera Libera - Philadelphia, PA (D, Volunteer, EmgPro)
Auds for mid-July perf of Il barbiere di Siviglia.
Contact Info: hoejin.sim@gmail.com
Appl Deadline: Apr 30, ‘16
NEW Opera Western Reserve - Youngstown,
OH (D, Paid, EmgPro) Auds Apr 11-12, ‘16 for
Carmen. Casting roles and covers. Website: www.operawesternreserve.org/
Contact Info: admasst@operawesternreserve.org
Amici Opera - Philadelphia, PA (U, Volunteer,
EmgPro)
Seeking all voice types, esp sopranos, mezzos and
tenors.
Contact Info: 215-224-0257
Appl Deadline: Ongoing
Center Stage Opera - New Cumberland, PA (U,
Volunteer, EmgPro)
Auds for ‘16 seas of Don Carlo, L’Elisir D’Amore
and Faust.
Website: www.csopera.org
Contact Info: songbird72@verizon.net
Opera for the Young - Madison, WI (U, Paid,
EmgPro)
Auds Mar 4-5, ‘16 in Chicago, IL and Mar 6, ‘15
in Madison, WI for ‘16/17 prof’l touring co.
Website: www.operafortheyoung.org
Contact Info: dge@operafortheyoung.org
Appl Deadline: N/A
Concert Solo
Hellenic Music Foundation - East Elmhurst, NY
(Volunteer, EmgPro)
Seeking vocalists for upc concerts.
VOICE
BASSOON
CLARINET
EUPHONIUM
FLUTE
HORN
SAXOPHONE
TROMBONE
TRUMPET
TUBA
Website: www.HellenicMusic.org
Contact Info: HellenicMusic@aol.com
Church/Temple
St. Joseph Catholic Church - Wilmette, IL
(Volunteer)
Auds for all voice parts, preferably alto, tenor and
bass.
Website: www.stjosephwilmette.org/liturgy/
music/
Contact Info: rschwegel@roosevelt.edu
Young Artist Programs
NEW Houston Grand Opera - Houston, TX (A,
Volunteer, Student-Univ)
Accepting appls for Young Artists’ Vocal Academy
(YAVA) in May ‘16.
Website: www.houstongrandopera.org/studio/
young-artist-vocal-academy
Appl Deadline: Feb 26, ‘16
Metropolitan Opera - New York, NY (A, Paid,
EmgPro)
Now accepting mats for singers in the ‘16/17
Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.
Website: www.metopera.org/About/Auditions/
Lindemann-Young-Artist-Development-Program/
Contact Info: lyadp@metopera.org
NEW Atlantic Coast Opera Festival - Philadelphia, PA (D, Paid, EmgPro)
Auds May ‘16 for sum seas prod of Otello and
concert version of Ballo in Maschera.
Website: www.facebook.com/AtlanticCoastOperaFestival
Contact Info: OperaFestivalTix@aol.com
Hubbard Hall Opera Theater Conservatory Cambridge, NY (D, Volunteer, Student-Univ)
Auds Mar 19, ‘16 in Niskayuna, NY and Mar 2526, ‘16 in New York City, NY for Opera Conservatory prog. Rep: Madama Butterfly, Pizza con fungi.
Website: www.hubbardhall.org
Contact Info: alixjones@hubbardhall.org
Carmel Bach Festival - Carmel, CA (U, Paid,
EmgPro)
Now accepting appls for the 2016 Virginia Best
Adams Vocal Master Class participants.
Website: www.bachfestival.org/virginia-bestadams-fellows.htm
The Martina Arroyo Foundation Inc. - New
York, NY (U, Paid, EmgPro)
Auds thru Feb ‘16 in NYC for Prelude to Performance. Rep: La boheme and Die Fledermaus.
Website: http://martinaarroyofdn.org/prelude/
programoutline.html
Musical Theatre
NEW Alhambra Dinner Theatre - Jacksonville,
FL (Paid, Pro)
Auds Feb 1, ‘16 for The Wiz.
Website: www.alhambrajax.com/
Contact Info: csmith@alhambrajax.com
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre - Arrow
Rock, MO (Paid, Pro)
Auds Feb 28, ‘16 for upc seas. Rep: Funny Girl,
Oliver!, 1776, A Christmas Carol.
Website: www.lyceumtheatre.org/about.
php?sub_id=163
Contact Info: arrowrockcasting@lyceumtheatre.org
Appl Deadline: N/A
College Audition Preparation
This program is designed
to give each aspiring musician
the tools to create the best
possible entrance audition.
“Your career starts here.”
SIGN UP at music.indiana.edu/CAP.
Tom Walsh, Co-Director
Marietta Simpson, Co-Director
Elizabeth Pfaffle, Coordinator
July 24-30
2016
NEW Breckenridge Backstage Theatre Breckenridge, CO (Paid, EmgPro)
Auds Feb 6, ‘16 for Chicago.
Website: http://breckbst.wix.com/
backstage#!auditions/ddqo9
Contact Info: info@backstagetheatre.org
Appl Deadline: N/A
Broadway Theatre of Pitman - Pitman, NJ
(Paid, EmgPro)
Auds Feb 20-21, ‘16 for The Producers; May 2122, ‘16 for Sweeney Todd; and Jul 23-24, ‘16 for
Will Roger Follies.
Website: www.thebroadwaytheatre.
org/?go=auditions
Appl Deadline: N/A
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay - Tampa Bay, FL
(Paid, Pro)
Auds Feb 2, ‘16 for upc sum shows.
Website: http://buschgardensauditions.com/
en/upcoming-auditions
Appl Deadline: N/A
Cirque du Soleil - Montréal, QC, Canada (Paid,
Pro)
Auds Feb ‘16 in New York for upc prods.
Website: cirquedusoleil.com/jobs
Appl Deadline: N/A
Columbus Children’s Theatre - Columbus, OH
(Paid, EmgPro)
Auds Feb 7-8, ‘16 for Snoopy.
Website: www.columbuschildrenstheatre.org/
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Dollywood - Pigeon Forge, TN (Paid, Pro)
Auds Feb 20, ‘16 in Spartanburg, SC for upc seas.
Website: www.dollywood.com/auditions/auditions
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Eagle Theatre - Hammonton, NJ (Paid, Pro)
Auds Apr ‘16 for Jan/Feb ‘17 prod of Rock of
Ages.
Website: http://theeagletheatre.com/casting/
Contact Info: casting@theeagletheatre.com
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival Auburn, NY (Paid, Pro)
Equity auds in NY Feb 10, ‘16.
Website: http://fingerlakesmtf.com/getinvolved/employment/auditions/
Appl Deadline: N/A
Goodspeed Musicals - East Haddam, CT (Paid,
Pro)
Auds Feb 3, ‘16 for Bye Bye Birdie.
Website: www.goodspeed.org
A MERICAN
S INGERS’
OPERA
PROJECT
FOUNDED BY NANCY STOKES-MILNES
ASOP-INC.ORG
OPERA WORKSHOP July 16-31, 2016
Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi
Sung in Italian with Chamber Orchestra
INTRO TO OPERA July 23-31, 2016
NEW LOCATION
The University of Central Oklahoma
Edmond, Oklahoma
R I C H A R D H E A R D , EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
B A R B A R A D E M A I O , ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Contact Info: kmclaughlin@goodspeed.org
Appl Deadline: N/A
Haywood Arts Regional Theater - Waynesville,
NC (Paid, EmgPro)
Auds Feb 21-22, ‘16 for ‘16 seas. Rep: Legally
Blonde the Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, Into
the Woods.
Website: www.harttheatre.com
Contact Info: harttheater@gmail.com
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Huntsman Entertainment - Las Vegas, NV
(Paid, EmgPro)
Auds Feb 9, 11 & 12, ‘16 for Beauty and the
Beast.
Website: www.huntsman-entertainment.
com/#!auditions/c1jic
Contact Info: huntsmanentertainment@
gmail.com
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Ivoryton Playhouse - Ivoryton, CT (Paid,
Pro)
Auds early to mid-Feb ‘16 for Polkadots: The Cool
Kids Musical.
Website: www.ivorytonplayhouse.org/
Contact Info: PolkadotsCasting@gmail.com
Appl Deadline: N/A
2016
California Arts & Education
Festival Institute
Lucia Di Lammermoor
Fully Staged with Orchestra
Concerts
Opera Scenes
Competition
Masterclasses
July 22- August 14
For Information Contact:
Edna Garabedian, 559-225-6737
CEO Artistic General Director
edna.garabedian@comcast.net
www.CaliforniaOpera.org
Auditions
NEW Leavenworth Summer Theater - Leavenworth, WA (Paid, EmgPro)
Auds Mar 2-5, ‘16 for The Sound of Music, Singin’ in the Rain, and Beauty and the Beast.
Website: www.leavenworthsummertheater.
org/auditions
Appl Deadline: N/A
Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma - Oklahoma City,
OK (Paid, EmgPro)
Auds Feb 21-27, ‘16 for ‘16 sum seas.
Website: http://lyrictheatreokc.com/auditions/
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Maine State Music Theatre - Brunswick,
ME (Paid, Pro)
Equity auds Mar 10-12 & 15-16, ‘16 in NY for
‘16 seas. Rep: Evita, Fiddler on the Roof, Mama
Mia.
Website: http://msmt.org/equity-auditions/
Contact Info: BCCsubmissionsonly@gmail.com
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Maine State Music Theatre - Brunswick,
ME (Paid, Pro)
Ensemble auds Mar 14, ‘16 in NY for ‘16 seas.
Rep: Evita, Fiddler on the Roof, Mama Mia.
Website: http://msmt.org/equity-auditions/
Contact Info: BCCsubmissionsonly@gmail.com
Appl Deadline: N/A
MidWest Theatre Auditions - St. Louis, MO
(Paid, Pro)
Auds Feb 19-21, ‘16 in St. Louis for Equity and
non-Equity applicants.
Website: www.webster.edu/fine-arts/midwest-theatre-auditions/
Appl Deadline: N/A
Music Theatre Wichita - Wichita, KS (Paid, Pro)
Auds Feb 23-25, ‘16 in Ann Arbor, MI; Feb 27-28,
‘16 in Chicago, IL; Mar 4-6, ‘16 in Wichita, KS;
Mar 11-13, ‘16 in Oklahoma City, OK; and Mar
16-21, ‘16 in New York City, NY.
Website: www.mtwichita.org/
Contact Info: nancy@mtwichita.org
Appl Deadline: N/A
New England Theatre Conference (NETC) Natick, MA (Paid, EmgPro)
Now accepting appls for annual auds Mar 12-14, ‘16.
Website: http://netconline.org/
Appl Deadline: N/A
Opera
Photo by Nicholas Wilson
Workshop
June 16-26 in beautiful Mendocino,California
Elizabeth Kirkpatrick Vrenios, Artistic Director
pen to just 15 participants, this intensive
program focuses on scene performance and
audition technique and offers an extraordinary level
of personalized instruction from an outstanding
faculty. Scholarships available to select students.
Application deadline: April 15
redwoodsoperaworkshop.org
NEW Saint Vincent Summer Theatre Latrobe, PA (Paid, Pro)
Equity principal auds Mar 5-6, ‘16 for ‘16 seas.
Website: www.svst.org
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Stages St. Louis - St. Louis, MO (Paid,
Pro)
Principal Equity auds in NY Feb 8-11, ‘16. Equity
chorus auds Feb 12, ‘16. Seas rep includes: The
Drowsy Chaperone, Sister Act, It Shoulda Been
You.
Website: www.stagesstlouis.org/About-Us/
Work-With-Us/Auditions/
Appl Deadline: N/A
NEW Theatre by the Sea - Matunuck, RI (Paid,
Pro)
Seas auds Jan 30-31, ‘16 in Kingston, RI and
Feb 15-16 & 18, ‘16 in NYC, NY. Rep: Buddy-The
NEW Pittsburgh CLO - Pittsburgh, PA (Paid, Pro) Buddy Holly Story, West Side Story, The Wizard of
Quater-page
Auds Feb 11-13, ‘16 for ‘163 sum
seas. Rep:ads.qxp_DuPont
Oz, Sister1/6/16
Act. 4:00 PM Page 2
2016 Redwoods
O
Chicago, Damn Yankees, Shrek the Musical, Aida,
South Pacific.
Website: www.pittsburghclo.org/about/cloauditions
Appl Deadline: N/A
THE LICIA ALBANESE-PUCCINI FOUNDATION
2016 International
Vocal Competition
Held at
Columbus Citizens Foundation
8 East 69th Street, New York, NY 10021
Age Requirement 21-35
PRELIMINARIES:
April 25 through 28, 2016 from 10:30AM to 5:00PM
FINALS:
Friday, April 29, 2016
Top Prize $ 12,500 First Prize $ 10,000
Second Prize $ 7,000
Third Prize $ 5,000
Fourth Prize $ 3,000 Fifth Prize $ 2,500
10 Grants $ 1,000 Encouragements $ 500
Email Applications preferred and must be received by
April 1, 2016, 5:00PM EST
For more information visit liciaalbanesepuccinifnd.org
Website: www.theatrebythesea.biz/auditionsinterns.html
Contact Info: 401-782-3800 x109
Appl Deadline: N/A
Titusville Playhouse - Titusville, FL (Paid,
EmgPro)
Auds Feb 8-9, ‘16 for Sister Act and Mar 21-22,
‘16 for The Drowsy Chaperone.
Website: http://titusvilleplayhouse.com/home/
sample-page/
Appl Deadline: N/A
West Valley Light Opera - Saratoga , CA (Paid,
EmgPro)
Auds Feb 6 & 9, ‘16 for Footloose.
Website: www.wvlo.org/
Contact Info: wvlo@wvlo.org
Appl Deadline: N/A
Opera Chorus
NEW Welsh National Opera - Cardiff, S Wales,
UK (A, Paid, Pro)
Seeking soprano for WNO Chorus. Auds Mar 7 &
14, ‘16.
Website: www.wno.org.uk/chorister-soprano
West Bay Opera - Palo Alto, CA (D, Volunteer,
EmgPro)
Auds Mar 8 & 12, ‘16 for Madama Butterfly.
Website: www.westbayopera.org/chorus.html
Contact Info: (650) 380-9532
Appl Deadline: N/A
San Francisco Choral Artists - San Francisco,
CA (E, Paid, EmgPro)
Interested in hearing talented singers of all voices.
Website: www.sfca.org/about-auditions.php
Contact Info: auditions@sfca.org
Amici Opera - Philadelphia, PA (U, Volunteer,
EmgPro)
Seeking all voice types, esp sopranos, mezzos and
tenors.
South Coast Chamber Choir - San Diego, CA (F,
Paid, Pro)
Ongoing auds for prof’l singers.
Contact Info: wld10or@hotmail.com
Other Chorus
Pacifica Singers - Vancouver, BC, Canada (A,
Volunteer, EmgPro)
Auds throughout/yr for emg prof’l singers.
Website: www.vancouverchamberchoir.com
Contact Info: info@vancouverchamberchoir.com
Vancouver Chamber Choir - Vancouver, BC,
Canada (A, Paid, Pro)
Ongoing auds for prof’l chorus members.
Website: www.vancouverchamberchoir.com
Contact Info: info@vancouverchamberchoir.com
Nashville Symphony Chorus - Nashville, TN
(AA, Paid, Pro)
Auds Feb 6-7, ‘16 at the Schermerhorn Symphony
Center.
Website: www.nashvillesymphony.org/about/
chorus/auditions
Appl Deadline: N/A
The Princeton Singers - Princeton, NJ (U, Paid, Pro)
Seeking vocalists of all voice parts for avail vacancies.
Website: www.princetonsingers.org/getinvolved/auditions/
Contact Info: info@princetonsingers.org
classical
looking
for fun?
This July, in NYC, enjoy 30 hours over 4 weeks
of fun, challenging singing!
With acting, improvisation, movement and
vocal coaching, you will discover different sides
of your singing characters in opera scenes. A
dress rehearsal and final performance provides
inspiration to raise your singing to a new level.
Class is limited to 10 intermediate/advanced
singers. Coordinated with NYC professionals
by Mary Kay McGarvey, DMA
for more information
please contact
Mary@yehsure.com
yehsure.com/mary
Auditions
“I can truly say that the experience in San Miguel was a transformative experience”
United States Navy Band Sea Chanters
Chorus - Washington, DC (U, Paid, EstPro)
Auds Feb 26, ‘16 for soprano vocalist.
Website: www.navyband.navy.mil
Contact Info: navyband.auditions@navy.mil
Teaching Positions
Georgia Regents University - Augusta, GA
Seeking asst professor of voice.
Website: www.gru.edu/jobs/faculty
Contact Info: whobbins@gru.edu
Appl Deadline: N/A
“San Miguel Institute of Bel Canto was the best
experience I’ve had with a program. The program
catered to the singer’s strengths while constructively
addressing weaknesses.”
NEW Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, TX
Seeking asst prof of music (opera workshop/
voice).
Website: https://islanderjobs.tamucc.edu/
postings/4804
Contact Info: courtney.noe@tamucc.edu
Other
A comprehensive, intensive and affordable program centered on the principles
and traditions of Bel Canto, releasing the artistic potential of the whole singer.
SPECIAL GUEST COACH
Carrie-Ann Matheson
GUEST CONDUCTOR
Enrique Patron de Rueda
VOICE
Jane Dutton
Michael Sylvester
STAGE TRAINING
Joseph McClain
(MET, Opernhaus Zürich)
COACHING
Ted Taylor
Marcie Stapp
Rebecca Edie
(Artistic Dir. Bellas Artes,
Mexico City)
BODYWORK
Ruth Williams Hennessy
LIFE COACH
David Manning
Photo courtesy James Knoch
VOICE LESSONS
VOCAL COACHINGS
STAGE TRAINING
DICTION FOR SINGERS
BODYWORK
MASTER CLASSES
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
LIFE AND CAREER COACHING
INFORMAL CONCERTS
FORMAL CONCERTS
Photo courtesy James Knoch
Application deadline Extended: March 1, 2016
Application and Details at www.smibelcanto.com
Amici Opera - Philadelphia, PA (U, Paid, EmgPro)
Seeking accomps for ‘15/16 seas.
Opera for the Young - Madison, WI (U, Paid,
Pro)
Auds Mar 4-5, ‘16 in Chicago, IL and Mar 6, ‘15
in Madison, WI for coach/accomps for the ‘16/17
prof’l touring co.
Website: www.operafortheyoung.org
Contact Info: dge@operafortheyoung.org
Appl Deadline: N/A
July 27 – August 20, 2016 (Student Artists)
July 27 – August 25, 2016 (Young Professionals)
(Scholarships available)
Metropolitan Opera - New York, NY (A, Paid,
EmgPro)
Now accepting mats for coach/pianists in the
‘16/17 Lindemann Young Artist Development
Program.
Website: www.metopera.org/About/Auditions/
Lindemann-Young-Artist-Development-Program/
Contact Info: lyadp@metopera.org
NEW Vocal Artists Management - Walnut
Creek, CA (EstPro) Now accepting mats for artist
roster. Website: www.vocalartistsmgmt.com Contact Info: vocalartistsmgmt@gmail.com Appl Deadline: Feb 15, ‘16
Competitions
Coordinator: Kimberlee Talbot
Email: competitions@classicalsinger.com
Website: www.classicalsinger.com/directories/competition/
If you have any problems w/a published competition
notice, please contact Kimberlee Talbot immediately
at competitions@classicalsinger.com. We do not
publish notices from companies w/unresolved
complaints.
3 = New Notice This Issue
The audition and competition listings in Classical Singer magazine come from our online
audition management tool Auditions Plus. With
Auditions Plus you can find, save, manage,
and track all types of singing opportunities.
More than 1,400 job postings, training program
opportunities, volunteer positions and educational listings are available on AuditionsPlus.
com, including more than 400 audition and
competition listings. Auditions Plus is free for
all Classical Singer subscribers. Find and post
3opportunities
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Grants, Awards &
Misc. Funding
2016 Artist Development Grants - Montpelier, VT
Sponsored By: Vermont Arts Council
Age Limit: N/A
Website: www.vermontartscouncil.org/grantsand-services/artists/artist-development
2016 Career Development Grant for Singers Richmond, BC, Canada
Sponsored By: Vancouver Opera Guild
Age Limit: 33
Website: www.vancouveroperaguild.com/?page_
id=213
2016 Scholarship Auditions - Ross, CA
Sponsored By: Marin Music Chest
Competition Date: Mar 12 & 26, ‘16
Age Limit: 24
Website: www.marinmusicchest.org/application.html
NEW Gene & Cele Pincus and Janet Cazel
Memorial Theater Arts Scholarship Awards San Jose, CA
Sponsored By: West Valley Light Opera
Age Limit: 18
Website: www.wvlo.org/scholarship/scholr.html
Page 3
Grants to Professional Musicians (Individual) Ottawa, ON, Canada
Sponsored By: Canada Council for the Arts
Age Limit: N/A
Website: http://canadacouncil.ca/music/finda-grant/grants/grants-to-professional-musiciansindividuals
Hawkeye Community Theatre Scholarship - Fort
Dodge, IA
Sponsored By: Hawkeye Community Theatre
Age Limit: N/A
Website: http://hawkeyetheatre.com/
scholarship#
Homer Wickline and Conrad Seamen Grants Pittsburgh, PA
Sponsored By: Pittsburgh Concert Society
Age Limit: N/A
Website: www.pittsburghconcertsociety.org/
grants
Martha Marcks Mack Senior Vocal Award Chesapeake, VA
Sponsored By: National Federation of Music
Clubs
Age Limit: N/A
Website: www.nfmc-music.org/clientuploads/
directory/awards/Annual_Senior/CA-8-2.pdf
LinguaeCanto
The
GiulioGari Foundation
July4–29,2016
2016 INTERNATIONAL
Sant’AngeloinVado,Italy
VOCAL COMPETITION
Sing&SpeakItalian
InItaly!
Held at
e Liederkranz Foundation
$4,350*
TotalforTuition+Housing
IntensiveLanguageTraining
Opera&ArtSong
PRELIMINARIES:
May 16 – 19 from 10:30AM to 5:00PM
FINALS:
May 20 from 10:00AM to 5:00PM
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FIRST PRIZE: $ 10,000
SECOND PRIZE: $ 7,000
THIRD PRIZE: $ 5,000 FOURTH PRIZE: $ 3,000
FIFTH PRIZE: $ 2,000
GRANTS: $ 1,000
ENCOURAGEMENTS: $ 500
Email Applications preferred and must be received by
April 22, 2016 5:00PM EST
ProfessionalFaculty • HousinginApartments
Limit:25singers
• CareerWorkshops
ArtSongPreparation
2Coachings/week
•
60hoursofItalianwith
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3Concerts
• 2VoiceLessons/week
IntensiveDiction
• Breath&Movement
AuditionStrategies
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3Excursions
*$200TuitionDiscountbyFebruary1
www.linguaecanto.com
RobinFisher(Director),DonnaLoewy(CCM),
BuckRoss(UofHouston),RobertBarefield(HarttSchool),
Ear
• JosephFrank(SJSU),ReedWoodhouse(JuilliardSchool),
For more information visit www.giuliogari.org
HatemNadim(CSUF),LeAnnOverton(ManhattanSchool)
Competitions
No Age Limit/Unknown
E-mail: marykusner@aol.com
11th Annual Lois Alba Aria Competition - Houston, TX
Sponsored By: Soma International Foundation, Inc.
Competition Date: Jun 4-5, ‘16
Website: http://somainfo.org/?page_id=4663
2016 Solo Competitions - Llangollen, UK
Sponsored By: Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
Competition Date: Jul 5-7, ‘16
Website: http://eisteddfodcompetitions.co.uk/solo-competitions-2016/
13th Annual Harold Haugh Light Opera Vocal Competition - Jackson, MI
Sponsored By: Comic Opera Guild
Competition Date: Apr 9, ‘16
Website: www.comicoperaguild.org/PAGES/VOCAL-COMPETITION.html
2016 Young Artists Competition - Washington, DC
Sponsored By: Vocal Arts DC
Competition Date: May 14, ‘16
Website: www.vocalartsdc.org/youngartists.shtml
40th Annual Glenn Miller Scholarship Competition - Clarinda, IA
Sponsored By: Glenn Miller Birthplace Society
Website: http://glennmiller.org/scholarship/scholarship-information/
CS Vocal Competition - Boston, MA
Sponsored By: Classical Singer
Competition Date: Ongoing thru May 26, ‘16
Website: www.classicalsinger.com/vocalcompetition
NEW 2016 Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award - Danbury, CT
Sponsored By: The American Prize in Vocal Performance
Website: www.theamericanprize.org/opera.html
2016 James Toland Vocal Arts Competition - Oakland, CA
Sponsored By: James Toland Vocal Arts, Inc.
Website: www.jamestolandvocalarts.org/the-competition/
NEW 2016 Opera Libera Vocal Competition - Philadelphia, PA
Sponsored By: Opera Libera
Competition Date: Apr 12 & May 1, ‘16
Filadelfia Festival 2016 - Filadelfia, Italy
Sponsored By: Associazione Musicale Melody
Competition Date: May 5-8, ‘16
Website: www.associazione-melody.com/pages/competitionsfiladelfia-2016.php?lang=IT
NEW International Music Competition Grand Prize Virtuoso - London, UK
Sponsored By: Grand Prize Virtuoso
Website: www.grandprizevirtuosointernationalmusiccompetition.com/
Repertoire
Consultant
& Coach
nmmmmlo
Elizabeth Hastings
New York City
(212) 663-4934
lizhastings@yahoo.com
Age 18 and Under
22nd Annual Italian Songs and Arias Vocal
Competition for Michigan High School Students
- Clinton, MI
Sponsored By: Verdi Opera Theatre of Michigan
Age Limit: 19
Website: www.verdioperatheatre.com/verdi_
opera_theatre_of_michigan_competition.htm
2016 High School Competition - St. Petersburg,
FL
Sponsored By: St. Petersburg Opera Guild
Competition Date: Feb 27, ‘16
Age Limit: 18
Website: www.stpeteoperaguild.org/highschool-competition-guidelines-and-application-form.
html
NEW 2016 Young Artist Competition Elizabethtown, PA
Sponsored By: Hershey Symphony Orchestra
Competition Date: Mar 8, ‘16
Age Limit: Grades 7-11
Website: www.hersheysymphony.org/youngartist-competition/
NEW 2016 Young Voice Competition - Colorado
Springs, CO
Sponsored By: Pikes Peak Opera League
Competition Date: Mar 12 & Apr 15, ‘16
Age Limit: 18
Website: www.pikespeakoperaleague.org/
Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition - Oxford, OH
Sponsored By: William E. Schmidt Foundation
Competition Date: Feb 6 & 20, Apr 23, May 14,
Jun 4, 11 & 19, ‘16
Age Limit: 18
Website: www.schmidtcompetition.org/
Age 25 and Under
34th Friday Woodmere Music Club Young
Artists Competition - Hewlett, NY
Sponsored By: Classical Musicians Club
Competition Date: Mar 12, 19 & 26, Apr 2 & 9, ‘16
Age Limit: 25
Website: www.classicalmusiciansclub.org/
yac_home.htm
NEW 2016 Don Chrysler Concerto Competition
for Young Musicians - Sooke, BC, Canada
Sponsored By: Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra
Age Limit: 25
Website: www.sookephil.ca/competition/
NEW 2016 Fidelity Investments Young Artists
Competition - Boston, MA
Sponsored By: Boston Pops and Fidelity
Investments
Age Limit: 19
Website: www.bso.org/brands/bso/educationcommunity/students-educators/fidelity-investmentsyoung-artists-competition.aspx
2016 Hal Leonard Vocal Competition - Online
Sponsored By: Hal Leonard Corporation
Age Limit: 23
Website: www.halleonard.com/
vocalcomp/2016requirements.jsp
NEW 2016 Irving Ludwig Young Artists
Competition - Philadelphia, PA
Sponsored By: Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra
Age Limit: 23
Website: www.lansdowneso.org/#!youngartists-competition/cmka
National Career Awards Competition in Musical
Theatre - St. Petersburg, FL
Sponsored By: National Society of Arts & Letters,
Clearwater/Tampa Bay Chapter
Age Limit: 25
Fall Island
Vocal Arts Seminar
at the Crane School of Music
Stephanie Blythe, Artistic Director
Alan Smith, Music Director
Tom Cipullo, 2016 Guest Composer
The 2015 Auditors with Alan Smith, Ricky Ian Gordon and Stephanie Blythe
May 23-30, 2016 | Potsdam, NY
Accepting applications for the 2016 Program for Auditors.
Ideal for masters and doctoral students, voice teachers and vocal coaches.
Auditor applications close April 6, 2016
FallIsland.org
Competitions
Website: http://arts-nsal.org/competitions/
performing-arts-competitions/
NEW Tri-State College Vocal Competition Kettering, OH
Sponsored By: Opera Guild of Dayton
Age Limit: 23
Website: www.operaguildofdayton.org
Young Artists Concert - Cherokee, IA
Sponsored By: Cherokee Symphony Orchestra
Competition Date: Feb 20, ‘16
Age Limit: 24
Website: http://cherokeesymphony.org/
NEW Young Stars of Maine Prize - Rockport, ME
Sponsored By: Bay Chamber Concerts
Age Limit: 25
Website: www.baychamberconcerts.org/musicschool/young-stars-of-maine-prize-program/
Website: www.kalamazoobachfestival.
org/#!education/ckuj
Age 30 and Under
15th Annual Hennings-Fischer Young Artists
Competition - Burbank, CA
Sponsored By: Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra
Competition Date: May 25-26 & 28, ‘16
Age Limit: 30
Website: http://burbankphilharmonic.com/
bpo/2014/10/21/2016-hennings-fischer-youngartists-competition/
25th National Music Competition 2016 Chicago, IL
Sponsored By: Greek Women’s University Club
Age Limit: 29
E-mail: akmoreno@comcast.net
48th Annual Young Artists Competition Whittier, CA
Sponsored By: Rio Hondo Symphony
Young Vocalists Competition and Concert Competition Date: Mar 5, ‘16
Kalamazoo, MI
Age Limit: 30
Sponsored By: Kalamazoo Bach Festival Society
Website: www.riohondosymphony.org/yac.html
Appl
Deadline:
Feb 19, ‘16
Krieger,Caroline-4563
Age Limit: 25
7/13/15 2:20 PM
Page
1
2016 Classical Music Fellowship Competition
- Chicago, IL
Sponsored By: Luminarts Cultural Foundation
Competition Date: Mar 28 & 31, ‘16
Age Limit: 30
Website: https://luminarts.submittable.com/
submit/87fa030f-c227-4e0b-876f-8390ede6cf81
2016 College and Young Professional Vocal
Competition - St. Petersburg, FL
Sponsored By: St. Petersburg Opera Guild
Age Limit: (M) 30; (F) 28
Website: www.stpeteoperaguild.org/collegeand-young-professionals.html
2016 Kathleen Ferrier Competition - London, UK
Sponsored By: Kathleen Ferrier Awards
Competition Date: Mar 22-24, Apr 27 & 29, ‘16
Age Limit: 28
Website: http://ferrierawards.org.uk/
competition-entry/
2016 Vocal Artistry Art Song Competition Albuquerque, NM
Sponsored By: Vocal Artistry Art Song Festival
Competition Date: Apr 22-24, ‘16
Age Limit: 30
since 1977
www.leyerlepublications.com
VOCAL MUSIC AND TEXTBOOKS
music text translations in the following categories:
The
Remind-Air Breathing Strap ™
“Because Every Breath Matters!”
For Teachers and Students of Singing
Aids in teaching rib cage expansion and breath management.
www.theremindair.com
2016 Art Song Discovery Auditions
For singers in the Greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area,
Pennsylvania, and Delaware
Winner receives $7,000, and will be presented in a
solo recital in a prestigious Washington, D.C. venue;
Second prize is $3,000, plus a Washington, D.C.
recital opportunity
Complete requirements can be downloaded from
our website: www.VocalArtsDC.org/auditions
Postmark deadline is Friday, March 25, 2016
Finals will be held in Washington, D.C.
on Saturday, May 14
Vocal arts dc
Celebrating 25 years
• Major Opera Libretti of French, German,
and Italian including Nico Castel series
• Song Anthologies
• Complete foreign song texts
• Song Groups
For the Vocal Professional: Singer, Teacher,
Student, Conductor, Stage Director, Coach
585-216-7834
585-216-9938 (fax)
info@leyerlepublications.com
ENJOY YOUR VOICE
Osceola Davis
Lyric Coloratura Soprano
Metropolitan Opera
voice instructor /operatic interpretation
Private lessons / vocal consultation
(718) 796 7195 or oa4d@verizon.net
Website: www.vocalartistryartsong.com/details
2016 Young Musician Competition - Hewlett, NY
Sponsored By: Five Towns Music and Arts
Foundation
Age Limit: 28
Website: www.fivetownsmusicandarts.org/index.
html
NEW International Voice Competition of the
Accademia Belcanto - Graz, Austria
Sponsored By: Accademia Belcanto
Competition Date: Sep 4-6 & 8, ‘16
Website: www.accademia-belcanto.com
NEW National Music Theater Competition Jacksonville, FL
Sponsored By: National Association of Teachers
of Singing (NATS)
Competition Date: May 15 & 21, ‘16
Age Limit: 28
Website: www.nats.org/music_theater_
competition.html
NEW Young Artists Competition for Strings and
Voice - Lima, OH
Sponsored By: Lima Symphony Orchestra
Age Limit: 26
Website: www.limasymphony.com/youngartists-competition
Appl Deadline: N/A
Age 35 and Under
17th International Robert Schumann
Competition - Zwickau, Germany
Sponsored By: International Robert Schumann
Competition
Age Limit: 33
Website: www.schumannzwickau.de/en/
rsw_piano_singer_wettbewerb_2012.asp
18th Imrich Godin International Vocal
Competition - Vráble, Slovakia
Sponsored By: Iuventus Canti
Age Limit: 35
Website: www.iuventuscanti.com/
20th International Johann Sebastian Bach
Competition 2016 - Leipzig, Germany
Sponsored By: Bach-Archiv Leipzig
Competition Date: Jul 6-7, 11, 13 & 15, ‘16
Age Limit: 33
Website: www.bachwettbewerbleipzig.de/sites/
default/files/article-teaser/IBW_Ausschreibung_
Internet.pdf
28th Annual Vocal Competition - Annapolis, MD
Sponsored By: Annapolis Opera
Age Limit: 35
Website: http://annapolisopera.org/operasevents/28th-annual-vocal-competition/
44th Annual Loren L. Zachary National Vocal
Competition - Los Angeles, CA
Sponsored By: The Loren L. Zachary Society
Age Limit: 35
Website: www.zacharysociety.org
63rd Annual Washington International
Competition for Singers - Washington, DC
Sponsored By: Friday Morning Music Club
Foundation
Age Limit: 32
Website: www.fmmc.org/competitions
71st Geneva Competition - Geneva, Switzerland
Sponsored By: Geneva Competition Association
Competition Date: Nov 21-22, 25-26 & 29, Dec
2, ‘16
51st INTERNATIONAL VOCAL COMPETITION
8 – 17 September 2016
’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Opera | Oratorio
Jury:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa soprano • Jennifer Larmore mezzo-soprano
Sergei Leiferkus baritone • Pieter Alferink impresario
Peter de Caluwe La Monnaie Brussels
Jesús Iglesias Noriega Dutch National Opera
Evamaria Wieser Lyric Opera Chicago, Salzburg Festival
Joel Ethan Fried Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Lied Duo
Jury:
Elly Ameling soprano
Christianne Stotijn mezzo-soprano • Robert Holl bass
Hans Eijsackers pianist • David Selig pianist
Aart-Jan van de Pol Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam
Prize money: € 45,000 plus engagements
Preliminary Rounds
27 & 28 May 2016 • ’s-Hertogenbosch
Auditions also via YouTube
Application deadline: 26 April 2016
www.ivc.nu
Competitions
Age Limit: 32
Website: www.concoursgeneve.ch/sections/
voice_2016?a=collapse168
2016 “European Community” Competition for
Young Opera Singers - Spoleto, Italy
Sponsored By: Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di
Spoleto
Competition Date: Feb 23-27, ‘16
Age Limit: 34
Website: www.tls-belli.it/eng/audizioni.html
2016 International Vocal Competition - New
York, NY
Sponsored By: Licia Albanese-Puccini
Foundation
Age Limit: 35
Website: www.liciaalbanesepuccinifnd.org/
competition.html
2016 International Vocal Competition-General
Division - New York City, NY
Sponsored By: Gerda Lissner Foundation
Competition Date: Mar 28-31 & Apr 2, ‘16
Age Limit: 35
Website: www.gerdalissner.org/competition/
NEW 2016 Jensen Foundation Vocal
Competition - New York, NY
Sponsored By: Jensen Foundation
Competition Date: May 16-19 & 21, ‘16
Age Limit: 35
Website: www.jensenfoundation.org/
2016 National Vocal Competition - New York, NY
The Practical Pedagogue
• Historical principles of voice building
• Training the male high voice
• Demonstrations with those in
2016 Worldwide Competition - Guadalajara,
Mexico
Sponsored By: Plácido Domingo Operalia
Competition Date: Jul 19-24, ‘16
International Opera & Chamber
Orchestra • July 19 - August 17
Sessione Senese per la
Musica e (l’Arte), Siena, Italy
Joseph Del Principe
Director & Founder
attendance and/or their students
• Students may attend at no charge
when accompanied by their teacher
2016 Wilhelm Stenhammar International Music
Competition - Norrköping, Sweden
Sponsored By: Wilhelm Stenhammar
International Music Competition
Website: www.stenhammarcompetition.se/
Grow Musically &
Culturally in Italy
SSMA 2016
June 17 & 18, 2016
Sponsored By: New York Lyric Opera Theatre
Competition Date: Feb 7 & Mar 5, ‘16
Age Limit: 35
Website: www.newyorklyricopera.org/auditions.
html
Appl Deadline: N/A
Stephen F. Austin
M.M., Ph.d.
voice.music.unt.edu/vocal-pedagogy-workshop
Laura Polverelli
Mariastella Di Lorenzo
Don Clark
For Application Information Visit
sienamusic.org or call 203-754-5741
Daily Voice Masterclass, Italian Language, Performances in Italy & Switzerland,
Guest Artist Masterclass, Perform with Orchestra in Arias & Scenes, 10 Concerts.
When you know there’s
SOMETHING GREATER
out there and aren’t afraid to
WORK HARD
TO GET IT,
YOU’RE
SHATTUCK ST. MARY’S
VOCAL PERFORMANCE
Zoie Reams ’10
Young Artist/Emerging Professional Division
1st Place - Classical Singer Competition
www.s-sm.org
Classical Singer_2016_Layout 1 11/24/15 2:06 PM Page 1
admissions@s-sm.org
STUDY ABROAD
WITH WESTMINSTER
VIENNA
FLORENCE
OXFORD
Unique in its dual emphasis on study and
preparation of Lieder, as well as study of the
German language.
JUNE 5 - 26, 2016
Grow as a singing performer with daily
private voice lessons and coachings. Program
culminates in two public performances.
MAY 16 - JUNE 7, 2016
Study the artistry of conducting at one of the
finest conducting programs in the world with an
acclaimed choir and world renowned faculty.
JULY 5 - 14, 2016
Language of Lieder
To learn more, visit
Voice Seminar
Choral Institute
www.rider.edu/abroadwestminster
or call 609-924-7416
Competitions
Age Limit: 32
Website: www.operaliacompetition.org/
competition/guidelines
NEW 2017 Paris Opera Competition - Mozart
Awards - New York, NY
Sponsored By: Mozart Awards
Competition Date: Mar 5-6, ‘16
Age Limit: 34
Website: www.mozartawards.org
Classical Idol Vocal Competition - Rochester, NY
Sponsored By: Rochester Oratorio Society
Age Limit: 35
Website: http://rossings.org/classical-idol/
application-details/
Cooper-Bing International Vocal Competition Columbus, OH
Sponsored By: Opera Columbus
Competition Date: Apr 30-May 1, ‘16
Age Limit: 35
Website: http://operacolumbus.org/
Website: www.accademia-belcanto.com
Marcella Kochanska Sembrich Vocal
Competition 2016 - VA
Sponsored By: American Council for Polish
Culture
Age Limit: 35
Website: www.polishcultureacpc.org/sembrich/
Sembrich_2016.html
Opera Birmingham Vocal Competition Birmingham, AL
Sponsored By: Opera Birmingham
Competition Date: May 14-15, ‘16
Age Limit: 35
Website: www.operabirmingham.org/
contestant-information/
Age 40 and Under
2016 Heafner/Williams Vocal Competition Lincolnton, NC
Sponsored By: Heafner Williams Vocal Competition
Competition Date: Mar 19-20, ‘16
Age Limit: 40
NEW International Voice Competition of the
Website: http://heafnerwilliamsvocalcompetition.
Accademia Belcanto - Graz, Austria
com/
Sponsored By: Accademia Belcanto
3 Quater-page
Competitionads.qxp_DuPont
Date: Sep 4-6 & 8, 1/6/16
‘16
4:00 PM Page 1
2016 Violetta DuPont
Vocal Competition
Opera At Florham
Fairleigh Dickinson University / Madison NJ
In Collaboration with
The Gerda Lissner Foundation
15 East 65th Street, NewYork, NY 10065
PRELIMINARIES:
April 18, 19 & 20, 2016 from 11:00AM to 5:00PM
held at
The Kosciuszko Foundation
FINALS:
Sunday April 24, 2016 at 3PM
held at
Lenfell Hall, Fairleigh Dickinson University
285 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
First Prize: $ 5,000 Second Prize: $ 3,000
Third Prize: $ 1,500
Email Applications preferred and must be received no later than
March 31, 2016, 5:00PM EST
For more information and Application Form please email to:
mail@gerdalissner.org
2016 Lyndon Woodside Oratorio Solo
Competition - New York City, NY
Sponsored By: Oratorio Society of New York
Competition Date: Feb 1, Apr 2 & 9, ‘16
Age Limit: 40
Website: www.oratoriosocietyofny.org/solo.
html?utm_source=classicalsinger
The Respighi Prize - New York, NY
Sponsored By: Chamber Chorus of New York
Age Limit: 40
Website: http://chamberorchestraofnewyork.
org/the-respighi-prize/
Appl Deadline: Jun 30, ‘16
Age 45 and Under
2016 International Vocal Competition-Wagner
Division - New York City, NY
Sponsored By: Gerda Lissner Foundation
Age Limit: 45
Website: www.gerdalissner.org/competition/
THE
GERDA LISSNER FOUNDATION
INTERNATIONAL VOCAL COMPETITION 201 6
IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE LIEDERKRANZ FOUNDATION
The Gerda Lissner Foundation was created to provide young opera singers with the
ﬁnancial support they need to pursue their craft and excel in the world of opera.
Winners of the International Vocal Competition are granted awards ranging
from $1,000 to $15,000 based upon placement in the competition,
and are judged by a panel comprised of prestigious professionals in the music world.
A total of $175,000 will be awarded in the 2016 competition.
NO FEE TO ENTER
The competition is divided into two parts:
ThE GENErAL DIVISIoN (open to singers ages 21-35)
Monday, March 28 through Thursday, March 31 with the Finals on Saturday, April 2, 2016.
ToP PrIZE: $15,000 sponsored by the LIEDErKrANZ FoUNDATIoN
FIrST PrIZE: $10,000
SECoND PrIZE: $5,000
ThIrD PrIZE: $3,000
GrANT: $2,000
ENCoUrAGEMENT: $1,000
ThE WAGNErIAN DIVISIoN (open to singers ages 30-45)
Friday, April 1 with the Finals on Saturday, April 2, 2016.
ToP PrIZE: $15,000 sponsored by the LIEDErKrANZ FoUNDATIoN
FIrST PrIZE: $10,000
SECoND PrIZE: $5,000
ThIrD PrIZE: $3,000
GrANT: $2,000
ENCoUrAGEMENT: $1,000
Application forms must be received by March 4, 2016, 5PM EST.
The competition will take place at the Liederkranz Foundation, 6 East 87th Street, New York City.
For information regarding our application process, please visit our web site at: www.gerdalissner.org
The Gerda Lissner Foundation, 15 East 65th Street, NY, NY 10065
Tel: 212.826.6100 Fax: 212.826.0366
mail@gerdalissner.org
Vocal
Competition
classical and musical theatre
$16,000
in Cash Prizes
$2,000,000
in Scholarships
High School, University, Young Artist,
and Emerging Professional Divisions
No Age Limits and $3,000 First Place Prize
Compete in the First Round live or online,
December 4 - May 26.
Qualified singers advance to the
Second Round at the Classical Singer
Convention in Boston, May 27-29, 2016.
Use the discount Code magazine
to save $20 off registration
Sponsored by
www.ClassicalSinger.com/vocalcompetition

The Road Is Home - Classical Singer

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