Competition 411

Welcome! The 2025 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition will be held in New York City May 12-17, 2025. The application deadline has passed, but below are the competition details.

2025 AWARDS  Grant awards for the Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition are:

• First place - $15,000

• Second place - $10,000

• Facing Forward award - $10,000 New! In honor of our 25th competition, the Jensen Foundation will make a special award to the finalist giving the finest performance of a 21st-century aria. Read more here.

• Third place - $7,500

• Munday Encouragement Award - $3,000 and automatic entry into the 2026 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition

• Remaining finalists - $750

2025 ELIGIBILITY To be eligible to compete, singers:

• must not have been a previous first-, second-, or third-place award winner of the Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition;

• must be a permanent legal resident of the United States for at least one year on the first day of the competition, May 12, 2025;

• must be at least 25 years old by the first day of the competition, May 12, 2025, and no older than 35 years at the competition’s end, May 17, 2025;

• must not have been a past or current recipient of a contract for a principal role with an OPERA America Budget Level I company or its international equivalent. Cover, chorus, and comprimario roles with Level 1 companies are acceptable.

• must submit a completed application online by the deadline of Sunday, March 16, 2025.

2025 APPLICATION FEE $25, non-refundable. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED In addition to completing the application on Yaptracker, each applicant must:

• be a legal resident of the United States. As proof of residency, applicant must submit a copy of a U.S. passport valid through May 18, 2025; a permanent resident (green) card valid through May 18, 2025; or a U.S. birth certificate;

• provide an up-to-date resume showing opera roles and dates of performances;

• provide a high-resolution digital headshot;

• pay a $25 application fee (non-refundable).

APPLICATION PROCESSING Singers apply to compete by submitting an online application via Yaptracker. We ask applicants to prepare five operatic arias: one in Italian, one in French, one in German, one in English, and a fifth in the language of their choice. At least one of the five arias must have been composed after 2000 (a change in 2025). We’ve compiled this partial list of operas composed after 2000, for those in need of confirmation! Oratorio and musical theater selections are not permitted.

PRELIMINARY-ROUND AUDITION SCHEDULING Jensen Foundation staff evaluate all applications, and selected singers are scheduled for Preliminary Round auditions Monday, May 12, 2025 through Thursday, May 15, 2025. All auditions are in-person at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York City. Auditioners may opt to use the Jensen Foundation’s professional accompanist or bring their own.

FINALS COMPETITION The Finals Competition take place in-person from noon to 5 PM on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center. The Finals Competition is free and open to the public.

Grant winners are announced at the end of the Finals Competition, and finals judges provide feedback to finalists immediately following the competition. Grant awards are mailed to finalists the week following the competition.