Finalists Announced for the 2015 Jensen Competition

POSTED MAY 22, 2015 – NEW YORK, NY – After four days of preliminary auditions this week, finalists to the 2015 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition have been announced. They are:

Rachel Arky | Mezzo-Soprano
John Brancy | Baritone
J'nai Bridges | Mezzo-Soprano
Carolina Castells | Soprano
Lisa Chavez | Mezzo-Soprano
Allegra De Vita | Mezzo-Soprano
Katrina Galka | Soprano
Phoenix Gayles | Soprano
Geoffrey Hoos | Baritone
Samantha Malk | Mezzo-Soprano
Nathan Milholin | Bass-Baritone
Amanda Opuszynski | Soprano
Rexford Tester | Tenor
Ariana Wehr | Soprano
Christopher Yoon | Tenor

The Finals of the 2015 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition will be held Saturday, May 23rd at 11 AM at Engelman Recital Hall, Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue, New York. The event is free and open to the public, and the winners will be named at the conclusion of the event.

More than 270 singers applied to perform in the 2015 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition. One hundred twenty-five singers were heard, and these fifteen finalists were selected. They will compete for more than $36,000 in prize winnings, including:

•    $3,000 for the Munday Encouragement Award winner
•    $7,500 for the Third Prize Winner
•    $10,000 for the Second Place Winner
•    $15,000 for the First Prize Winner, plus participation in OPERA America’s 2016 Emerging Artist Recital Series in NYC

The Jensen Foundation has assembled a distinguished roster of judges for the 2015 Finals Competition. 

• Ken Benson, CEO of Ken Benson Artists, and previously Vice-President of Columbia Artists Management. He is a Vocal Consultant at Juilliard, and he regularly gives classes and consultations at Yale, UCLA, Mannes, Manhattan School of Music, Boston Conservatory, DePaul, Roosevelt, and Indiana Universities.
• Peter Russell, General Director of Vocal Arts DC in Washington, DC. He previously served as General Director of Wolf Trap Opera Company and the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. Peter is a frequent guest lecturer for Georgetown University’s Continuing Education Series.
• Diana Soviero is one of the most recognized American opera singers of the twentieth century, a compelling interpreter of the verismo repertoire. She now gives private lessons in her Manhattan Studio and Master Classes across the country. Diana has been awarded the Voice Education Research Award from The Voice Foundation, a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Giulio Gari Foundation and a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Gerda Lissner Foundation.

About the Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Foundation
Fritz and Lavinia Jensen were lifelong supporters of the arts who benefited many musicians and musical organizations during their lives. The Jensen Foundation is dedicated to continuing their philanthropic vision of support for the musical arts. The centerpiece of the Foundation’s efforts, the annual Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition, supports young artists pursuing a career in opera. Since the Competition’s inception in 2000, and including this year’s award winners, 99 singers have received more than $500,000 in support. To learn more, visit jensenfoundation.org.

2015 Audition Details

If you have a confirmed audition date and time for the 2015 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition, you already received this information in an email. But we post it here as well, just to keep it ever-accessible! Here are hopefully all the details any auditioner will need for the 2015 Competition:

What’s At Stake: The First Prize winner of the 2015 Jensen Foundation Vocal receives $15,000 and the opportunity to perform in OPERA America’s 2016 Emerging Artist Recital Series at The National Opera Center in New York, a live-streamed and recorded event. The Second Prize winner receives $10,000; Third Prize receives $7,500; an Encouragement Award winner receives $3,000 and automatic entry to the 2016 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition. All other finalists receive $750.

Audition Location: The 2015 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition auditions and Finals will be held in Engelman Recital Hall at Baruch Performing Arts Center (BPAC), located at 55 Lexington Avenue in New York City.  Please enter through the 24th Street entrance, as the 25th Street entrance will be closed. For bus or subway directions, visit the BPAC website.

Your Arrival Time: Please arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled audition. Dressing rooms are available. A warm-up space with piano is available but not private. 

You Must Bring With You:  
1.    3 copies of your current resume
2.    1 copy of your headshot
3.    Photocopies of the sheet music for your 6 listed arias, placed in a three-ring binder. No loose music, no stapled music, and no plastic sleeves! 

Your Aria List:  The judges will have a printed score sheet with your arias listed.    

Contacting The Competition Director:  During the audition rounds, email is our primary mode of contact, so please add Competition Director Lisa Gray's email address to your non-spam list:  lisa@jensenfoundation.org. In case of emergencies the week of the competition, please call Lisa at 704-641-4691 or email her.  

Audition Tips:  The judges encourage careful thought to the use of the stage and the demonstration of your dramatic skills during your audition.  Business or semi-formal attire for both the preliminary audition and the Finals are recommended.  

Are You A Finalist?  Finalists will be chosen Thursday evening, May 21, after the last audition has been heard. If you are a finalist, you will receive a call before 10 PM that evening. Please make sure you are available to receive our call! We must confirm your performance time for the final round on Saturday, May 23.  You MUST BE AVAILABLE on Saturday, May 23 from 10 AM to 4 PM.   

If You Are Not A Finalist: On Friday, you will receive an email confirming the list of finalists and encouraging you to attend the Finals. This event is free and open to the public. The Finals performances begin on Saturday, May 23 at 11 AM and are typically complete by 2 PM.  While the judges deliberate, we will have a short program for all attendees entitled “Financial Planning Tips for Starving Artists.” The awards ceremony will begin at approximately 2:30 PM, after which the Finals Judges will be available for a Question-and-Answer panel. 

Cancelling Your Audition:  If you are unable to audition, please contact Competition Director Lisa Gray immediately by email at lisa@jensenfoundation.org or by phone at 704-641-4691.  

Toi Toi Toi to all our 2015 singers!

2015 Accompanists Announced

Singers who participate in the Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition may bring their own accompanist or opt to use the professional accompanist provided free-of-charge by the Jensen Foundation. We are pleased to announce our acclaimed accompanists for the 2015 Competition: Joan Krueger and Dan Franklin Smith.

Joan Krueger serves on the faculty of Purchase College, teaching French and Italian diction and Operatic Styles. She is also on the faculty of Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance summer festival, the Westchester Summer Vocal Institute, and the Metropolitan International Music Festival. In addition to being in demand as a recital and competition pianist, Ms. Krueger maintains an active coaching studio in New York City. She received her M.M. from University of Michigan and her B.M. from Michigan State University. To learn more, visit her Purchase Opera bio. Ms. Krueger is scheduled to accompany Jensen singers on Monday, May 18; Tuesday, May 19; and Wednesday May 20.

Dan Franklin Smith is a vocal coach and collaborative pianist based in New York City. He serves as Music Director and recital soloist with the international festival, Elysium: Between Two Continents.  In addition to accompanying Jensen Foundation singers in May 2015, Mr. Smith has upcoming performances scheduled in Arizona, New Mexico, Berlin, Munich, Prague, and Stockholm. He graduated as a piano major from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. To learn more, visit his website. Mr. Smith is scheduled to accompany Jensen singers on Thursday, May 21 and on the Finals Day, Saturday, May 23.

2015 Finals Judges Announced

The Jensen Foundation is pleased to announce the slate of Finals Judges for its 2015 Vocal Competition.

Ken Benson is CEO of Ken Benson Artists and previously served for 25 years as Vice-President of Columbia Artists Management, Inc.,where his artists included Thomas Hampson, Aprile Millo, Jerry Hadley, Florence Quivar, Susanne Mentzer, Marcello Giordani, and Jamie Barton. He is a Vocal Consultant at Juilliard School of Music, and he regularly gives classes and consultations at Yale, UCLA, Mannes, Manhattan School of Music, Boston Conservatory, DePaul, Roosevelt, and Indiana Universities. Mr. Benson is a frequent lecturer on operatic subjects and contributes often to Opera News and Classical Singer magazine.  

Peter Russell assumed the artistic and administrative leadership of Vocal Arts DC in Washington, DC in March 2012. He previously served as General Director of Opera Colorado in Denver; as Director of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program; and as General Director of Wolf Trap Opera Company in Virginia. Mr. Russell is a frequent guest lecturer on opera for the Smithsonian Institution’s Resident Associates Program and for Georgetown University’s Continuing Education Series. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in music history from Yale University.

Diana Soviero is one of the most recognized American opera singers of the twentieth century, a compelling interpreter of the verismo repertoire. She is particularly renowned for her interpretations of Puccini’s heroines, as well as Violetta in La traviata, Nedda in Pagliacci, Margherita in Mefistofele, and Maddalena in Andrea Chenier. Her final stage appearance was as Mrs. Desrochers in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking at Baltimore Opera. Recently, Ms. Soviero has dedicated herself to teaching singers with the same passion that characterized her singing and acting career. She has taught many of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artists, giving both private lessons in her Manhattan Studio and Master Classes across the country. She has been awarded the V.E.R.A. (Voice Education Research Award) Award from The Voice Foundation, a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Giulio Gari Foundation and a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Gerda Lissner Foundation.

Applications Now Being Accepted for 2015 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition

POSTED January 20, 2015 – Charlotte, NC – The Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Foundation is now accepting online applications for the 2015 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition to be held May 18-23, 2015 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York City. Opera professionals who are 25-35 years of age can compete for their share of more than $36,000 in prize money.

“We’ve added an exciting new component to the first prize award this year,” explains Jane Pardue, Jensen Foundation President. “In addition to receiving the significant cash prize of $15,000, our First Prize winner will perform in OPERA America’s 2016 Emerging Artist Recital Series at The National Opera Center in New York. This live-streamed and recorded event is the perfect showcase for a promising young singer who deserves to be better known throughout the broad opera community.”

The Foundation expects 125 singers to audition for the chance to sing in the final competition on Saturday, May 23, 2015 and compete for these awards:

• First place - $15,000 + participation in OPERA America's Emerging Artist Recital Series in NYC
• Second place - $10,000
• Third place - $7,500
• Munday Encouragement Award - $3,000 and automatic entry into the 2016 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition
• All remaining finalists will receive $750.

The Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition is open to opera singers who meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. Will be 25-35 years of age on the first day of the 2015 competition, May 18;
2. Will have been a permanent legal resident of the United States for at least one year prior to May 18, 2015;
3. Can demonstrate the active pursuit of a career in opera;
4. Will not be a past or current recipient of a contract with an OPERA American Budget Level I company or its international equivalent.

Singers can learn more about the competition at the Jensen Foundation website and complete an online application at Yaptracker.com. The deadline for entry is Sunday, March 15, 2015.