Contributed by the Kalamazoo Bach Festival
*Headline image: Elizabeth Kim, High School Division First Place
UPCOMING EVENT: KALAMAZO BACH FESTIVAL WEEK – June 1 to 9, 2018
Feast or Famine –Opening Concert, Saturday, June 2, Chenery Auditorium, 8 pm; pre-concert talk at 7 pm
Bach Rocks – The Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet, Wednesday, June 6, Light Fine Arts Bldg., Kalamazoo College, 7:30 pm
Breaking Barriers with Bach – Baroque Meets Celtic, Friday June 8, 2018, 7:30 pm, Light Fine Arts Bldg., Kalamazoo College
Season Finale – The Merling Trio and Guest Artists, Saturday, June 9, 2018, 7:30 pm, Light Fine Arts Bldg., Kalamazoo College
Get Tickets PLUS 8 FREE EVENTS!! Bach Festival Week details here
KALAMAZOO (MICH.)-The most promising college and high school singers from the Midwest recently competed at the annual Kalamazoo Bach Festival Young Vocalists Competition at Kalamazoo College. Ten of the competitors were showcased in the Young Vocalists Concert on April 15 at Kalamazoo College Light Fine Arts Center. The purpose of the competition and concert was to support and encourage the study and performance of vocal music.
The winners performed one or two selections accompanied by piano at the Young Vocalists Concert. Hayley Girard, First Place winner in the College Division sang I feed a flame within, from “Love and Time” by Madeleine Dring and Ночью в саду у меня (In My Garden at Night)by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Elizabeth Kim, First Place winner in the High School Division, performed Philosophy by Roger Quilter and Tornami a vagheggiar by. G.F. Handel
Judges for the College Division competition were Dr. Timothy Cheek, Associate Professor of Performing Arts/Vocal Arts at the University of Michigan School of Music, and Deborah Mayer, Voice Faculty at Notre Dame University. Judging the High School Division was Dr. Chris Ludwa, Bach Festival Music Director and Conductor, and Professor of Music and Director of Vocal and Choral Activities, Kalamazoo College.
YOUNG VOCALISTS WINNERS CONCERT:
The winners of the competition were showcased in the Young Vocalists Concert. They received their cash prizes at the free recital and a reception to meet the vocalists will follow.
THE WINNERS ARE:
COLLEGE DIVISION:
First Place: Hayley Girard, soprano, attends Western Michigan University and studies voice with Dr. Karen Kness. Girard’s hometown is Coloma, Michigan.
Second Place: Mary Buckingham, soprano, attends DePauw University and studies voice with Caroline Smith. Buckingham’s hometown is Annapolis, Maryland.
Third Place: Edward Nunoo, bass, attends University of Michigan and studies voice with Daniel Washington. Nunoo’s hometown is Oakland, California.
Honorable Mention: Maria Simaz, soprano, attends Grand Valley State University and studies voice with Dale Schriemer. Simaz’s hometown is Traverse City, Michigan.
Honorable Mention: Travis Williams, tenor, attends Western Michigan University and studies voice with Dr. Karen Kness. Williams’s hometown is Lansing, Michigan.
Honorable Mention: Sounak “Raj” Das, tenor, attends University of Michigan and studies voice with Stephen West. Das’s hometown is Atlanta, Georgia.
Honorable Mention: Isaac James, baritone, attends Western Michigan University and studies voice with Dr. Karen Kness. James’s hometown is Niles, Michigan.
HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION:
First Place: Elizabeth Kim, soprano, attends Huron High School in Ypsilanti, Michigan and studies voice with Meeae Nam.
Second Place: Grace Metheany, mezzo-soprano, attends Portage Central High School in Portage, Michigan and studies voice with Cindy Hunter.
Third Place: ShayLynn Lotter, mezzo-soprano, attends E.A. Johnson Memorial High School, Mt. Morris, Michigan and studies voice with Dr. Joshua May. Lotter’s hometown is Clio, Michigan.
For information about all of the Kalamazoo Bach Festival’s concerts, events, and educational outreach programs, visit http://www.kalamazoobachfestival.org/ or call 269-337-7407.
Young Vocalists Winners Recital – Winners and Repertoire:
College Division:
Hayley Girard, Soprano First Place, College Division
I feed a flame within, from “Love and Time” Madeleine Dring
Ночью в саду у меня (In My Garden at Night) Sergei Rachmaninoff
Mary Buckingham, Soprano Second Place, College Division
Pippa’s Song Ned Rorem
V’adoro pupille, from “Giulio Cesare” G.F. Handel
Edward Nunoo, Bass Third Place, College Division
Litany, from “Shadow of the Blues” John Musto
Letzte Hoffnung, from “Winterreise” Franz Schubert
Maria Simaz, Soprano Honorable Mention, College Division
The Metropolitan Tower Lori Laitman
Travis Williams, Tenor Honorable Mention, College Division
Long Time Ago, from “Old American Songs” Aaron Copland
Sounak “Raj” Das, Tenor Honorable Mention, College Division
Ah, mes amis!, from “La fille du regiment” Gaetano Donizetti
Isaac James, Baritone Honorable Mention, College Division
The Foggy, Foggy Dew Benjamin Britten
High School Division:
Elizabeth Kim, Soprano First Place, High School Division
Love’s Philosophy Roger Quilter
Tornami a vagheggiar G.F. Handel
Grace Metheany, Mezzo-soprano Second Place, High School Division
All My Trials Ruth E. Schram, arr.
Star Vicino unknown composer
ShayLynn Lotter, Mezzo-soprano Third Place, High School Division
Into the Night Clara Edwards
Chi vuol la zingarella Giovanna Paisiello