Welcome to New York Vocal Artists

New York Vocal Artists is proud to announce our Eighth Annual 2002 New Millennium Vocal Competition, to be held in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall in a series of four concerts during 2002 (see dates below). Our cash prizes this year include a $1500 First Prize, $1000 Second Prize, and a $500 Third Prize. These prizes may increase as additional funding becomes available. $4000 in performing scholarships will be awarded as well. Auditions for this year's Finals were scheduled for September 28, 2002. Our Finals round now will take place in CAMI Hall at 8PM on Tuesday, November 12, 2002

Eight of the contestants in our December 9, 2001 Finals Gala were acclaimed by our Vocal Competition Advisory Board for their performances. Cash Prizes were awarded to: Tamara Haskin (First Prize: $1750), who was recently featured in the title roles of Aida and Tosca in poductions with Minnesota Opera; she appeared as Bess in New York City Opera's Spring 2002 production of Porgy and Bess; Lisa Dalturus (Second Prize $750), who began her career under the baton of Leonard Bernstein in Carnegie Hall, and has appeared with the Philadelphia Lyric Opera as Santuzza, Cio-Cio San, Amelia in Verdi's Un ballo in Maschera, and Leonora in Verdi's Forza, is now appearing with Vincent LaSelva's New York Grand Opera as Tosca in Central Park on July 31st; Third Prize ($500) was shared by Jong Mee Lee, having an established career in leading roles with the Bolshoi Opera and other Russian companies, who has now acquired American representation and intends to pursue career ambitions in the West, and Virginia Herrera. In addition, Honorable Mention certificates were awarded to soprano Lyndee White, mezzo Anna Hurwitz, tenor Jeffrey Woodard, and baritone Brace Negron.

Many fine singers auditioned for our 2001 New Millennium Vocal Competition, including semifinalists William Lagundino and Christopher Carrico who have been engaged recently by New York City Opera for appearances during their forthcoming season (2001-2002). Korean soprano Jong Mee Lee, star of the famed Bolshoi Opera, made her Carnegie Hall debut with NYVA in June, portraying Violetta, Lucia, and Rosina. Ms Lee has been performing leading roles with the Bolshoi and other leading Russian companies for nearly ten years. Millennium Winner Carla Speziale recently appeared as Rosina in the Utah Festival production of Rossini's Barber to critical acclaim, after several years of successful appearances in leading roles in the Teatro de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. "Our audience continues their enthusiastic support of our fine young artists by attending our concerts heavily and by their donations!" Declared Mr. Douglas recently. "We are extremely grateful to them for allowing us to continue our mission." This years' Winners were again be awarded the cash prizes offered above, along with continuing invitations to appear with us in Weill Hall as Special Guest Artists this coming Spring (See dates below.). Whenever appropriate, Competition winners will also be brought to the attention of leading New York opera companies and management.

NYVA was founded in 1992 to fulfill the need of aspiring opera singers to prepare their roles under professional guidance, and to perform them before a discerning audience in a venue worthy of their talent. Joann Grillo, former director of The Ambassadors of Opera and Concert Worldwide, whose international career included 25 years at the Metropolitan Opera, expressed her enthusiastic support of NYVA's productions: "I firmly believe in what you're doing. Your conducting was clear and sensitive to the singers' needs." Mr. Douglas has studied conducting privately and at Juilliard with Maestro Vincent La Selva of the New York City and New York Grand Operas, and he offers expert guidance based on his own experience as a singer and conductor. "One must be careful to extend a young singer's possibilities," he believes, "but not to the extent of making him sing inappropriate repertory, or roles for which he is not ready."

Our previous competition winners have gone on to successful careers in their chosen profession. In that same year, after winning Fourth Prize in our competition, mezzo Mia McCauley was engaged by New York City Opera for roles in Lady Macbeth, L'Italiana in Algeri, Emmeline, and other productions. Ashtan Luke won a scholarship from the 1997 Jerome Hines OMTI Vocal Competition, and has recently been appointed Professor of Voice at Wesleyan University. 1996 winner Suzanne Galer continues her active singing career throughout the Midwest, when her duties as Professor of Voice at Indiana Wesleyan University allow. Our 1998 First Prize Winner, Camille Kowash, is now appearing with the Chicago Opera during its current season. 1999 Winner Oleksandra Hrabova recently prepared the role of Lucia di Lammermoor with Renata Scotto for her appearances in the Spring 2000 season with DiCapo Opera, and is now appearing with Chicago Opera this season, along with Milennium Semifinalist baritone Marco Nistico. Shannah Timms appeared as Baby Doe with the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey, followed closely by her debut in the New Jersey State Theater, and she is now appearing as Frasquita in the current New York City Opera production of Carmen. 1999 First Prize Winner Gail Sullivan toured Abu Dhabi and neighboring countries this past Summer and will be returning to northern Africa shortly. She is now preparing for her upcoming audition for the Metropolitan Opera. Millennium Finalists Christopher Carrico and William Lagundino have been engaged by NYCO for their current season in Lincoln Center.

NYVA is pleased to present our 2001 New Millennium Competition Semifinalists online at: http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/278/new_york_vocal_artists.html. These digital recordings were recorded, edited and mastered under the direction of our music director, Brian Douglas. Please click on the link above to hear our fine contestants. We will be paid a small amount each time you listen, so please support our cause. We recommend using Realplayer on the site, since we have had trouble with Windows Media Player. You will need to download one of the players (they are both available on www.mp3.com) in order to listen to our fine artists. After clicking on Play All Tracks, please use your back button to return to nyva.org.

New York Vocal Artists is pleased to announce our Sixth Annual Millennium Vocal Competition Winners. First Prize of $1000 was awarded by our panel to coloratura soprano Iris Fairfax, who, aside from her active singing career throughout the U. S. has been a winner of awards from the Liederkranz Foundation, the Bel Canto Foundation, the Pro-Arts Society, and the Leontine Price competitions. Second Prize of $300 was awarded to Rossini mezzo Carla Speziale, who has been a prize winner in the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation International Vocal Competition, the XXX International Vincenzo Bellini Competition in Italy, the Queens Opera Competition, the DiCapo Opera Competition, and the VIII Carlo Morelli Competition in her native Mexico City. Carla has also been a featured soloist with La Ecurie et la Chambre du Roi in France, Spain, and Portugal under the baton of Jean-Claude Malgoire, with whom she recorded a CD of Mexican and French Baroque music. Third Prize ($200) was awarded to Lisa Daltirus, who is a leading artist with the Bel Canto Lyric Opera Company of Philadelphia, having appeared with that company as Santuzza, Cio-Cio San, Amelia in Verdi's Ballo in maschera, and Leonora in Verdi's La forza del destino. Lisa made her Carneigie Hall debut under the baton of Leonard Bernstein as soloist in his Chichester Psalms. Honorable Mentions were also awarded to Rachel Mondanaro, Heidi Moss, and Eun Joo Lee. Performing scholarships worth $5000 will also be shared by the winners.

NYVA is also proud to present our 1999 Fifth Annual Vocal Competition winners: FIRST PRIZE ($1000) was presented to dramatic soprano Gail Sullivan who, aside from her active singing career, is the co-author of Kein Angst Baby!-A Singers' Guide to German Auditions. SECOND PRIZE ($300) was awarded to Oleksandra Hrabova, who was recently praised by Opera News for her thrilling portrayal of Violetta with DiCapo Opera: "[Oleksandra Hrabova] looked, acted, and sounded the part with gripping sincerity...with the classy assurance of a Jarmila Novotnà...and the bright intensity of a Licia Albanese." THIRD PRIZE ($200) was awarded to Shannah Timms, who recently appeared as Marie in the NYCO National Company production of Donizetti's Daughter of the Regiment. Honorable Mentions were awarded to mezzo Heather Gray, baritone Adam Harris, and soprano Cheryl Warfield. All of the artists above will be featured during our upcoming New Millennium Season at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall.