In the last month the school of music experienced several vocal division successes.
On Friday, January 4, Larry Vincent and students from the opera program took first place in both the advanced and lower division Opera Scenes Competition at the National Opera Association’s national convention in Memphis. This is the most significant competition of its kind in the nation.
Competition finalists for division one included Stanford University, University of Montevallo, Missouri Western State University, Brigham Young University and Sam Houston State University. All performers in this division were between the ages of 18 to 23 (primarily undergraduates). Competition finalists for division two included Georgia State University, Emporia State University, Bowling Green State University, University of Alabama and Brigham Young University. Performers in this category were age 23 and older (mainly graduate students).
Performers were judged on their: musical style and accuracy, diction, vocal quality, basic stagecraft, individual characterization and ensemble interaction, and creative use of set, props, and costumes based on the competition limitations.
A video of the winning scenes will be available for viewing on the National Opera Association website after the January convention.
The second vocal success, took place on Saturday January 7 when BYU alumnus Jubal Joselyn was named one of two winners of the District Metropolitan Opera in Salt Lake City. Joselyn, student of Darrell Babidge, is a tenor and will compete on the regional level in Denver on January 29 at 2:00 p.m. in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.
Joselyn competed against 27 singers in the Libby Gardner Concert Hall on the University of Utah campus. He will now be competing for the chance to go to New York in March for the National Council Auditions Semi-Finals, which will be a closed competition on the Metropolitan Opera stage. Finalists from this competition will move on to the final competition where they will perform at the Grand Finals Concert once again on the Metropolitan Opera stage. Up to five singers will be selected as winners and will each receive a $15,000 prize and join the National Council Auditions’ alumni roster. The council has awarded many of the world’s leading singers, many of whom sing in Met performances throughout the opera season.
Our wishes are with Joselyn as he continues in the competition.
After taking first place in both division 1 and 2 competitions, BYU Opera Workshop students were presented in a special "Breakout Session" at the National Opera Association Convention with master teachers Richard Crittenden (Director of the Crittenden Opera Workshop) and Elizabeth Vrenios (president of NOA, Professor Emerita at American University). The students made a very strong impression, set excellent examples of being teachable, quick to respond, and certainly had that special BYU "spiritual glow" that is so present with our students. The NOA members commented to me personally how special they found our students, congratulated BYU on how well the students did, and wanted to know more about BYU - AND send their students to participate in our BYU Opera Program.
One of the students, Ross Coughanour, was also invited to participate in a class being held at the convention. He sang for a German/Diction Class and later received personal invitations to attend the Manhattan School of Music, and others - AND received graduate scholarships.
Opera America, one of the best national organizations of opera in our country, is interested in our BYU Opera Workshop joining them for their Grand Opening of their new facilities in New York City.
All of these events represent significant accomplishments for students in the Vocal Division. We congratulate all who were involved.
