Competition 411

Welcome! The 2026 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition will be held in New York City May 18-23, 2026. The application to compete goes live on Yaptracker in early January 2026, and the application deadline is Sunday, March 15, 2026.

Below are the eligibility requirements in effect for the 2026 Competion. To receive early notice of Jensen Competition information, join our e-news list.

2026 AWARDS  Grant awards for the Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition are:

• First place - $15,000

• Second place - $10,000

• Facing Forward award - $10,000 for the finest performance of a 21st-century aria

• Third place - $7,500

• Munday Encouragement Award - $3,000 and automatic entry into the 2027 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition

• Remaining finalists - $750

2026 ELIGIBILITY To be eligible to compete, singers:

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

• must have been a permanent legal resident of the United States for at least one year on the first day of the competition, May 18, 2026;

• must be at least 25 years old by the first day of the competition, May 18, 2026, and no older than 35 years at the competition’s end, May 23, 2026;

• must not be 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 15, 2026.

2026 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, each applicant must submit a copy of a U.S. passport valid through May 23, 2026; a permanent resident (green) card valid through May 23, 2026; 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. 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 evaluates all applications, and selected singers are scheduled for Preliminary-Round auditions Monday, May 18, 2026 through Thursday, May 21, 2026. 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 takes place in-person from noon to 5 PM on Saturday, May 23, 2026 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center. The Finals Competition is free and open to the public. Read about the 2025 results!

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