News

Lisa Gray 2/21/17 Lisa Gray 2/21/17

2017 Competition 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 2017 Competition: Jonathan Kelly and Dan Franklin Smith.

Jonathan Kelly is an assistant conductor at The Metropolitan Opera. He has worked in a similar capacity at the San Francisco Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Opera Theater of Lucca, and the Chautauqua Institution. Frequently seen in concert, Mr. Kelly has appeared with many of today’s leading performers, including Elina Garanča, Susan Graham, Hei-Kyung Hong, Ana María Martínez, Anna Netrebko, Ramon Vargas, and Rolando Villazon. Formerly a lecturer at Yale University, he is now a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music. Mr. Kelly graduated summa cum laude from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and continued his studies at the Manhattan School of Music. He will accompany Jensen singers on Monday and Tuesday, May 15-16.

Dan Franklin Smith is a vocal coach and collaborative pianist based in New York City. He served for 10 years as Music Director and recital soloist with the international festival Elysium: Between-Two-Continents, performing in Europe and the United States. Mr. Smith graduated as a piano major from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. To learn more, visit his website. Mr. Smith will accompany Jensen singers on Wednesday and Thursday, May 17-18, and on the Finals Day, Saturday, May 20.

Lisa Gray 1/9/17 Lisa Gray 1/9/17

Jensen Foundation Now Accepting Applications for its 2017 Vocal Competition

The Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Foundation is now accepting online applications for the 2017 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition to be held May 15-20, 2017 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 $40,000 in award money.

The Foundation expects 110 singers to audition for the chance to sing in the final competition on Saturday, May 20, 2017 and compete for these awards:

First place - $15,000
Second place - $10,000
Third place - $7,500
Munday Encouragement Award - $3,000 and automatic entry in the 2018 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition
All remaining finalists receive $750.

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

must NOT be a previous first-, second-, or third-place award winner of the Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition;
must be a permanent legal resident of the United States for at least one year prior to May 15, 2017;
must be between the ages of 25 and 35 as of May 15, 2017;
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.

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 19, 2017.

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, young singers have received more than a $540,000 in support.

Lisa Gray 5/22/16 Lisa Gray 5/22/16

Bass Adam Lau Wins 17th Annual Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition

On Saturday, May 21, 2016, the Jensen Foundation awarded bass Adam Lau First Place in the 17th annual Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition. For the final day of the competition, Mr. Lau performed “O beauty, O handsomeness, goodness” (Claggart’s Aria) from Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd and “Quand la flamme de l'amour” from La jolie fille de Perth by Georges Bizet. Mr. Lau received $15,000. Finals judges Susan Ashbaker, Peter Carwell, and James Morris chose Mr. Lau from a field of fifteen finalists.

"Getting to sing Claggart's aria for James Morris, the Met's first Claggart, is an experience I will never forget," said Mr. Lau of his finals performance. "He's a living legend in the opera world, and it was such an honor meeting him. Thank you Jensen Foundation for making this possible!"

Mr. Lau received his Master of Music degree from the Shepherd School at Rice University and his undergraduate degree in Music Vocal Performance from Whitman College. He has participated in young artist programs at the Music Academy of the West, the Aspen Opera Theater Center, the Merola Opera Program, Florida Grand Opera, and Santa Fe Opera. He has been recognized in several other competitions, including winning the 2015 George London Foundation Vocal Competition.

Other 2016 Jensen award winners were mezzo-soprano Allegra de Vita (Second Award Winner - $10,000), soprano Rachel Schutz ($7,500), and soprano Megan Barrera (Munday Encouragement Award Winner - $3,000). Additional finalists who performed in the 2016 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition were:

These singers distinguished themselves from a field of 97 auditioners and 240 applicants. Judges for the 2016 Finals were Susan Ashbaker, Peter Carwell, and James Morris. (Read their bios.) Judges for the Preliminary Rounds, held Monday-Thursday, were Jensen Foundation Trustees Jane Pardue, Ben Leaptrott, and Oliver Worthington.

About the 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, 114 singers have received more than $543,000 in support. To learn more, visit jensenfoundation.org.

Lisa Gray 5/20/16 Lisa Gray 5/20/16

Finalists Announced for the 2016 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition

The Jensen Foundation today announced the fifteen finalists who will compete in the 2016 Jensen Competition for more than $36,000 in awards.

POSTED MAY 20, 2016 – NEW YORK, NY – After four days of preliminary auditions this week, finalists to the 2016 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition have been announced. They are:

The Finals of the 2016 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition will be held Saturday, May 21st at 1 PM 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.

Two hundred forty singers applied to perform in the 2016 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition. More than 100 singers were granted auditions, and these fifteen finalists were selected. They will compete for more than $35,000 in prize winnings, including:
• $3,000 for the Munday Encouragement Award winner
• $7,500 for the Third Place Winner
• $10,000 for the Second Place Winner
• $15,000 for the First Place Winner

The Jensen Foundation has assembled a distinguished roster of judges for the 2016 Finals Competition:
Susan Shiplett Ashbaker is the General Director of Tri-Cities Opera and served previously as Director of Artistic and Music Administration with the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Since 2005 she has been Artistic Advisor and a Master Vocal Coach for The CoOPERAtive Program at Westminster Choir College.

James Morris is world famous for his performances in opera, concert, recital, and recording. In the 2015-16 season, Mr. Morris starred at the Metropolitan Opera as Scarpia in Tosca, as Timur in Turandot, and as Lodovico in the new production of Otello. Recent concert performances have included Hans Sachs’s monologues from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and in Rossini’s rarely-heard Moïse et Pharaon in the title role of Moïse with the Collegiate Chorale at Carnegie Hall.

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, 115 singers have received more than $535,000 in support.

Lisa Gray 5/3/16 Lisa Gray 5/3/16

Meet our 2016 Finals Judges

The Jensen Foundation is pleased to announce the slate of Finals Judges for its 2016 Vocal Competition, to be held at 1 PM on Saturday, May 21 2016 in Engelman Recital Hall at New York City's Baruch Performing Arts Center.

Recently appointed General Director for Tri-Cities Opera, Susan Shiplett Ashbaker has 30+ years’ experience in the performing arts. Previously, Ms. Ashbaker served as Director of Artistic and Music Administration with the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and as assistant conductor and vocal coach with the New York City Opera, European Center for Opera and Vocal Arts (Belgium), International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv and Montreal, Theater am Goetheplatz (Bremen, Germany), and the Academy of Vocal Arts. She was on the faculty of The Curtis Institute of Music from 1993-2010, and since 2005 has been Artistic Advisor and a Master Vocal Coach for The CoOPERAtive Program at Westminster Choir College, a program designed to help young singers prepare for advanced young artist or summer apprentice programs. Ms. Ashbaker trained at Southern Illinois University, l’Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris, and received a second Master’s degree in vocal accompanying/coaching from University of Illinois.

Peter Carwell is the Executive Director of the Richard Tucker Music Foundation where he oversees the Foundation’s Auditions and Awards Program, as well as the artistic programming of the Foundation’s annual Richard Tucker Gala, numerous community concerts, and master classes. Mr. Carwell has held roles at the New York City Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Jewish Museum, as well as acting as a consultant for Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival. A graduate of Wesleyan University, he is a native of Washington, D.C.

Legendary bass-baritone James Morris is world famous for his performances in opera, concert, recital, and recording. With a repertoire including works by Wagner, Verdi, Puccini, Offenbach, Stravinsky, Mussorgsky, Mozart, Gounod, and Britten, Mr. Morris has performed in virtually every international opera house. Considered one of the great interpreters of the role of Wotan in Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, Mr. Morris has appeared in this role at the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Bavarian State Opera Munich, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, and many others. Mr. Morris returned to the Metropolitan Opera in the 2015-2016 season as Scarpia in Tosca, as Timur in Turandot, and as Lodovico in the new production of Otello. Recent concert performances have included Hans Sachs’s monologues from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and in Rossini’s rarely-heard Moïse et Pharaon in the title role of Moïse with the Collegiate Chorale at Carnegie Hall. Born and educated in Baltimore, Maryland, Mr. Morris studied at the Peabody Conservatory and the Philadelphia Academy of Vocal Arts.