Meet our 2025 Jensen Accompanists

When the Jensen Competition grants auditions, we offer singers the option to perform with professional accompanists we make available at no charge. Once again this year, we are privileged to welcome back two of New York’s finest collaborators!

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 Placido Domingo, Renée Fleming, 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. Jonathan will accompany singers scheduled to audition on Monday - Tuesday, May 12-13.

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. Dan will accompany singers scheduled to audition Wednesday-Thursday, May 14-15, and for the Finals Competition on Saturday, May 17.

More About the 2025 Jensen Competition

• Meet the Finals Judges

• Meet the Preliminary Judges

• Competition FAQ

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Jensen Competition Celebrates 25th Anniversary with New Singer Award

UPDATED MARCH 17, 2025 – The Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition is celebrating its 25th anniversary by offering a new award at its May competition: the $10,000 Facing Forward Award. Said Jensen President Dr. Oliver Worthington III, “The Jensen Foundation is proud to celebrate 25 years of supporting singers and the opera art form. To more deeply support Mrs. Jensen's love of opera, we're looking to the future (even as we celebrate our 25-year history), and that future is full of new works. Our Facing Forward Award will go to the 2025 Finalist who offers the best performance of an aria written in the 21st century. This award will be an addition to our First, Second, Third, and Encouragement Awards, so one singer could win as much as $25,000 this year.”

The 2025 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition takes place May 12-17, 2025, at Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York City. Judges will hear 100 singers in the preliminary round of auditions and choose twelve singers to compete in the Final Round of the competition at noon on Saturday, May 17.

Singers auditioning for the 2025 Jensen Competition will 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.

2025 Finalists compete for:

• First Place - $15,000

• Second Place - $10,000

• Facing Forward Award - $10,000

• Third Place - $7,500

• Munday Encouragement Award - $3,000

• Remaining finalists win $750

While the 2025 application window has closed, readers can learn about eligibility requirements here.

About the Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Foundation

The Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation, a Donor Advised Fund of Foundation For The Carolinas, was established by Lavinia Jensen in honor of her late husband, Fritz. Their lifelong love for the arts has benefited many musicians and musical organizations. The Foundation continues their philanthropic passion for the musical arts by supporting young artists pursuing a career in opera. The centerpiece of The Jensen Foundation’s work is the annual Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition. Since the Competition’s inception in 2000, 446 singers have received more than $930,000 in support.

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For Singers Looking for Operas Composed After 2000...

UPDATED May 27, 2025 — For the Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition, singers must offer one aria composed after 2000. As a jumpstart on that aria search, below is a non-definitive list of operas composed after 2000.

Special thanks to Mark Campbell for his invaluable assistance adding librettists to this list. And thanks to Deborah Brevoort, who alerts us to the Aria Access Project, a free hub of downloadable contemporary aria sheet music written by alumni of American Lyric Theater’s Composer Librettist Development Program. If you know of more 21st-century operas, composers, and librettists we should add to this list, please contact Jensen Competition Director Lisa V. Gray.

• 27, Gordon | Vavrek (2014)

• A Coffin in Egypt, Gordon | Foglia (2014)

• A Flowering Tree, Adams | Sellars and Adams (2006)

• A Metamorphosis, Christmas (2018)

• A Nearer Mother, Mack | McGuire (2022)

• A Pregnant Pause, Baxter | Rozsnyai (2024)

• A Wedding, Bolcom | Altman & Weinstein (2004)

• The Adventures of Pinocchio, Dove | Middleton (2007)

• After Life, Cipullo | Mason (2015)

• Ainadamar, Golijov | Hwang (2003)

• Alice, An Operatic Wonderland, Scurria | Corriher (2022)

• Alice in Wonderland, Chin | Whang and Chin (2004)

• The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Bates | Scheer (2024)

• An American Dream, Perla | Murphy-Moo (2015)

• An American Soldier, Ruo | Hwang (2018)

• Anna Hunter, Ching (2017)

• Anna Nicole, Turnage | Thomas (2011)

• Another City, Beck | Fleischmann (2023)

• Another Sunrise, Heggie | Scheer (2012)

• Arkhipov, Knell | Fleischmann (2022)

• As One, Kaminsky | Campbell and Reed (2014)

• At the Statue of Venus, Heggie | McNally (2005)

• Awakenings, Picker | Stollman (2022)

• Bastianello, Musto | Campbell (2008)

• Before Night Falls, Martin | Martin and Koch (2010)

• Bel Canto, López | Cruz (2015)

• Blind Injustice, Richards | Cote (2019)

• Blue, Tesori | Thompson (2019)

• Breaking the Waves, Mazzoli | Vavrek (2016)

• Castor and Patience, Spears | Smith (2022)

• Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, Schnyder | Wimberly (2015)

• Cold Mountain, Higdon | Scheer (2015)

• Cold Sassy Tree, Floyd (2000)

• The Companion, Paterson | Cote (2014)

• The Cows of Apollo, Theofanidis | Hoffman (2001)

• Crossing, Aucoin (2015)

• Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, Martinez | Foglia (2010)

• Dark Sisters, Muhly | Karam (2011)

• Dead Man Walking, Heggie | McNally (2000)

• Dinner at Eight, Bolcom | Campbell (2017)

• Dog Days, Little | Vavrek (2015)

• Dolores Claiborne, Picker | McClatchy (2013)

• Doctor Atomic, Adams | Sellars (2005)

• Dream of the Red Chamber, Sheng | Sheng and Hwang (2016)

• El Niño, Adams (2000)

• El último sueño de Frida y Diego, Frank | Cruz (2021)

• The Eleanors, Goble | Ching (2024)

• Elizabeth Cree, Puts | Campbell (2017)

• Elmer Gantry, Aldridge | Garfein (2007)

• Embedded, Soluri | Brevoort (2014)

• Empty the House, Orth | Campbell (2019)

• The Enchanted Pig, Dove | Middleton (2006)

• Escobar, Neri | Martinez (2017)

• Eurydice, Aucoin | Ruhl (2020)

• The Exterminating Angel, Adès | Cairns (2016)

• Factotum, Liverman | DJ King Rico (2023)

• The Falling and the Rising, Redler | Dye (2018)

• Fellow Travelers, Spears | Pierce (2007)

• Fire Shut Up in my Bones, Blanchard | Lemmons (2019)

• For a Look or a Touch, Heggie | Scheer (2007)

• Garden of the Finzi Continis, Gordon | Korie (2022)

• Glory Denied, Cipullo (2007)

• The Grapes of Wrath, Gordon | Korie (2007)

• Great Scott, Heggie | McNally (2015)

• Harriet Tubman: When I Crossed That Line to Freedom, Okoye (2014)

• Having Guests for Dinner, Bentz | Feng (2020)

• Home of my Ancestors, Okoye | Gonzalez (2017)

• The Hours, Puts | Pierce (2022)

• House of Orfeus, Ford | Ford (2024)

• House Without a Christmas Tree, Gordon | Vavrek (2017)

• I Have No Stories To Tell You, Beecher | Moscovitch (2014)

• If I Were You, Heggie | Scheer (2019)

• Il Postino, Catán (2010)

• The Impresario and the Dueling Divas, Christman (2021)

• The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace, Sankaram | Handel (2019)

• Intelligence, Heggie | Scheer (2023)

• Intimate Apparel, Gordon | Nottage (2020)

• Iron Road, Chan | Brownell (2001)

• It's A Wonderful Life, Heggie | Scheer (2016)

• JFK, Little | Vavrek (2016)

• John Brown, Mechem (2008)

• Josephine, Cipullo (2016)

• The Knock, Vrebalov | Brevoort (2021)

• Later the Same Evening, Musto | Campbell (2007)

• The Listeners, Mazzoli | Vavrek (2022)

• The Little Prince, Portman | Wright (2003)

• The Lord of Cries, Corigliano | Adamo (2021)

• Lucy, Cipullo (2009)

• Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadows, Allen (2022)

• Lysistrata, Adamo | Adamo (2006)

• M. Butterfly, Rho | Hwang (2022)

• Madeline Lee, Haddock | Campbell (2004)

• The Manchurian Candidate, Puts | Campbell (2015)

• Margaret Garner, Danielpour | Morrison (2005)

• Marnie, Muhly | Wright (2018)

• Mayo, Cipullo (2018)

• Medea, Reimann (2010)

• Moby-Dick, Heggie | Scheer (2010)

• Mother Goose, Jarrar (2019)

• Murasaki’s Moon, Wiancko | Brevoort (2019)

• Naga, Wheeler | Jacobs (2016)

• Old Man and the Sea, Prestini | Vavrek (2024)

• Omar, Giddens | Abels (2022)

• Oscar, Morrison | Morrison and Cox (2015)

• Our Town, Rorem | McClatchy (2006)

• Ours, Estacio | Chafe (2016)

• Out of Darkness (Two Remain), Heggie | Scheer (2016)

• Outside, Blaskie | Christenfeld (2019)

• Patience & Pearl, Jarrar | Goodwin (2016)

• Penny, Pew | Weinburg (2015)

• Plastic Flowers, MacDowell | MacDowell (2014)

• prisoner of the state, Lang (2019)

• Proving Up, Mazzoli | Vavrek (2018)

• Quamino’s Map, Wallen | Brevoort (2022)

• Rappahannock County, Gordon | Campbell (2011)

• Rattensturm, Wold (2018)

• Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt, Musto | Einhorn (2016)

• The Rift, Ruo | Hwang (2022)

• Rise for Freedom: The John P. Parker Story, Hailstork | Gonazlez (2007)

• The Rivals, Mechem (2011)

• Roscoe, Mack | McGuire (2014)

• Scalia/GInsburg, Wang | Wang (2014)

• Schiele in Prison, Schwartz | Comini (2025)

• Service Provider, Weiss | DeSantos (2015)

• Silent Night, Puts | Campbell (2011)

• Soldier Songs, Little | Little (2006)

• Song of the Nightingale, DeSpain | Tien (2023)

• The Song Poet, Hagen | Yang (2023)

• Speed Dating Tonight!, Ching (2013)

• Steal a Pencil for Me, Cohen | Brevoort (2018)

• Tabula Rasa, Jarrar | Goodwin (2018)

• Taking Up Serpents, Sankaram | Dye (2019)

• Tea: a mirror of soul, Dun | Ying (2002)

• The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Talbot | Scheer (2020)

• The Long Walk, Beck | Fleischmann (2015)

• The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, Bates | Campbell (2017)

• The Scarlet Letter, Laitman | Mason (2008)

• The Secret River, Sung | Campbell (2021)

• The Silk City, Santelli (2019)

• The Tell Tale Heart, Jarrar (2021)

• The Tempest, Adès | Oakes (2004)

• The Transformation of Jane Doe, Garrop | Dye (2020)

• Thérèse Raquin, Picker | Scheer (2001)

• Three Decembers, Heggie | Scheer (2008)

• Three Way, Paterson | Cote (2017)

• Thumbprint, Sankaram | Yankowitz (2014)

• To Hell and Back, Heggie | Scheer (2006)

• Touch, Lucero | Newirth (2024)

• Treemonisha (Reimagined), Sneed | Chilton (2023)

• Triangle, Solitro (2019)

• Triângulo, Bejerano | Manich (2024)

• Two Remain, Heggie | McNally (2016)

• Uncovered, Laitman | Lax (2020)

• We, The Innumerable, Nourbakhsh (2019)

• When Adonis Calls, Borzoni | DeSantos (2014)

• Written on Skin, Benjamin | Crimp (2012)

• The Yellow Wallpaper, Tobias (2019)

• you do not recognize the bodies in the water, Jarrar | Feng (2022)

• Zorro, Armienta (2022)

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Soprano Magdalena Kuźma Wins 2024 Jensen Competition

NEW YORK, NY – Today, the Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Foundation has awarded soprano Magdalena Kuźma First Place in the 24th annual Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition. For her arias, Ms. Kuźma performed “Ha! Dzieciątko nam umiera” from Moniuszko’s Halka and “Deh vieni, non tardar” from Le nozze di Figaro by Mozart. Ms. Kuźma receives $15,000 as first-place grant winner.

“It is such an honor to win First Place Grant Award in the Jensen Competition,” said Ms. Kuźma. “As I make the transition out of young artist programs, I look forward to using this grant money to fund further training and development in the form of coachings, lessons, and audition travel.”

Ms. Kuźma received her Master of Music Degree from Yale University, where she earned Valedictorian and the Dean’s Prize Award. She received a Bachelor of Music degree and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Neuroscience, both from Oberlin Conservatory & College. This summer, Ms. Kuźma makes her debut singing Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro at the Aspen Music Festival with Matthew Aucoin conducting. Learn more about Ms. Kuźma on her website.

The Jensen Foundation extends its congratulations to its additional 2024 Jensen award winners: soprano Brittany Olivia Logan (Second Place Grant Award Winner - $10,000), and soprano Midori Marsh (Third Place Grant Award Winner - $7,500). Bass-baritone Ben Brady and baritone Trevor Haumschilt-Rocha both received Munday Encouragement Grant Awards of $3,000.

These seven outstanding artists also advanced to the Finals Round of the 2024 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition:

• Katherine Beck, mezzo-soprano

• Benjamin Dickerson, baritone

• Meryl Dominguez, soprano

• Véronique Filloux, soprano

• Keely Futterer, soprano

• Daniel Moody, countertenor

• Esther Tonea, soprano

2024 Jensen Finalists and judges (L to R) - Daniel Moody, Benjamin Dickerson, Katie Beck, Keely Futterer, Meryl Dominguez, Esther Tonea, Judge Priti Gandhi, Judge Christian Capocaccia, Judy Cory Lippiello, Veronique Filloux, Brittany Olivia Logan, Midori Marsh, Magdalena Kuzma.

Second Row (L TO R): Ben Brady, Trevor Haumschilt-Rocha.

 Our 2024 Judges

The Jensen Foundation gratefully acknowledges the tireless work of its Preliminary Judges (soprano Kirsten Chambers, Ben Leaptrott, Jr. of Brenau University, and Dr. Oliver Worthington of Butler University), as well as its esteemed Finals Judges: Christian Capocaccia, Artistic and Music Director of Syracuse Opera and Tri-Cities Opera; Priti Gandhi, Associate Director of the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition; and Cory Lippiello, Director of Artistic Programs at Lyric Opera of Chicago.

About the Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Foundation

The Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation, a Donor-Advised Fund of Foundation For The Carolinas, was established by Lavinia Jensen in honor of her late husband, Fritz. Their lifelong love for the arts has benefited many musicians and musical organizations. The Foundation continues their philanthropic passion for the musical arts by supporting young artists pursuing a career in opera. The centerpiece of The Jensen Foundation’s work is the annual Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition.  Since the Competition’s inception in 2000, 446 singers have received more than $930,000 in support.

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And the 2024 Jensen Finalists are...

POSTED May 23, 2024 – NEW YORK, NY – After four days of preliminary auditions this week, finalists to the 2024 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition have been announced. They are:

• Katherine Beck, mezzo-soprano

• Ben Brady, bass-baritone

• Benjamin Dickerson, baritone

• Meryl Dominguez, soprano

• Véronique Filloux, soprano

• Keely Futterer, soprano

• Trevor Haumschilt-Rocha, baritone

• Magdalena Kuźma, soprano

• Brittany Olivia Logan, soprano

• Midori Marsh, soprano

• Daniel Moody, countertenor

• Esther Tonea, soprano

These twelve singers compete for more than $40,000 in grant awards this Saturday, May 25th at 1 PM at Engelman Recital Hall, Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York City. The singers will be judged by a distinguished panel of opera professionals:

• Christian Capocaccia, Syracuse Opera and Tri-Cities Opera

• Priti Gandhi, Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition

• Cory Lippiello, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Read more about our 2024 Finals Judges.

More than 280 singers applied to participate in the 2024 Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition. Ninety-three singers were heard, and these twelve finalists were selected. They compete for:

• $15,000, First Place Grant Award

• $10,000, Second Place Grant Award

• $7,500, Third Place Grant Award

• $3,000, Munday Encouragement Grant Award

• Each non-award-winning finalist receives a grant of $750.

The Jensen Foundation thanks its judges for the preliminary rounds of the 2024 Competition: Ms. Kirsten Chambers, soprano; Mr. Ben Leaptrott of Brenau University; and Dr. Oliver Worthington of Butler University, as well as accompanists Dan Franklin Smith and Jonathan Kelly.

The Finals of the 2024 Jensen Competition are free and open to the public. Join us on Saturday, May 25 at 1 PM at Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue.

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