Local Singers Advance to National Competition
Congratulations to vocalists Madelaine Matej and Elenna Davis who will be traveling to the finals of the Classical Singer High School Competition, to be held in Los Angeles in May. The two 16-year olds wowed the judges on the stage of the Concert Hall at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in the regional auditions held in November, winning a chance to head south for the finals.
The young ladies have been fast friends ever since meeting in the San Francisco Girl's Chorus program in 2004. Both are very serious about music. Madelaine, who attends school at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, has already appeared on stage as Dory Kamen in San Francisco Opera's production of The Bonesetter's Daughter, and with the San Francisco Lyric Opera and the Oakland Opera Theater. She was pleased with the positive experience the competition provided: "At my audition, the last two notes of my second song made no sound when I tried to sing them because I was sick, so I was sure I would lose; but the judges named me winner and then pulled me aside to encourage me afterwards — I was overjoyed!"
Elenna is a junior at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts High School where she has been a featured soloist in many choral concerts and Galas, also playing roles in SOTA theater productions of Ragtime and I Remember Mama among others. Elenna is honored to have been chosen as a finalist: "Being a finalist in a nation-wide competition, and singing for representatives of college level music schools and Conservatories from all over the U.S., will not only afford many scholarship opportunities, it will also give me the chance to meet singers my own age from all over the country—people who are equally as passionate about classical singing as I am. I would love to make my parents proud…and to demonstrate the kind of things that can be achieved if you commit your heart , mind and soul to it." Both girls study voice with Anja Strauss in the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Preparatory Division.
Other regional High School winners are Eleanor Coleman, Maximiliano Colter, Hanna Gorman, Jens Ibsen, Nicola Santoro, Julianna Sindell, and Mary Whitaker. National winners of this prestigious competition may be offered scholarships of $15,000 for four years to study at the San Francisco Conservatory as well as cash prizes from $500 - $1,000.
A Saturday Night with YPTMT
Photo by Quincy Stamper
The teenage cast of Young People's Teen Musical Theater Company gave a rip-roaring performance of Stephen Sondheim's Saturday Night on Jan. 29 at the theater in San Francisco's Randall Museum. Aided by the strong musical direction and accompaniment of Othello Jefferson, vivacious choreography and stage direction by Nicola Bosco-Alvarez, first-rate set, costume design and technical help from the prestigious School of the Arts theater tech department, the show glowed with a professional sheen.
Set in Brooklyn in the 1920's Julius Epstein's book is a comic rendition of cash-strapped single guys looking for love, upper class wannabes, and stock-market dreams of the young Gene Gorman. The entire cast pulls off Brooklyn accents with panache and comic timing sparkles. Vocal talent abounds and each song is lovely and well-carried, the various cast members getting their moment to shine. This promises to be a great night out for you and your children, eight years and older.
Young People’s Teen Musical Theatre Company began in 1984 by its director, Diane Price with a cast of nine. The Company now offers students instruction in drama, voice, acting workshop and dance during the school year, a summer workshop, and stages three major productions a year as well as community service performances. It is a free program sponsored by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, and supported by Friends of the Company (FOTC).
Saturday Night runs February 4-6. See here for tickets and information.
A Musical Treasure Chest
Talented Marin students, don't miss the chance to apply for The Marin Music Chest annual scholarship award program—deadlines are February 11 and 25 for auditions in March. Students studying woodwinds, brass and string instruments, piano, percussion and voice, who have lived in Marin County for two years may apply. Founded in 1933 by retired, well-known Wagnerian soprano Maude Fay Symington, Marin Music Chest was initially a concert presenter as well as a philanthropic organization. After 40 years of bringing live concerts to venues in San Rafael, the organization now focusses primarily on its scholarship programs. Past award-winners include Hugo Rinaldi, founder of Marin Opera; Hai-Ye Ni, principal cello, Philadelphia Orchestra; and Joseph Alessi, principal trombone, New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Since their inception, the organization has awarded 500 scholarships for a total of over $1 million.
Junior Division instrumentalists must be between 10 and 13-years of age and vocalists between 14 and 16-years of age. The Junior Division application deadline is Feb. 11, 2011 and auditions will be held March 12, 2011. Scholarship amounts are $800 for each junior scholarship award winner. Senior Division instrumentalists must be between 14 and 19-years of age and vocalists between 17 and 24-years of age. The Senior Division application deadline is Feb. 25, 2011 and auditions will be held on March 26, 2011. Scholarship amounts are $1,200 for each senior scholarship award winner. For more information about the Marin Music Chest scholarship award program and to download the application form and list of required pieces, visit the Web site or call Michael Struck at 415-892-9731.