Music Academy Announces Winners of Marilyn Horne Song Competition
http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/072610_music_academy_announces_winners_of_marilyn_horne_song_competition/
By Tim Dougherty
Soprano Megan Hart and pianist Sun Ha “Sunny” Yoon will perform in a recital next season
Soprano Megan Hart and pianist Sun Ha “Sunny” Yoon have been named the winners of this year’s Marilyn Horne Song Competition, which took place July 24 at the Music Academy of the West. The academy will present the winners in a song recital at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica next season.
Receiving Encouragement Awards were vocalists Zachary Altman (baritone), Marina Harris (soprano), Joseph Lim (baritone), Marco Stefani (tenor) and Karen Vuong (soprano). In addition, pianists Daniel Fung and Maureen Zoltek were offered the opportunity to participate in Horne’s annual “The Song Continues” festival of masterclasses and recitals in New York City in January.
One of the most popular events of the summer season at the Music Academy, the Horne competition (formerly known as the Marilyn Horne Foundation Vocal Competition) is a showcase for academy singers and vocal pianists.
The Music Academy assumed responsibility for managing the annual competition after the Marilyn Horne Foundation became part of the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall earlier this summer. Top awards, presented in honor of longtime Music Academy vocal accompaniment faculty member Gwendolyn Koldofsky, are given to the academy singer and vocal pianist who demonstrate excellence in the performance of song repertoire as well as a unique gift for audience communication.
Encouragement Award recipients receive $250 cash prizes.
Joining world-renowned concert and opera singer Horne as jurors this year were Jeremy Geffen, director of artistic planning at Carnegie Hall); Barbara Hocher, former executive director of the Marilyn Horne Foundation and currently a consultant for the Marilyn Horne Legacy at Carnegie Hall; Warren Jones, a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music and the Music Academy of the West; and Diane Zola, artistic administrator at Houston Grand Opera.
Remaining highlights of the Music Academy of the West’s 63rd Summer Festival include a bold new production of Wolfgang Mozart’s timeless opera Don Giovanni and conducting turns by Nicholas McGegan and Peter Oundjian. The academy is presenting about 200 events over the course of this year’s Summer School and Festival, which concludes Aug. 14.
Featuring the academy’s talented Fellows, together with guest performers and faculty, the events are being presented at the academy’s scenic Miraflores campus and in venues throughout Santa Barbara.
Click here or call 805.969.8787 for tickets and information.
— Tim Dougherty is communications manager for the Music Academy of the West.
http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/072610_music_academy_announces_winners_of_marilyn_horne_song_competition/