About the Voice Competition
Open to Singers
...from any country around the world!
The American International Czech & Slovak Voice Competition promotes the vocal repertoire of Czech and Slovak composers for young singers and raises the awareness and appreciation of the rich heritage of Czech and Slovak music to the singers and to audiences. This competition creates unique performing opportunities for promising young singers and furthers their artistic growth. Interested singers are encouraged to apply by September 27, 2024.
Age Limit
Women and men aged 35 and younger and encouraged to apply.
Fee*
There is a $75 non-refundable application fee. Online payment required at time of application.
Housing & Logistics
The cost of lodging and transportation is covered by the singer. Discover places to stay in Green Bay.
*If the competition is canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, entrance and pianist fees will be reimbursed.
Rounds of Competition
Starting October 10, 2024, there will be three rounds of competition. Singers who have won first prize in another international singing competition within the last two years, may advance to the Semi-Finals without participating in Preliminaries. A copy of the prize-winning diploma is required with application. Same registration fee applies to all competitors regardless of past wins.
Preliminaries
Thursday, October 10, 2024, 10 a.m.
Semi-Finals
Friday, October 11, 2024, 10 a.m.
Finals
Saturday, October 12, 2024, 10 a.m.
Repertoire Requirements
There are repertoire requirements for reach round of competition as well as some general requirements. The decision of the jury is final.
- Possible Czech arias can be downloaded at the Czech Republic's site for their international competition in Karlovy Vary.
- Repertoire suggestions, along with IPA/translations for various repertoire, can be found in Singing in Czech by Timothy Cheek.
- Kaprálová Prize: For the best interpretation of a song by Vítězslava Kaprálová, optionally sung in Round 2 or Round 3 as the choice for Czech art song. For information about Kaprálová, see www.kapralova.org.
Round I (Preliminaries)
- 10 minute maximum
- Standard German Lied
- Standard Italian aria (Mozart and Handel is acceptable)
Round II (Semi-Finals)
- 12 minute maximum
- Aria in the original language (not Czech or Slovak)
- American Art Song or American Concert Spiritual by or arranged by American composer (Standard English, dialect is optional)
- Art song by Czech or Slovak composer (in Czech or Slovak language)
Round III (Finals)
- 14 minute maximum
- Art song by Czech or Slovak composer (a different art song from Round II & in Czech or Slovak language)
- Aria by Czech or Slovak composer
- French Aria (in French) by French or non-French composer
Other Requirements
- Transposition of arias is not allowed.
- All music performed must be memorized including arias from oratorios, cantatas or masses.
- All repertoire needs to be performed in the original language.
- Arias may not be repeated in another round.
Repertoire Liaison
If you have any questions about Czech repertoire, please contact Dr. Kylie Gougler, kylietgougler@gmail.com.
Prizes
The six monetary prizes will be awarded based on the decision of the jury. The decision of the jury is final.
| Prize Awarded | Prize Amount |
|---|---|
| First | $5,000 |
| Second | $2,500 |
| Third | $2,000 |
| Fourth | $1,500 |
| Fifth | $1,000 |
| Kapralova | $500 |
Preliminaries & Semi-finals Jury
- Zdeněk Harvánek, international baritone, former manager at the Prague National Theater, and current head of theater and music at DILIA rights agency.
- Helena Kaupová, Music and Dance Faculty (HAMU) at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic
- Eva Blahová, Academy of Music, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Amanda Majeski, international soprano and recording artist, faculty at University of Michigan
- Nicholas Phan, international tenor and recording artist, Artistic Director and Co-Founder of the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago, and coach at the San Francisco Opera Center
- John Holland, baritone, Contract Faculty at York University, President of the Canadian Institute for Czech Music, Faculty at PEN Education Centre, and CARAS Academy Delegate, author
Finals Jury
- Zdeněk Harvánek, international baritone, former manager at the Prague National Theater, and current head of theater and music at DILIA rights agency.
- Eva Blahová, Academy of Music, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Amanda Majeski, international soprano and recording artist, faculty at University of Michigan
- Nicholas Phan, international tenor and recording artist, Artistic Director and Co-Founder of the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago, and coach at the San Francisco Opera Center
- John Holland, baritone, Contract Faculty at York University, President of the Canadian Institute for Czech Music, Faculty at PEN Education Centre, and CARAS Academy Delegate, author
- Matthew Markham, Baritone, Music Faculty and Voice Area Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Questions? Contact Us
If you have any questions about the American International Czech & Slovak Voice Competition, contact Co-Director Deborah Popham.