The Barbera Foundation Presents

The Pasadena

Vocal Competition 2024

PRIZES
Funded by the Pasadena Area Opera Trust

$30,000 in prizes will be given away to eight finalists and 4 career grant recipients, with the first prize of $7,000.

SEMI-FINAL ROUND: Saturday, January 13, 2024
10 am – 4 pm
Location: San Marino Community Church, 1750 Virginia Road, San Marino, CA 91108

FINAL ROUND: Saturday, February 3, 2024
7:00 PM
Location:
Pasadena City College – Lot 5 East – 107 S. Bonnie Ave., Pasadena

Application Opening on October 15, 2024

DEADLINE: Wednesday, November 22 Midnight

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RULES

  1. A minimum of 30 semi-finalists will be selected based on: video submissions, bio and resume.
  2. All applicants must be available all day on both the semi-final and final round dates, without exception.
  3. Eight singers will be accepted for the final round to compete before a live audience.

    Up to 4 additional monetary awards will be given to semi-finalists to be determined by the judges during the live semi-final round on Saturday, January 13.

  4. The application is open to all classical singers between the ages of 22-32 as of February 3, 2024, who reside in the United States. *Previous First Prize winners of the Pasadena Vocal Competition are ineligible to compete.

     

  5. Transportation to and from the semi-final round is the sole responsibility of the applicant. FINALISTS who reside out of town will receive hotel accommodation for both February 2nd & 3rd and airfare travel reimbursement up to $350. *Travel receipts will be required.*

     

  6. Repertoire Requirement of 4 selections: all selections must be sung in the original language of composition.

    a.         One Italian aria
    b.         One English aria
    c.         One aria not in Italian or English
    d.         One Musical Theater Standard or a song from the Great American Songbook.

    We suggest a song by I. Berlin, G. Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein or any standard Musical Theater Composer.  We will also accept any operatic parody song such as ‘The Girl in 14 G’, ‘I’m glad I’m not a tenor’ or ‘Sexy Lady’ by Ben Moore.

    *Please contact our Artistic Director with ANY questions about repertoire for this final selection.  Please note that we are looking for a song and not an aria, and therefore Gershwin’s ‘Summertime’ will not fulfill this requirement. Please note that the Musical Theater selection will only be performed by the finalists at the final round.  This selection will not be sung at the semi-final round.

  7. ALL EIGHT FINALISTS will perform a foreign language aria, an English aria and the Musical Theater selection in the Final Round. When planning your aria submissions, we suggest that you take into consideration that you will sing all three selections in a row, with the final selection being the Musical Theater song.
  8. For the semi-final round, an accompanist is provided or you may bring your own.
    Artistic Director Catherine Miller will be the pianist for the final round. If you use our accompanist for the semi-final round, please provide a binder with all arias clearly marked, legible and double-sided. Please do not bring music in plastic page sleeves, anthologies or vocal scores.
  9. For the semi-final round we require standard audition attire of tea length dresses and dress shirts and pants. The final round is a free public performance and we require finalists to wear either a tuxedo or formal, floor length gown.
  10. You will be asked to attach your current headshot, resume, bio and proof of COVID-19 vaccination on your application. If you have not received a COVID-19 vaccination, please attach an explanation with an exemption doctor’s note.
  11. Rights to any Competition performance, whether broadcast, televised, recorded or filmed, belong to the Competition. No fee is payable on account of these performances or any recordings, broadcasts, transmissions or film.
  12. ALL decisions of the judges will be final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding its decisions.

     

For questions and further information, please email our Applications Director: Mona Lands.

The Pasadena Vocal Competition is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability or religion.

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