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IN THE News 2023
Mezzo-Sopranos Take Top Prizes at Tenth Annual James Toland Vocal Arts Competition
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – (July 10, 2023) – Celebrating its Tenth Annual Vocal Competition, James Toland Vocal Arts awarded a total of nearly $50,000 in cash prizes to singers at the event on Sunday, July 9, 2023. From a pool of 309 applicants, fourteen finalists were chosen for two Tiers of competition based on level of ability and vocal experience.
Mezzo-soprano Camille Sherman, who grew up in nearby Petaluma, won the top prize for Tier I as well as audience favorite with her engaging stage presence and vocally precise rendition of Rosina’s “Una voce poca fa” from Il barbiere di Siviglia, a role she debuted with both Pensacola Opera and Opera Idaho last year. She will recreate the role this fall, when she joins Theater Basel’s OperAvenir Studio for the 2023-2024 season. Her second aria for the competition was a moving take on the “Composer’s Aria” from Ariadne auf Naxos. The evening marked a triumphant return for Sherman, who first participated as a Tier I finalist in 2019 and received an encouragement award that year.
Mezzo-soprano Anna Kelly placed first in Tier II and was rewarded with the audience favorite in her tier as well. Kelly flew in to sing at the competition from Wolf Trap Opera where she is covering Athamas (Semele) and Siebel (Faust) this summer. She made her debut recital at the Metropolitan Club in Washington DC this spring after spending the 2022-2023 season as a Bailey Apprentice Artist with Palm Beach Opera.
In keeping with JTVA’s mission to nurture and support singers in their pursuit of a vocal career, all finalists participate in master classes the day prior to the competition. This year the Tier I master class was taught by world-renowned soprano Patricia Racette, and Tier II by teaching artist Michele Patzatkis of LA Opera. In addition, each finalist who does not win one of the top three prizes is granted a Bonnie Bell Encouragement Award to help allay the cost of training, travel and other expenses. The prizes are underwritten each year by long-term Bay Area arts supporter James Bell in honor his late wife Bonnie, who served as a board member for JTVA from 2018-2019.
Unlike many other vocal competitions, there are no age or educational or residency requirements to apply to the James Toland Vocal Arts Competition. Founded in 2010, the organization is focused on encouraging and cultivating the emerging talents of singers who aspire to a professional career. Tier I is designed for those singers ready to launch a professional career, Tier II for those in earlier stages of career preparation. Since the first JTVA Vocal Competition was held in 2014, more than $485,000 has been awarded to singers through competition prizes, audience favorite and encouragement awards. In 2021, JTVA inaugurated the Elizabeth Greenfield Award for an aspiring singer in the early stages of their career who identifies as Black. Known as “The Black Swan,” Greenfield was born into slavery in 1809 but rose to become the first African-American singer to earn recognition in both the US and Europe. Greenfield Award applications are accepted each summer and the winner is announced in November.
IN THE News 2022
JTVA to celebrate 10th annual VOCAL COMPETITION WEEKEND
James Toland Vocal Arts (JTVA) will celebrate a decade of helping singers with its 10th vocal competition on July 8 & 9, 2023. The competition will return to San Francisco’s Wilsey Center in the San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center.
Meet the finalists
First Row: Ben Reisinger, Baritone Camille Sherman, Mezzo-Soprano Jazmine Olwalia, Mezzo-Soprano
Second Row: Kayla Harriott, Soprano Moisés Salazar, Tenor Raven McMillon, Soprano Victor Cardamone, Tenor
First Row: Clara Reeves, Soprano | Demetrious Sampson, Tenor | Hannah Cho, Soprano
Second Row: Lindsay Martin, Mezzo-Soprano | Anna Kelly, Mezzo-Soprano | Ryan Blankenburg, Mezzo-Soprano | SeongBeom Choi, Tenor
KGO-TV
"People hanging out on Tuesday at Oakland City Center got an "operatic" surprise. A flash mob chorus of 50 broke out into song during lunchtime. The group is from the Oakland-based nonprofit James Toland Vocal Arts," which helps develop and promote singers' careers...."