Top Opera Talent at Manhattan School of Music Competes in Prestigious Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades Vocal Competition

The 2018 Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades Vocal Competition takes place at Manhattan School of Music (MSM) on Thursday, March 29 at 4:00 pm. Each year, the Competition showcases MSM voice student finalists who exhibit outstanding talent and strong potential for careers in opera. The winner will receive up to $40,000 in prize money to be used to support his or her professional development.

The distinguished judges for this year's Competition, which will be held in MSM's Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades Performance Space, are Michael Heaston, Executive Director and Acting Artistic Director of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera; soprano Hei-Kyung Hong, (Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago); and Matthew Horner, Senior Vice President and Director of the vocal division of IMG Artists, New York.

The eight finalists, listed below, were selected through a preliminary audition; all participants in the audition were nominated by their teachers at MSM.

Devan Balaguer, mezzo-soprano

Michael St. Peter, tenor

Chadol Kim, baritone

Hongni Wu, mezzo-soprano

Philippe L'Esperance, tenor

SeokJong Baek, baritone

Shaina Martinez, soprano

José Luis Maldonado, baritone

Each finalist will begin by performing a selection of his or her choice. The judges will request additional selections from the singers' repertoire list and may stop a piece at any time in order to go onto the next work or the next singer. Winners will be announced at a reception following the performances.

The Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades Vocal Competition is made possible by a generous gift from the late Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades, longtime friends and benefactors to the school. Joan Taub Ades is a member of the Manhattan School of Music Board of Trustees.

The event is free and open to the public.

About MSM'S OPERA STUDIES PROGRAM

Recognized as one of the foremost opera training programs in the world, Manhattan School of Music's opera program attracts some of the most talented young singers from the United States and more than 40 other countries. Students refine their technique and develop their artistry under the guidance of a faculty of eminent artist-teachers while gaining exposure before New York City audiences.

Headed by Dona D. Vaughn, Artistic Director, the program is internationally known for its excellence. Each year two fully staged productions are presented, which span the classical and contemporary repertoire. Praised by the New York Times for its significant contribution to operatic life in New York, Manhattan School of Music has a long and proud tradition of producing some of the finest artists singing throughout the world today.

About MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Founded as a settlement music school by Janet Daniels Schenck in 1918, today Manhattan School of Music is recognized for its more than 950 superbly talented undergraduate and graduate students who come from 50 countries and nearly all 50 states; a world-renowned artist-teacher faculty; and innovative curricula. The School is dedicated to the personal, artistic, and intellectual development of aspiring musicians, from its Precollege students through those pursuing postgraduate studies.

Offering classical, jazz, and musical theatre training, MSM grants Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees, as well as the Professional Studies Certificate and Artist Diploma. Additionally, true to MSM's origins as a music school for children, the Precollege program continues to offer superior music instruction to young musicians between the ages of five and 18. The School also serves some 2,000 New York City schoolchildren through its Arts-in-Education Program, and another 2,000 students through its critically acclaimed Distance Learning Program.