Young Singer Competition

Welcome to the HMC Young Singer Competition

The Houston Masterworks Chorus Young Singer Competition was founded in 2021 to encourage and recognize high school juniors and seniors in the Houston area who currently display potential for success in classical vocal performance. 

The third annual HMC Young Singer Competition will take place on Saturday, October 14th, 2023, 4:00-5:30 pm in the Chapelwood United Methodist Chapel.

The first place winner will be invited to sing at the HMC Christmas Concert and receive a cash prize of $1000.

Singers placing second and third will receive a cash prize of $250.

These prizes are in the spirit of encouraging further music study among talented singers.

Registration Deadline: EXTENDED TO 9/29 –  11:59pm CST.

2022 Winner Yarim Colin Shares His Experience!

Eligibility:

 

  • Singers must be currently enrolled as a junior or senior in high school.
  • Singers must have a United States Social Security Number and be United States citizens.
  • Designated winners may be asked to provide proof of age before the dispensation of prizes.

 

Registration Deadline: Friday, September 22, 2023

Competition Rules:

 

1. Please complete the online application (below) and upload one application package PDF document containing the following items:

 

  • Letter of recommendation from your current voice teacher or choir director addressing vocal quality, work ethic, and career potential.
  • Personal letter of interest signed by the candidate
  • CV/resume
  • Music titles and composers for competition
  • Link to video of candidate’s performance

 

2. A second music score PDF document must be uploaded that contains both scores for your performance. The scores must have measure numbers and will be provided to the 3 judges and accompanist of the live performance if you are selected to perform in the live competition. 

 

3. Upload your headshot. This allows Houston Masterworks Chorus (HMC) to publish photographs, audio, and video taken of contestants for promotional purposes, including print, web and digital mediums. HMC is a non-profit organization and use of photographs and video will be limited to educational, non-commercial purposes.

 

Singers must complete the online application and upload their PDF documents by September 22, 2023, at 11:59pm CST. HMC is not responsible for late or unsuccessful attempts to upload your document. Incomplete or late entries will not be considered.

 

Singers must pay the $25 non-refundable application fee when completing the online application at the time of submission. If the competition must be canceled for any reason, all applicants will be refunded this fee. For special financial consideration, please email treasurer@houstonmasterworks.org.

 

4. Two pieces must be submitted for the competition:

 

Both selections must be memorized.
At least one piece should be from classical vocal repertoire (opera, art song, oratorio, etc.)
One song should be in English and one song in French, German or Italian.
Musical selections may be transposed but must retain the composer’s intention and style of music.
The maximum total length (for both selections) allowed is 10 minutes. You may split the time between the two pieces however you choose. You may cut piano preludes or interludes according to common performance practice, but not verses.

 

Competition Format:

The competition will consist of two rounds.

 

Round One:  Video submission. A link to the singer’s video recording must be included in the application package PDF document, due by midnight, September 22, 2023. Further details on the video submission requirements follow.

 

The top 5 singers will be selected from the video submission to perform at an in-person competition. Singers will be notified by October 6, 2022 if they have advanced to the in-person competition. (If a teacher’s email was included in the online application form, the teacher will also be notified of the results of the video round.)

 

Round Two: In-person competition.  October 14, 2023 at 4 pm at Chapelwood United Methodist Church, Chapel (11140 Greenbay St, Houston, TX).  An accompanist will be provided by HMC. Singers must provide their music (marked with measure numbers) with their application as a music score PDF to provide to the judges and accompanist.

 

Judging will occur at the event after all participants have performed. The first, second, and third place winners will be announced at the conclusion of the event. Should there be a tie for first place, the awards for the first and second place winners will be pooled and divided equally among the first place winners. Both will be called First Place Winners and will both be invited to sing at the Houston Masterworks Chorus Christmas Concert. (Date and Location TBD.)

 

The first place winner will also be required to provide a testimonial on their experience in the competition.

 

Music Selection:

Singers must select two pieces to record for entry into the competition. If selected to perform at the in-person competition, the singer will perform the same two pieces. The selection(s) must be memorized. The music selections should be from classical vocal repertoire (opera, art song, oratorio, etc.) with one song in English and one song in French, German, or Italian.

 

Music selections may be transposed, but must retain the composer’s intention and style of music. The maximum length allowed is 10 minutes combined, which can be split between the two songs however the singer chooses. You may cut piano preludes or interludes according to common performance practice, but not verses.

Electronic copies (e-scores) may be used.  The use of visible photocopies or visible loose pages of any kind will be automatically disqualified. The purchase of a publication does not grant the right to photocopy for rehearsal or performance with a pianist. Singers are responsible for the accompanist’s compliance with this strict rule. We cannot make any exceptions. Pianists must play from original publications, whether this is their preference or not. There is no other choice for this competition. We urge the use of page turners as necessary. If using accompaniment tracks or if the pianist is playing from a digital version of the music, you may be asked by the judging panel to provide a receipt or other proof of purchase.

Video Recording Rules

The performance recorded for the video entry must be acoustic and not amplified.

  • The only microphone(s) involved should be for recording. 
  • Your voice must not be amplified.
  • No mixing or sound enhancement is allowed through any kind of soundboard, including at a recording studio. No reverb can be added to the recording. Be aware that if your video entry sounds as if you have added reverb or enhanced the sound in any way, even if this is not the case, the judges will question and possibly disqualify your entry.

 

When saving, please title your video in the following format:

  • HMC Young Singer Competition 2023 [Your Name]
  • For instance: HMC Young Singer Competition 2023 [Your Name]

 

Your application package must include the link with the web address of your video posting. Please double check the link provided. Make sure that your video is set to “public” or “unlisted” and not “private.”

 

  • The video should be in the spirit of a recital or audition. It may be shot in a home, school, church, synagogue, recital hall, or some other appropriate location, with or without an audience. Please consider the acoustics of the room. Remember, a small room with dead acoustics will not flatter your voice. We encourage you to dress appropriately, as you would for a recital or an audition.
  • The video must contain both music selections. You are required to introduce yourself and your selection (title and composer) in the video, either verbally before your selection or with a title card before the song.  For the second song, simply state the title and composer. This is a simple introduction in the spirit of an audition. Please speak clearly and take care to pronounce the pieces and composers’ names correctly.
  • Singers must use a live accompanist for their video recording. Singers must provide music for their accompanist; accompanists are forbidden to use photocopies according to copyright laws. We will not accept unaccompanied entries. You cannot accompany yourself.

Awards:

 

  • First place – $1,000.00 and the opportunity to sing with the Houston Masterworks Chorus at the annual Christmas with Masterworks, Rejoice! concert. (Date and location, TBD)
  • Second and third place – $250.00 each.
  • Ties – Should there be a tie for first place, the awards for the first and second place winners will be pooled and divided equally among the first place winners. Both will be called First Place Winners.