2010 International Vocal Competition
Winners Biography
Click here for winners list
Top Prize
Renee Tatum, Mezzo-Soprano is currently a young artist at The Metropolitan Opera Lindeman Program. Upcoming engagements include Amanda in Ligitis (Le Grand Macabre) with The New York Philharmonic, Mere Marie (Dialogues des Carmelites) with the Juilliard Opera Center, Dritte Dame (Die Zauberflote) with Santa Fe Opera, Inez (Il Trovatore) with The Metropolitan Opera, and Flosshilde and Welgunde (Der Ring des Nibelungen) with San Francisco Opera.

First Prize
Jessica Rose Cambio, Soprano will sing Violetta in La Traviata at the Pine Mountain Music Festival in 2010. She has made her European debut as Mimi in La Boheme in Italy. Jessica studied with Renata Scotto at the famous Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and has won First Place in The Gerda Lissner Foundation and The Giulio Gari Foundation International Vocal Competitions.

Second Prize
Carlos Osuna, Tenor has studied in Mexico and at the Solti Te Kanawa Accademia di Bel Canto in Switzerland. He appeared as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and as Werther in Werther at the Basel Opera Theater, Switzerland in 2010. He also appeared in concerts at the Monterey Arts Festival in Mexico, Wales, United Kingdom and Barga, Italy.

Third Prize
Kathryn Leemhuis, Mezzo-Soprano made her debut with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and has been on their roster since 2008. Ms. Leemhuis has appeared with Opera Colorado and Opera Theater of St. Louis. She has received many awards from prestigious International Vocal Competitions. In summer of 2010 she will be part of the Ravinia Festival in Chicago.

Fourth Prize
Manon Strauss Evrard, Soprano studied at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. She was engaged by The Metropolitan Opera as a cover for Lulu in 2010. A native of Nancy, she was First Place Regional Winner of The Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions of 2009, First Place recipient of The Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition of 2008. Received the French award of the Gold Medal at the Conservatoire National de Region de Nancy.

Fifth Prize
Devon Guthrie, Soprano is studying at Juilliard School for a Masters of Music Degree. She has received her Bachelor of Music Degree from Manhattan School of Music. She has appeared at the Tanglewood Music Festival, Chautauqua Institute and with Orchestras in Reno and Los Angeles. Upcoming engagements in 2010 are with the Santa Fe Summer Opera.
David Pershall, Baritone received his Master of Music Degree from Yale School of Music. He was a member of the Merola Opera Program. Mr. Pershall has sung with Baylor Opera and Virginia Opera. He has received many honors including the Thomas Stewart Award for Vocal Excellence and The George London Foundation Encouragement Award.

Grant Winners
Maria Aleida, Soprano studies at The Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. She has appeared at the Opera in Venezuela and as a concert soloist at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia. She was a semifinalist for the Francisco Vinas International Singing Contest and received the Audience Award in the Montserrat Caballe International Voice Competition in Spain.
Elizabeth Baldwin, Soprano studied at the University of Indiana, School of Music. She will be appearing with Virginia Opera as a cover for Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. She sang with Chautauqua Opera, Pine Mountain Music Festival, Tanglewood Music Festival, Palm Beach Opera and The Marilyn Hornes The Song Continues series at Carnegie Hall.
Jonathan Beyer, Baritone studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and has appeared with the Pittsburgh Opera, Forth Worth Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Chautauqua Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, Tanglewood Summer Opera, Dallas Opera, concerts with The Pittsburgh Symphony, Chicago Symphony and appeared as Baritone soloist in concert in the Netherlands, with John Nelson conducting.
Luigi Boccia, Tenor studied musicology at the University of Pavia with renowned tenor, Gianni Raimondi, a star of La Scala and The Metropolitan Opera. Has appeared in Gianni Schicchi with the Palm Beach Opera. He received a First Place Award from The Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition. Mr. Boccia has also performed as a soloist in concert with Marcello Giordani for the Marcello Giordani and Friends Encore series.
Emily Duncan-Brown, Soprano was chosen by James Levine to sing Echo in Ariadne auf Naxos at Tanglewood Music Festival in 2010. She sings Michaela at the International Vocal Arts Institute in 2010 and has appeared at the Chautauqua Summer Program and Opera McGill in Canada. She studies at Mannes College of Music with Ruth Falcon.
Bridgette Gan, Soprano studied at the Westminster Choir College and University of Maryland Opera Studio. She will be appearing at Central City Opera and at The Marilyn Horne Foundation Festival at Carnegie Hall The Song Continues. Ms. Gan was a Career Winner in the Opera Index Vocal Competition and Vocal Division Winner at the Philadelphia Orchestra Competition.
Hyo Na Kim, Mezzo-Soprano is currently a student at Mannes College of Music with Ruth Falcon. She was part of the IVAI Program in Tel Aviv, Israel and has appeared in concert in her native Korea and with the Mannes Opera at Kaye Playhouse in New York. Ms. Kim is a First Place Winner of The Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition in 2010.
Ryan D. Kuster, Bass-Baritone studies at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. He has appeared at the San Antonio Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Annapolis Opera, Opera New Jersey, Chicago Opera Theater, Opera North and the Spoleto Festival USA. He has received many awards from prestigious International Vocal Competitions.
Christina Major, Soprano is already making herself known for her sumptuous and agile Italianate soprano. In 2009 was selected as Second Place Winner in The Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition. She will debut in Verdis Requiem with The North Texas Symphony in performances in Dallas and Forth Worth.
Eric Margiore, Tenor will be creating and starring in the lead role of Giorgio in the World Premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon and Michael Kories, The Garden of the Finzi-Contini, with the Minnesota Opera directed by Academy Award winner Eric Simonson. Eric will also perform as a soloist in concert with Marcello Giordani, for the Marcello Giordani and Friends Encore series.
Nicole Mitchell, Contralto has studied at Manhattan School of Music and has appeared at Tanglewood Music Center, New York City Opera, Sarasota Opera and the American Opera Project. She was a guest soloist for Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday concert W/Bob Sherman on WQXR. She also sang at Avery Fisher Hall in the Beethoven Choral Symphony.
Nicholas Pallesen, Baritone made his debut with the New York City Opera as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly in 2010. Upcoming engagements include cover for Wolfram in Tannhauser for the Seattle Opera in 2011. Mr. Pallesen has appeared at The Metropolitan Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, and Opera Theater of St. Louis. He is an Award Winner of many prestigious Vocal Competitions.
Karolina Pilou, Mezzo-Soprano studies at Mannes College of Music. She made her debut Recital at the Theater of Delphi in Athens, Greece. Ms. Pilou received First Prize in a National Competition in Athens, received an Encouragement Award from The Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition in 2010.
Danielle Talamantes, Soprano has a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from Westminster Choir College. She makes her debut as Violetta in La Traviata at Fremont Opera in August 2010. Ms. Talamantes has performed at Annapolis Opera, Merola Opera, and Opera Theater of Northern Virginia. She has appeared in concert at the Kennedy Center, Weill Hall Carnegie Hall, and with the Vienna Choral Society.