CMIM announces new positioning for future voice editions

Competition will honor both Aria and Art Song

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TORONTO, Nov. 11, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) announced yesterday at the IAMA Toronto 2016 conference (International Artists' Managers Association) its new positioning for future voice editions. Starting in 2018, the vocal competition will feature two divisions: Aria and Art Song. Eligible candidates will be able to compete in either or both divisions. The same amount of prizes, grants, and awards will be assigned to both divisions, resulting in a record amount of more than a quarter million Canadian dollars to be awarded to prizewinners.

The next Voice competition taking place from May 27 to June 7, 2018, will introduce the Aria and Art Song divisions. Singers applying to compete in the Aria division will perform music from the repertoire for voice and orchestra (opera, oratorio, cantata, mass, concert arias, orchestral songs, etc.); singers applying to compete in the Art Song division will perform music from the repertoire for voice and piano (French mélodie, German Lied, English art song, etc.). "We are making history! Not only are we featuring Art Song just as prominently as Opera, but we are also doubling the prizes! This new positioning makes the CMIM a clear favorite for all classical singers," declared André Bourbeau, CMIM president and cofounder.

The idea of an Art Song division was instigated by James Norcop, an American-born baritone and a member of the board of directors of the Art Song Foundation of Canada in Toronto. "I have always dreamed of a competition where Art Song performers would be equally recognized and rewarded as opera singers. I shared this vision with CMIM officials and they were thrilled with the idea. I am so grateful to the CMIM for their support and to the music patrons from Toronto for their generous donations, they have all contributed to making this dream come true!" shared Mr. Norcop.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS
Voice 2018 is an elite-level international music competition open to women and men of all nationalities, born January 1, 1983 or later, who are intending to pursue a professional singing career. Eligible singers may apply to compete in both Aria and Art Song, or choose one of the two divisions. A preliminary selection committee appointed by the CMIM will choose a maximum of 40 singers (24 for Aria and 16 for Art Song) to compete in Voice 2018. Note that singers may be selected to compete in both divisions. Applications must be submitted online via concoursmontreal.ca/voice between March 15 and December 15, 2017. For complete details about eligibility criteria, rounds and repertoire, visit concoursmontreal.ca/voice.

COMPETITION ROUNDS
Voice 2018 will feature a total of 52 recitals with piano and 18 performances with full orchestra. The first round for both divisions will be held together at Bourgie Hall (Montreal Museum of Fine Arts) and present 40 recitals with piano accompaniment. The international jury will audition competitors in both divisions. The semifinal (eight singers) and final (four singers) rounds of Art Song will be held at Bourgie Hall, while the semifinal and final rounds of Aria will both take place at Maison symphonique de Montréal with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM).

PRIZES, GRANTS, AND AWARDS
The value of prizes and awards in the Aria and Art Song divisions will total $260,000 CAD. The international jury will award two First Prizes, two Career development grants, two Second Prizes, and so on, as well as an equal number of special awards specific to each division. "This new positioning is also an opportunity for the CMIM to pay tribute to some of the greatest Canadian singers, namely Léopold Simoneau, Jon Vickers, Maureen Forrester, Raoul Jobin, Lois Marshall, and Teresa Stratas, by linking their names to the main prizes. We also take advantage of this opportunity to honor the memory of John Newmark with the creation of a $10,000 John Newmark Prize for the best collaborative pianist," mentioned Christiane LeBlanc, CMIM executive and artistic director. The complete list of the prizes, grants, and awards is available at concoursmontreal.ca/voice.

INTERNATIONAL JURY
Presided over by André Bourbeau, the 2018 international jury for both Aria and Art Song divisions include:  

• Ben Heppner (Canada), tenor, three-time Grammy winner, and host of Saturday Afternoon at the Opera and Backstage with Ben Heppner on CBC-Radio;
• Hartmut Höll (Germany), pianist and music professor specialized in art song accompaniment;
• Soile Isokoski (Finland), opera soprano as well as concert and lieder singer;
• Warren Jones (United States), world-renowned pianist and long-time member of the faculty of Manhattan School of Music as well as the Music Academy of the West;
• Francois Le Roux (France), baritone and co-author of Le chant intime : De l'interprétation de la mélodie française
• Dame Felicity Lott (United Kingdom), world-renowned soprano;
• Joseph Rouleau (Canada), internationally-renowned bass and CMIM cofounder; and
• Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (New Zealand), world-renowned soprano and BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Patron.

ABOUT CMIM
The mission of the Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) is to discover and support exceptional young singers, violinists and pianists from around the world. The CMIM is the only international competition in North America to be held annually, presenting three disciplines in a three-year rotation. Since its first edition dedicated to voice in 2002, more than 2,700 hopefuls have entered the competition and some 450 have performed in Montreal, much to the delight of music lovers.

More details at: concoursmontreal.ca 
Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @CMIMontreal

SOURCE Concours musical international de Montréal

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