Young artistS singing competition Our Goal Opera Festival Scotland is an exciting new organisation which aims to educate and inspire, making opera accessible for all. While encouraging and developing local talent, one of the goals of Opera Festival Scotland is to discover new and upcoming tal- ent. We are delighted to announce the premier of our Young Art- ists Singing Competition to be held in the north-eastern city of Dundee, Scotland, on 25th September 2021. It is our hope that this new competition will appeal to young singers who are at the beginning their musical careers. Accompanied by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Young Artists Singing Competition offers young singers a fantas- tic opportunity to perform with a world-class orchestra. In front of an experienced judging panel and a live audience, the competition will provide crucial experience which will assist them in building their future careers in music. We look forward to welcoming you to Dundee next year! 2 Royal Scottish National Orchestra The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is one of ly to the United States of America, China, and Europe’s leading symphony orchestras. Formed across Europe. in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra, the company became the Scottish National Orchestra in 1950, The RSNO has a worldwide reputation for the and was awarded Royal Patronage by Her Maj- quality of its recordings, receiving two Diapason esty The Queen in 1977. d’Or de l’année awards for Symphonic Music (Denève/Roussel 2007; Denève/Debussy 2012) Many renowned conductors have contributed and eight GRAMMY Awards nominations. Over to its success, including Sir John Barbirolli, Wal- 200 releases are available, including Thomas ter Susskind, Sir Alexander Gibson, Neeme Järvi, Søndergård conducting Strauss (Ein Heldenle- Walter Weller, Alexander Lazarev and Stéphane ben, Der Rosenkavalier Suite) on Linn Records, the Denève. Throughout its life, the Orchestra has complete symphonies of Sibelius (Gibson), Prokof- worked with some of the world’s most respected iev (Järvi), Glazunov (Serebrier), Nielsen and Mar- conductors and soloists – among them Gustav tinů (Thomson), Roussel (Denève) and the major Holst, Richard Strauss, Artur Rubinstein, Aaron Co- orchestral works of Debussy (Denève). The RSNO pland, Luciano Pavarotti and Elmer Bernstein. has also recorded numerous film soundtracks, in- cluding Batman, The Great Escape, Back to the The Orchestra’s artistic team is led by Danish con- Future, Alien and many more. ductor Thomas Søndergård, who was appointed RSNO Music Director in 2018, having previously The RSNO’s pioneering learning and engagement held the position of Principal Guest Conductor. programme, Music for Life, aims to engage the Hong Kong-born conductor Elim Chan succeeds people of Scotland with music across key stages Søndergård as Principal Guest Conductor. Jun- of life: Early Years, Nurseries and Schools, Teenag- ping Qian completes the artistic team in the role ers and Students, Families, Accessing Lives, Work- of Assistant Conductor. ing Lives and Retired and Later Life. The RSNO performs across Scotland and appears The team is committed to placing the Orchestra regularly at the Edinburgh International Festival, at the centre of Scottish communities via com- the BBC Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall and munity workshops and annual residencies across the St Magnus Festival, Orkney. The Orchestra the length and breadth of the country. also regularly tours internationally, most recent- 3 JOHN FREDERICK HUDSON John Frederick has both performed in the BBC John Frederick also served as the Director of Mu- Proms as well as assisted Simon Halsey in the sic for the Choir of King’s College, Aberdeen and preparation for Verdi’s Requiem with Marin Alsop, as organist to the University of Aberdeen. and for Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with Donald Runnicles. As a pianist, John Frederick has performed for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Cas- John Frederick has also performed at the Spo- tle and recently performed for His Royal Highness leto Festival, American’s premiere Internation- the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace for a al Performing Arts Festival, as well as serving as private event celebrating the 10th anniversary répétiteur and chorus manager for Joseph Flum- of Dumfries House. As a répétiteur, he regularly merfelt and Joe Miller for the festivals’ operas coaches singers, accompanies for symphonic and and major choral-orchestral works, including the opera choruses, collaborates in chamber music, North American premiere of Phillip Glass’ Kepler. and also specializes in early music ensembles. Additionally, John Frederick was awarded a full scholarship as a conducting fellow at multiple The music of John Frederick Hudson has been Oregon Bach Festivals, firstly with Helmuth Rilling performed by various ensembles throughout the and secondly with Matthew Halls. John Freder- world including in New York, London, across the ick has also conducted the UK premiere of Jake UK and other countries in Europe. In addition, his Heggie’s To Hell and Back, a chamber opera, with music has been presented at both the American Competition finalists will have the pleasure of working with our Spectrum Contemporary Music Ensemble, which Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the British conductor, John Frederick Hudson. As a conductor, John Fred- he founded and served as principal conductor. Choral Directors Association (BCDA). With his PhD erick has studied with nationally acclaimed conductors such as focus being in opera composition, John Frederick James Jordan, Gary Graden, Joe Miller, Amanda Quist, Jerry His further musical involvement includes his Scot- composed and conducted the world premiere of Blackstone, Matthew Halls, Andrew Megill, and Charles Bruffy. tish conducting debut with the Con Anima Choir Demimondaine, a modern chamber opera in col- He has also performed under significant conductors such as and Orchestra in Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem laboration with librettist James K Mitchell. Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Sir Simon Rattle, Gustavo Dudamel, with English soprano, Judith Howarth. He served Andris Nelsons, Daniel Barenboim, Alan Gilbert and Esa-Pekka as musical director and conductor for the Aber- Salonen. deen Opera Society in a production of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. During his time in Scotland, 4 PANEL MEMBERS Heralded as a “singing actress of near genius” (Sunday Times) seen as Liù in Puccini’s Turandot in the film The Life of David who “has such natural grace and emotional eloquence that Gale and performing Verdi’s La Traviata in Woody Allen’s film she cannot fail to touch the heart” (Independent), soprano Match Point. Kelly made her directorial debut with Mozart’s Janis Kelly originated the title role of Rufus Wainwright’s Pri- Così fan tutte at Grange Park Opera‚ where she has since ma Donna at the Manchester International Festival. At the directed Iolanthe as the inaugural production of the Com- opera’s debut, the Financial Times summed: “In the Cal- pany’s new theatre. Janis Kelly studied at the Royal Scottish las-like title role, Janis Kelly gives the performance of her life.” Academy of Music & Drama in her native Glasgow‚ at the Most recent and future appearances include Marcellina Le Royal College of Music in London and with Elisabeth Grüm- Nozze di Figaro (English National Opera)‚ Mrs Lovett Swee- mer in Paris. She is also a regular tutor and directs the annu- ney Todd (Welsh National Opera)‚ Mrs Nixon Nixon in China al opera scenes at Oxenfood International Summer School, (Metropolitan Opera‚ New York and Omroep Muziek)‚ Lady as well as giving masterclasses globally with the Spheres of Janis Kelly Billows Albert Herring (Los Angeles Opera)‚ Hazel George in Singing Remote convention from Glasgow University. Several the World Premiere of Philip Glass’ The Perfect American (Te- of Janis’ students now sing internationally, including Sarah- INTERNATIONAL SOPRANO atro Real‚ Madrid and English National Opera). Janis can be Jane Brandon, Rosie Aldridge and Soraya Mafi. Michelle trained as a singer at the Guildhall School of Mu- ment in the training of artists and arts professionals. In 2015- sic and Drama. She began her career at Scottish Opera as 16, she was awarded the Creative Scotland Fellowship of the Assistant Company Manager. Michelle then held the role of Clore Leadership Programme, mentored by Vikki Heywood. Artists’ Manager, collaborating with the Music Director on the In March 2017, she joined ENO as Head of Casting. casting, management and contracting of guest singers and conductors for both small- and main-scale productions, as well as for education projects, fundraising events and outside engagements. In January 2016, she became Head of Cast- ing, contributing to Scottish Opera’s strategic planning and programming, and coordinating Scottish Opera’s involve- Michelle Williams Head of Casting English National Opera 5 PANEL MEMBERS Julia Lagahuzere was previously Deputy Casting Director era de Limoges. Julia is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Opera National de Paris in the two theatres of Opera de of Music and Drama in London and Sussex University, a mu- Bastille and Palais Garnier. She is currently artistic consul- sicology scholarship recipient at the University of California, tant to the Queen Sonja International Music Competition in Berkeley, and holds a Masters degree in Opera and Visual Oslo, Norway. Julia has a passion for finding and helping to Performing Arts from King’s College London, in collaboration nurture young talent and established a concert series in or- with the BBC Proms. der to strengthen relations between the QSMIC and the top international young artists programs; notably in collabora- tion with the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. She has previously worked at the San Francisco Opera, Scottish Opera and Op- Julia Lagahuzere Co-founder & General Director Opera for Peace Sarah-Jane trained as soprano at the Royal College of Mu- ington Opera; Opera Holland Park; Reisopera; Edinburgh In- sic and then went straight on to the English National Opera ternational Festival.