An opportunity for emerging professional singers in France!

SummerFest France 2013 is glad to draw your attention to

Les Saisons de la Voix

International competition of lyric art in Gordes, in the Luberon area of Provence in France

Created by Monic Cecconi-Botella, the famous French composer, the Association Les Saisons de la Voix exists chiefly to help young artist singers at the beginning of their careers.

On November 3rd, a jury of professional artists will meet in Gordes to hear young talented singers audition. They will choose the 5 best singers, who will be given places on the Les Saisons de la Voix summer master class program. In addition, the winners will also be offered places on the SummerFest Pittsburgh and SummerFest France young Artists Programs.

For the summer master class program, these 5 selected young artists will work for three days with a Master of lyric art Jeff COHEN in the spring of 2013, final dates to be determined. A concert will end the three days of master classes. Following that the singers will return in July to participate in a grand finale concert sharing the program with a famous professional singer, at the Théâtre aux Terrasses in Gordes.

Young singers from 18 to 34 years old who are interested should send their application before October 20th. They may come from any country in the world and must pay for their own transportation to Gordes, but will be lodged in Gordes by Les Saisons de la Voix.

At the auditions in Gordes on November 3rd, competitors will have to sing a French mélodie, a lied in any other language, and a contemporary song (written after 1950).

A pianist will be provided, or singers may bring their own pianist. In this case both pianist and singer will be judged.

Please send applications to:

Les Saisons de la Voix – Les Hauts Luquets –F – 84 220 Gordes Intl +33 04 90 72 07 57 – [email protected]

YouTube : les saisons de la voix (master-class 2011)

Jeff Cohen started playing the piano at the age of five. After studies at The Peabody Conservatory (Lillian Freundlich) in Baltimore (U.S.A.), Jeff’s interest in French music, particularly mélodie, took him to Paris in 1976, where he studied at the Conservatoire National. He went on to study with Leon Fleisher and Peter Feuchtwanger (London).

He has performed throughout the world with singers and instrumentalists such as , John Aler, June Anderson, , Jane Birkin, Dale Duesing, Renée Fleming, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, , Ivry Gitlis, Ida Haendel, Sumi Jo, Steve Lacy, Noël Lee, Ute Lemper, François Le Roux, Mady Mesplé, Michel Portal...

Mr. Cohen resides in Paris and is currently professor at the Conservatoire National, teaching mélodie and Lied as well as coordinating the concert series on French song at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France with François Le Roux.

Jeff Cohen has made a number of recordings, including a “live” recital at with Angela Gheorghiu, various compilations of French mélodie with François Le Roux (Duparc, Fauré, Gounod...), lieder by W.A. Mozart on fortepiano with Véronique Dietschy, Kurt Weill and cabaret songs with Ute Lemper, two-piano works with Noel Lee, as well as chamber music.

He has worked as repetiteur at the Opéra de la Monnaie in Brussels, head of the music staff at the Chatelet Theater in Paris, professor at the Studio, and at the National Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.