Vocal Competition Rules

General -
1. APPLICATION:  Complete application includes the application form and a non-refundable application fee of US$75.  The application fee is waived for full-time 2023 MIMF Vocal Academy participants.  Separated applications are required shall one intent to compete in more than one division.  Competition time slots are limited.  Early application is encouraged.  MIMF will stop accepting applications once the time slots are fully filled. 
2. JURY:  The decisions made by the judges of the competition are final and are not subject to query, review or appeal.  During the competition, contestants should not make any personal contact with the competition judges.  Violation of this rule may result in disqualification. 
3. MISCELLANEOUS:  The competition will be open to the public.  Audio/video recording is not permitted during the competition.  If contestant is late for the scheduled time, he/she will forfeit his/her place in the competition.  If unusual circumstances prevail, the date/time and location of the competition are subject to change.
4. NOTIFICATION: Winners will be notified one hour after each division is conclude.  Only winners will receive notification. Judge’s comments may be available by request and will be emailed to contestants within one week after the competition.
5. AWARDS: Grand-prize winner of each division will be featured in the MIMF Gala concert at Bruno Walter Auditorium at the Lincoln Center*.  Encouragement Award winners will receive one time full scholarship to MIMF Vocal Academy in the 2023-24 season.  Outstanding performers will be invited to perform at MIMF’s concerts and events.  Outstanding chamber music performance of a voice and piano partnership in the Art Song Division will be given special recognition. 
* Each performer is entitled to two complimentary tickets to the concert.  All performers are responsible for their own travel and lodging. 

Art Song Division -
6. ELIGIBILITY:  Singers over 18 years of age of any nationality.  
7. REPERTOIRE:  All works must be performed from memory.  Contestants should prepare five art songs.  Art Song is defined as settings of poetic texts for voice and piano.  All songs should be sung in their original form and language.  It is suggested, but not required, to include repertoires in various styles and languages (English is not required).  Participants should choose repertoires that show off the best part of their artistry and voice.  All repertoires should only be accompanied by piano in the competition.  Contestants choose their first piece and the judges may ask to hear a second or part of a second piece.  If time permits, the judges may ask to hear a third or part of a third piece.  Performance of each contestant may not exceed fifteen (15) minutes.  The judges may stop the contestants’ performance if the piece is too long.  A repertoire sheet will be emailed to each contestant before the competition.  Contestants will be asked to turn in their repertoire one day before the competition.  
8. ACCOMPANIST:  A pianist will be provided free of charge.  It is the contestant’s responsibility to bring vocal-piano scores for the official pianist.  Contestants can bring their own accompanists at their own expenses.  The contestants in the art song division are encouraged to perform with their own pianists.

Musical Theatre Division -
6. ELIGIBILITY:  Singers over 15 years of age of any nationality. Applicants under the age of 18 must have a legal guardian sign the Application Form.  Members of Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) and Actors' Equity  Association (AEA) are not eligible to apply.  High school/College/Grad students, Non-EMC, non-AEA, none union actors are encouraged to apply.
7. REPERTOIRE:  All works must be performed from memory.  Contestants should prepare five songs in contrast style to show vocal and acting technique and should include at least one classics (e.g. ​Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Jule Styne, etc.) and at least one contemporary or pop/rock (e.g. Scott Alan, Jason Robert Brown, Adam Gwon, Jonathan Larson, Andrew Lippa, Robert Lopez, etc.)  All repertoire may be sung in a preferred key and the contestants' preferred arrangement but the music scores in such key/arrangement must be provided to the accompanist.  Contestants choose their first piece and the judges may ask to hear a second or part of a second piece.  If time permits, the judges may ask to hear a third or part of a third piece.  Performance of each contestant may not exceed fifteen (15) minutes.  The judges may stop the contestants’ performance if the piece is too long.  A repertoire sheet will be emailed to each contestant before the competition.  Contestants will be asked to turn in their repertoire one day before the competition.  
8. ACCOMPANIST:  A pianist will be provided free of charge.  It is the contestant’s responsibility to bring vocal-piano scores for the official pianist.  Contestants can bring their own accompanists at their own expenses. 

Opera Division -
6. ELIGIBILITY:  Singers over 18 years of age of any nationality.  
7. REPERTOIRE:  All works must be performed from memory.  Contestants should prepare five operatic arias.  All arias should be sung in their original form and language.  It is suggested, but not required, to include repertoires in various styles and languages (English is not required).  Participants should choose repertoires that show off the best of their artistry and voice.  All repertoires should only be accompanied by piano in the competition.  Contestants choose their first piece and the judges may ask to hear a second or part of a second piece.  Performance of each contestant may not exceed fifteen (15) minutes.  The judges may stop the contestants’ performance if the piece is too long.  A repertoire sheet will be emailed to each contestant before the competition.  Contestants will be asked to turn in their repertoire one day before the competition. 
8. ACCOMPANIST:  A pianist will be provided free of charge.  It is the contestant’s responsibility to bring vocal-piano scores for the official pianist.  Contestants can bring their own accompanists at their own expenses. 

Updated 2022.10.16

WINNERS of 2020

Art Song Division
GRAND PRIZE  Heejung Lee
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AWARD  Sooyeon Kang
Opera Division
GRAND PRIZE  Hyune Kwon
BEST AMERICAN ARIA INTERPRETATION  Amanda Blue

WINNERS of 2019

Art Song Division
GRAND PRIZE  Jangho Lee 
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AWARD  Joohoon Jang 
HONORABLE MENTION  Clara Osowski
Musical Theatre Division
GRAND PRIZE  Taline Banks
Opera Division
GRAND PRIZE  Young Kwang Yoo
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AWARD  Jaeyeon Kim

WINNERS of 2018

Art Song Division
GRAND PRIZE  Wooju Kim
BEST CHINESE SONG INTERPRETATION  Ling Liao
HONORABLE MENTION  Sicong Wang
Opera Division
GRAND PRIZE  Chonghwa Kim
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AWARD  Mark Tempesta
DISTINCTION  AWARD  Chunghui Kim; Gilberto Amaro Romero
HONORABLE MENTION  Rachel Duval; Andrew Chukwuka Egbuchiem

WINNERS of 2017

Art Song Division
GRAND PRIZE  Yeji Yoon
DISTINCTION  AWARD  Yuan Liu
HONORABLE MENTION  Zi Yang
BEST DUO (OUTSTANDING COLLABORATION)  Yuan Lu & Yinjia Mao
Musical Theatre Division
GRAND PRIZE  Del'Shawn Taylor
HONORABLE MENTION  Shane Spencer; ​Ceniza Catherine Purcell
Opera Division
GRAND PRIZE  Silja Aalto
HONORABLE MENTION  Xuefeng Wan

WINNERS of 2016

Opera Division
GRAND PRIZE  Sonja Krenek
DISTINCTION  AWARD  Shana Grossman
HONORABLE MENTION  Woo Young Yoon
Art Song Division
GRAND PRIZE  Nicole Levesque
HONORABLE MENTION FOR OUTSTANDING
RUSSIAN ART SONG PERFORMANCE  Yulianna Ziovieva
OUTSTANDING COLLABORATIVE PIANIST  Chris Koelzer

WINNERS of 2015

Opera Division
GRAND PRIZE  Ashley Curling; Gina Perregrino
DISTINCTION  AWARD  Kristin Gornstein
Art Song Division
GRAND PRIZE  Devony Smith
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AWARD  Hong Kyung Kim; Noelle McMurtry

WINNERS of 2014

Opera Division
GRAND PRIZE  Victoria Cannizzo; Soyoung Park
DISTINCTION  AWARD  Olivia Betzen; Vittoria Miranda; Bronwyn White
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AWARD  Cheuk Yan; Alison Lau
Art Song Division
GRAND PRIZE  Olivia Betzen

WINNERS of 2013

Opera Division
GRAND PRIZE  Tobias Greenhalgh (United States); Robert-Heepyoung Oh (Korea)
DISTINCTION  AWARD  Barbara LeMay;  Celeste Siciliano

WINNERS of 2012

Opera Division
GRAND PRIZE  Hsin Yi Lin (Taiwan); Maryam Mahvi (United States)
CONCERT ARTIST AWARD  Christopher Eaglin (United States); Kari Lyon (Australia); 
Ewa Lewandowska (Poland);  Courtney Ross (United States)
SCHOLARSHIP AWARD  Stephanie Tzu-Hsuan Chung (Taiwan); 
Mo Li (China/United States)