The Ziering-Conlon Initiative at the Colburn School will hold its first-ever national Young Artist Competition during the fall of 2015. The focus will be on Art Song, with a public final round hosted by James Conlon in Zipper Hall on Sunday, December 6, 2015. Cash prizes totaling $12,000 will be distributed. All finalists will receive a cash prize, with $5,000 and a fully underwritten residency at SongFest 2016 going to the first prize winner.
The Young Artist Competition aims to bring greater awareness to the works of composers suppressed during the years of the Nazi regime, particularly among the next generation of classical musicians. Young Artist Competitions will take place every other year, focusing on different genres and ensembles. The Ziering-Conlon Initiative was established in 2013 by a generous grant from Marilyn Ziering. James Conlon serves as Artistic Advisor.
Maestro Conlon said: "The purpose of this competition is two-fold: one to recognize and assist young talented musicians by presenting a forum in which to be heard and, at the same time, to encourage young artists of the next generation to discover and perform lesser-known works by composers suppressed at the time of the Nazi Regime."
Colburn School President and CEO Sel Kardan added, “We are very pleased to host the first Young Artist Competition here at the Colburn School as part of the Ziering-Conlon Initiative. The program is a great point of pride at Colburn, and this competition will help to further expose young musicians to the works of suppressed and censored composers.”
Prospective participants must not have reached their 31st birthday by the application deadline of October 15, 2015. To audition for the competition, singers must submit an official online application, including video performances of two songs: one by Alexander Zemlinsky, and one by either Franz Schreker or Viktor Ullmann. Up two six finalists will be selected for the finals, and they will be notified around November 1, 2015. Visit colburnschool.edu/zieringconloninitiative for more information.
Applications must be submitted via the form available exclusively through the YAP (Young Artist Program) Tracker website at yaptracker.com/applications/ziering-conlon-competition-2015. Applicants for the Young Artist Competition do not need to be paying subscribers to YAP Tracker to register, but will need an account. Guest accounts are available. Please visit yaptracker.com for details and registration.
About the Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices
Established by a grant from Marilyn Ziering, the primary focus of the Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices at the Colburn School is the performance, advocacy and dissemination of music by composers suppressed during the years of the Nazi regime. James Conlon serves as Artistic Advisor for the initiative, the name of which recognizes with appreciation Los Angeles Opera’s groundbreaking Recovered Voices project, also under the direction of James Conlon, and also supported by Marilyn Ziering. Performance of music by these composers is encouraged within the Colburn Conservatory’s solo, orchestral and chamber music activities. Research and academic activities are also explored through creative collaborations, conferences, concerts and publishing.
As part of the initiative, the Colburn Conservatory offers a semester-long seminar once a year on Recovered Voices, taught and overseen by James Conlon, with assistance by Ziering-Conlon Initiative Director Robert Elias and invited guests.
In addition to the oversight of Maestro Conlon and Mr. Elias, the initiative is supervised by the Dean of the Colburn Conservatory and benefits greatly from the interest and commitment of the Conservatory’s internationally recognized faculty and staff.