Untitled Document

Click here for Printable PDF of Application

The Barnum Festival

Announces the 2008 Barnum Festival Jenny Lind^TM Competition

for Sopranos on Saturday, April 26, 2008

The competition is free and open to the public - at Salem Lutheran

Church on Park Avenue in Bridgeport, beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday,

April 26th.  The finals, or announcement of the winner will take place

at 4:00 p.m.

FIRST PLACE: $2,000 Award The Jenny Lind^TM Musical Evening Concert Summer concert tour of Sweden RUNNER-UP: $500 Award Understudy for all performances

Application Deadline March 24, 2008

The 2008 Barnum Festival Jenny Lind^TM Competition is not “just another vocal competition.” Named for the famous “Swedish Nightingale” who was brought to this country by Bridgeport’s super showman Phineas T. Barnum, this annual competition aims to discover an exciting young soprano who already displays the promise of a future major opera and/or concert career. The winner will play a prominent role in Bridgeport’s prestigious Barnum Festival and will be featured in concerts with the 2008 Swedish Jenny Lind^TM in Connecticut and Sweden.

Copyright 1997, Barnum Festival, Inc. The names “Barnum Festival”, “Jenny Lind”, and “Barnum Festival Jenny Lind”, are registered trademarks of the Barnum Festival, Inc., a non-stock corporation organized under the laws of the State of Connecticut.

                                                                Eligibility
The Jenny Lind^TM Competition is for SOPRANOS who are from 20 to 30 years of age as of April 26, 2008. Applicants must be United States Citizens. Former Jenny Lind^TM Competition first prize winners and mezzo-sopranos are not eligible.

                                                                Application
Applications will only be accepted on the Official Application and Competition Agreement, which must be signed by the applicant and postmarked by March 24, 2008. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. The application form must be accompanied by:
A.    One (1) copy of a recent black & white head-and-shoulders photo - 8” x 10” glossy preferred.
B.     A PHOTOCOPY of legal proof of age (driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, etc.)
C.    A current résumé, including the following information:
Schools attended Awards and Scholarships Teachers and coaches with whom you have studied Musical experience or training Recent public performances Other performing experience

D.    A repertoire list of pieces you are prepared to sing, including the keys in which
       you will be singing your selections, in the competition and concerts if selected as
       the 2008 Barnum Festival Jenny Lind^TM. The list MUST include:
                      3 contrasting opera arias in their original language
                      2 art songs in 2 different languages
                      2 musical theater or operetta selections
E.    A CD or audio cassette tape for audition purposes. A studio quality recording is
        preferred but not a condition of the competition. The recording must include two
        contrasting arias and one art song. Please label the tape with the names of the
        pieces.
F.     A letter of recommendation from a musical professional in the classical music area.
G.    A non-refundable application fee of $35, payable to the “Barnum Festival, Inc.”

Selection
The selection of a maximum of TWELVE competition participants (semi-finalists) will be made by the judges after listening to the audio tapes of all applicants and reviewing their application forms. Those selected to participate in the competition will be notified no later than April 7, 2008.

Competition
DATE: Saturday, April 26, 2008

PLACE: Salem Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Connecticut

TRAVEL: Travel to and from the competition is at the entrant’s own expense.

ACCOMPANIST: A skilled, professional accompanist will be provided. Entrants may NOT bring their own accompanist.

Semi-Finalist Round

TIME: Each entrant will be advised of the time she will be required to sing (not earlier than 1:00 p.m., not later than 3:00 p.m.) and should arrive not less than 30 minutes before her scheduled time. Warm-up space will be provided.

REPERTOIRE: Each entrant will be required to sing TWO pieces. On the application form you are asked to choose ONE aria or art song from your repertoire list. The judges will choose a second selection on the day of the competition. They may choose additional selections.

MUSIC: It is the responsibility of the entrant to provide music for the accompanist. Music should be organized in a 3-ring binder in book form (pages front to back). Singers must perform from memory.

JUDGES: Judges for the preliminary round will be a panel of skilled and knowledgeable music professionals.

CRITERIA: The judges will base their decisions on the following: technique, musicianship, diction, interpretation, and stage presence.

FINALISTS: Up to SIX finalists may be chosen by 4:00 PM. IF THE JUDGES FEEL THAT THEY HAVE COME TO A DECISION, THEY MAY PROCEED IMMEDIATELY TO THE AWARDS.

Finals

TIME: Finalists will compete at 4:00 PM

SINGING ORDER: There will be a draw to determine order of singing.

REPERTOIRE: Finalists will sing two pieces which will be identified by the judges.

JUDGES: Same as for the preliminary round.

CRITERIA: Same as for the preliminary round.

Awards

One of the finalists will be chosen as the “2008 Barnum Festival Jenny LindTM”.

Her prizes will include: A $2,000 cash prize to be used for the furtherance of her career.

The prize will be awarded as follows: $1000 presented on April 26, 2008 at the Finals

$500 presented June 26, 2008 at the Jenny Lind Musica Evening
$500 presented upon completion of Swedish concert tour.

The Jenny LindTM Musical Evening Concert with the Swedish Jenny LindTM and Swedish Accompanist on Thursday, June 26, 2008 Summer concert tour of Sweden.
The runner-up will be presented with $500 on April 26, 2008.
*Winners must be present for the presentation of awards at the conclusion of the competition on April 26th.

Jenny LindTM Competition for Sopranos

OFFICIAL APPLICATION FORM AND COMPETITION AGREEMENT

NAME_________________________________________

VOICE CATEGORY_____________________________________________________

HOME ADDRESS_______________________________________________________

CITY _______________________ STATE ____________ ZIP CODE ___________

MAILING ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE
________________________________________

CITY _______________________ STATE ________ ZIP CODE___________________

HOME PHONE NUMBER ____________________CELL PHONE _______________

DATE OF BIRTH _______________ PLACE OF BIRTH ___________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS _________________________________________

YOUR SELECTION OF THE ARIA OR ART SONG FROM YOUR REPERTOIRE LIST THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO SING IF SELECTED FOR THE COMPETITION.

Please include title of aria or song, opera (if applicable), composer, language and key. The second piece will be chosen from your repertoire list by the Barnum Festival Jenny LindTM Competition Selection Committee. The decision for your first selection may not be changed once you send in this application.
Selection: _______________________________________________________________
                                    AGREEMENT (questions in #5)
In signing this application, I confirm agreement with the following terms of the 2008 Barnum Festival Jenny LindTM Competition to be conducted by the Barnum Festival, Inc., of Bridgeport, Connecticut.
1. I have read and understood the conditions of the 2008 Barnum Festival Jenny LindTM Competition.
2. If selected to participate in the competition, I will be willing and able to compete in the preliminary round of competition.
3. If I am selected by the judges as a finalist, I am willing and able to compete in the final round.
4. I will be prepared to sing any aria or song contained in my repertoire list.
5. If selected as the 2008 Barnum Festival Jenny Lind™, I will be prepared to perform selections from opera, operetta, musical theater and art song for the Jenny LindTM Musical Evening on Thursday, June 26, 2008 in Bridgeport, CT. I will also be prepared to participate in the Barnum Festival ‘s Fireworks Skyblast Party on Friday June 27, 2008, the Champions on Parade Senior Drum Corp Show on Saturday, June 28, 2008, and the Great Street Parade on Sunday, June 29, 2008 in Bridgeport, CT. I also will be available to be in Sweden for a concert tour from approximately July 14 to August 10, 2008.
6. Furthermore, if at any time I am unable to fulfill any of the requirements in paragraphs 1 through 5 above, I understand that I forfeit any and all of the Competition’s attending titles and prizes, and the Barnum Festival, Inc. reserves the right to transfer such titles and other benefits of winning the competition to the runner-up in the 2008 Barnum Festival Jenny LindTM Competition.
7. I further agree to release the Barnum Festival, Inc. and its members; the Jenny LindTM Sponsors, the 2008 Barnum Festival Jenny LindTM Committee and members of the judges panel; and any other organizations or individuals collaborating in the competition from any and all claims for damages, losses, and injuries sustained by me in connection with my appearances as the Barnum Festival Jenny LindTM.

DATE ________________ SIGNATURE ________________________

PLEASE REMEMBER TO ENCLOSE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WITH THIS FORM:

A. One (1) copy of a head-and-shoulder black and white photograph
B. Documentation of date of birth
C. A current résumé
D. A repertoire list, including keys
E. A CD or audio cassette tape
F. A letter of recommendation
G. A non-refundable application fee of $35 (payable to the Barnum Festival, Inc.)

Mail application and enclosures postmarked no later than MARCH 24, 2008 to: Jenny LindTM Competition c/o Robert S. Genualdi 180 Battery Park Drive Bridgeport, CT 06605 - 3632
Copyright 1997, Barnum Festival, Inc. The names “Barnum Festival”, “Jenny Lind”, and “Barnum Festival Jenny Lind”, are registered trademarks of the Barnum Festival, Inc., a non-stock corporation organized under the laws of the State of Connecticut.

Andrew Gordon – Piano Accompanist and Program Coordinator for the
Jenny Lind Event

     A native of Boston, Andrew Gordon holds degrees in piano performance from the New England Conservatory and the Juilliard School, where he studied with Russell Sherman and Jacob Lateiner. Currently Director of Music at Diamond Hill United Methodist Church in Cos Cob, Connecticut, he is also heard regularly as principal keyboard of the Greenwich (Connecticut) Symphony and the orchestra s Chamber Players. Iin 2007 he was also a soloist with the Symphony in Mendelssohn s Concerto
in G minor.
     As a singer, Mr. Gordon has performed in New York with Voices of Ascension, Musica Sacra, and New York Choral Artists, as well as in Stamford, Connecticut with Pro Arte Singers. For the latter two groups he has also served as accompanist.   As a vocal coach, he participated in four seasons at Central City Opera in Colorado, and helped prepare the world première of Hugo Weisgall s The Gardens of Adonis for Opera/Omaha in 1993.   He is currently also coaching at Western Connecticut State University for the Voice Department.
     Mr. Gordon's recent compositions include a Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, and An Evening Prayer, the latter published by Oxford University Press. He is currently a resident of Redding, Connecticut, where he maintains a private studio.



EVENT SPONSORS