By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Before announcing the winners in the Marjorie Conrad Art Song Competition, Christopher Scholl, the voice professor who coordinates the event, likened the vocal-piano duos to figure skating pairs.
In each case, the individuals must have a high level of skill, and they must work together to create a winning performance. No one landed a triple Axel on Saturday night in BGSU’s Bryan Recital Hall. The performers, though, did reach emotional heights, as well as occasional forays into low comedy.
They didn’t spin in the air, but they had to pivot. Each singer is required to prepare songs in English, German, French, and Italian. They must also pivot from century to century, from the Classical Era to songs by living composers. And each song presents its own musical play within a few moments.
Dr. Rhea Olivaccé, of the Western Michigan University voice faculty, said that this is the particular challenge of the art song.
In an opera, the performer has the entire show to develop a single character and even has breaks. “But when you’re in recital and really focused on the art songs, you have to be so hyper focused on the nuances of each individual character and how those characters are affected,” Olivaccé said. “You are bringing those characters to life based not only on the interpretation of the text but also the music. And you’re working with your partner who also has their interpretation of what those characters are seeing, doing, feeling. It’s very intense.”
Trinity Peace Hines-Anthony, the soprano who with her pianist partner Apostolos Konstantakis, won the graduate division of the competition, experienced that contrast this semester.
Two weeks ago, she was on stage playing the lead in the opera “Cendrillon.” The opera has a director and all the theatrical support from lighting, sets, and costumes. “With art song you really have to find authentic moments within yourself and make it your own,” she said.
[RELATED: BGSU’s ‘Cendrillon’ brings a light-hearted Cinderella into the 1950s]
“I think the most important thing is to do the work ahead of time with the languages. Once we do those translations, it’s important to think about the text while we’re singing,” Hines Anthony said. “As far as collaboration goes, it’s about being in tune and listening to what’s he’s doing and vice versa and taking the deep breaths together and really being in the moment.”
‘”It takes a lot of effort and a lot of research into every single piece that you’re doing,” said Laney Mitchell, a soprano, who with pianist Charles Ligus, took top honors in the undergraduate division. “It took a lot of memorization and making sure that I was portraying the right characters that the composers intended for each piece.”
Ligus said timing is important as the singer shifts from song to song. On the three-song program Saturday night, the judges asked for Leonard Bernstein antic recipe song “Rabbit at Top Speed” and then for Franz Schubert’s languorous “Du bist die (You are rest and peace).”
“To make that work is a real challenge,” he said.
The semifinals of the competition were held during the day with the finalists returning in the evening for a final round. All four undergraduate duos made the finals, while six of the 10 graduate duets moved on. Click to view program.
The winners shared in the $6,500 prize money. All money is split evenly between the singers and pianists. First place in each division is $1,500, second place, $1,000, and third $750. The division is determined by the standing of the vocalist.
The other winners were:
- Audrey Martin, soprano, and Isabella Brill, piano, second place, undergraduate.
- Alexander Ebright, tenor, and Michelle Teyvel, piano, third place undergraduate.
- Kirsten Kidd, soprano, and Chirapa Wungkaom, piano, second place graduate.
- Joicy Pereira de Carvalho, soprano and Angelo-Konstantakis, piano, third place graduate.
Kidd shared the lead role in “Cendrillon” with Hines-Anthony. Several other cast members, including Pereira de Carvalho, also competed in the art song competition.
Angelo-Konstantakis was also a winner in the Competitions in Music in December, and in February performed Concerto for Piano No. 2 in A Major (in one movement) by Franz Liszt with the BG Philharmonia.
[RELATED: Musical dreams come true for soloists in BGSU concerto competition]
He declined to say which he enjoyed most. “Each is special collaboration. I just really enjoy playing music with these beautiful people. I really enjoyed it today. In our program we had a lot of character changes, moods, and dynamics. That’s what matters to me.
As judge, Olivaccé was impressed with the entire field of competitors. “I could hear all the hard work, the intentionality behind what they thought of those characters. There were different levels, but everyone had something say with their art . That was very impressive.”
