ianist
Jodi Goble, collaborative pianist and composer, comes to Iowa State University from the Boston University College of Fine Arts, where she had been a vocal pianist-coach and member of the voice faculty for nine years. During the summers, she coaches voice, teaches diction and is the Coordinator of Opera Programs for the Boston University Tanglewood Institute’s Young Artists Vocal Program in Lenox, MA. Ms. Goble’s opera and music theatre credits include work with The Boston Conservatory, the Footlight Club, Stage One, Actor’s Collaborative, Berkshire Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera Guild. A sought-after collaborative artist in Boston, she has recitaled at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Harvard Musical Association, the Tsai Center for the Performing Arts, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Grey House at M.I.T., Lowell House at Harvard, the Berkshire Museum, and Jordan Hall. Her work with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus has taken her from Boston’s Symphony Hall to Carnegie Hall in New York City, across six European countries, and back to Tanglewood, where she performed on the TFC’s annual Prelude Concert at Seiji Ozawa Hall. During her tenure with the TFC, she has been privileged to play under conductors James Levine, Bernard Haitink, Sir Colin Davis, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, Keith Lockhart, and Seiji Ozawa, and to collaborate in rehearsal with artists such as José van Dam, Paul Groves, Yvonne Naef, Stephanie Blythe, Marcello Giordano, and Peter Serkin. Ms. Goble holds bachelor’s degrees in violin and piano performance from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL, and did her master’s study in collaborative piano and chamber music at Ball State University in Muncie, IN.
awards
Martha-Ellen Tye Career Development Award Presented by Mark North This award is sponsored by the Martha-Ellen Tye Performing Arts Institute. It is to be used exclusively for professional development such as additional study, coaching, master classes, or seminars.
Donald Easter and Dr. Lawrence Ely Memorial Award Presented by Michael Egel To honor the contributions and support of two of the . founding trustees of the Des Moines Metro Opera, Donald Easter and Dr. Lawrence Ely. They will be greatly missed.
Robert Larsen Award Presented by Margot Burnham This award is presented in recognition of Dr. Robert Larsen, founder and force de majeure behind the Des Moines Metro Opera which is looking forward to its 40th anniversary.
Douglas Burke Memorial Award Presented by Joan Burke Douglas Burke’s family is proud to sponsor this award honoring his love and appreciation of all music.
winners
mission statement
1. To discover exceptional young talent. 2. To provide a venue for young opera singers from all over the country and at all different levels of experience to be heard by a representative of the Metropolitan Opera and to assist those with the greatest potential in their development. 3. To search for new talent for the Metropolitan Opera and its Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.
thanks
The Auditions Committee wishes to thank the following contributors whose generous gifts completely underwrite the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for the Iowa District. Patricia Barry Joan Burke Margot Burnham John and Judy Clem Randy and Sara Compton James and Carolyn Cornette Erika Curtis Herbert David Kevin and Robyn Dennis Ronald and Holly Fuchs David and Hanna Gradwohl John and Fay Hill Jack and Carole Horowitz Kawaler Family Foundation Dennis and Betty Keeney Clair and Marilyn Keller Winifred Kelley Daniel and Mary Kelly David Leaming Paul Meginnis James and Jeanne O’Halloran Rosanne O’Harra Priscilla Sage Clayton and Ruth Swenson Peggy Earnshaw and Paul Tanaka Stephen Willson We are also grateful to those whose contributions arrived after this program was printed. May we add your name to our list of contributors? While the judges donate their time, there are expenses for travel, printing, postage, and cash awards to singers which always far exceed entrance fees. Donations are being accepted today in the lobby.
Regional and National Auditions
Winners from the five districts of the Upper Midwest Region will compete on Saturday, February 4, 2012 in Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota. Two singers will be chosen to advance to New York City and the National Semifinal competition when the field will again be narrowed. Ten singers will be selected to compete on stage at the Met and will be accompanied by the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in the Grand Finals Concert on March 18, 2012.
judges
The purpose of the National Council Auditions Program is:
Special thanks to Iowa State University Music Department Additional support provided by
www.center.iastate.edu
Iowa District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Saturday, January 7, 2012 Noon Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall Music Hall, Iowa State University Ames, IA Sara Compton & Donald Simonson Directors
Michael Egel of Indianola, IA was appointed Artistic Director of the Des Moines Metro Opera of 2010, after having served as the Artistic Administrator / Director of Education since 1999. He initiated the commissioning of a major children’s opera on a subject from Iowa history which was produced in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and premiered in January of 2009.
His education credentials include a B.M. in Music from Simpson College and an M.M. from the University of Memphis. In March, he was named to the Des Moines Business Record “Forty under 40” which serves to identify young leaders making an impact in the Greater Des Moines Area. He has previously been on the administrative and directing staff at both Opera Memphis and the Natchez Opera Festival and has served frequently as an adjudicator for the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions. During the last two years, he has served on the steering committee for the National Singer Training Forum with other singer-training personnel at OPERA America and has presented on the topic of Singer Training at several conferences for them. He has been a panelist for the National Opera Association regarding career issues for young singers and has contributed to national publications regarding the auditioning process and training for singers. Gayletha Nichols, Director of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (MONCA) Gayletha Nichols joined the artistic staff of the Metropolitan Opera in the fall of 2000 as Executive Director of the National Council Auditions. She brought to the Met two decades of experience as a singer, teacher and career advisor. From 1992-2000, she was Director of Houston Opera Studio, the young artist development program at Houston Grand Opera, where she created and individualized the training both for singers and pianists. Ms. Nichols auditions hundreds of singers across North America every year and in her travels addresses many universities, conservatories, and festivals on developing the next generation of opera singers. She is a frequent adjudicator in national and international competitions and consults for other young artist programs across the country. Thomas Muraco has earned accolades throughout the United States, Canada, Central America, Europe, and Asia for his technical virtuosity, tonal beauty, and a unique understanding of the underlying poetry of music. Mr. Muraco has partnered with such singers as Martina Arroyo, Phyllis Curtin, Faith Esham, Maureen Forrester, Denyce Graves, Ben Heppner, Roberta Peters, Hermann Prey, and Dolora Zajick among many others. Highlights of his career include appearances at The White House, the Library of Congress, the Aspen, Banff, Bermuda, Casals, Cincinnati May and Ravinia Festivals, and major concert halls, museums, universities and cultural centers throughout the US, Europe and Asia. Often asked to judge competitions such as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Mr. Muraco has also been the chairman of the jury of “De Vive Voix,” an annual international vocal competition held in France. In addition to his busy performing schedule, Mr. Muraco is presently on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music where he trains pianists in the art of accompanying and coaching, as well as singers in all aspects of the art. Mr. Muraco will teach a master class for auditioning singers tomorrow from 10am - 2pm here in the recital hall. The master class is open to the public.