2023-2024 Wirth Vocal Prize Finalists

What’s something someone might be surprised to find on your playlist?
Vintage Céline Dion (c.1984)... is this what happens when you move to Montreal??

What’s a recent musical discovery you’ve made?
(Composer, piece, approach, perspective, minutia, fun fact — anything!)
This semester I've been learning Lili Boulanger's song cycle Clairères dans le ciel (1913/1914). It's some of the most magical music I've ever sung and I can't believe she wrote it when she was only 19.

What made you choose to study at Schulich and in Montréal?
I chose Schulich for its exceptional faculty and the opportunity to immerse myself in a culturally diverse and multidisciplinary institution. McGill truly fosters exploration. Pursuing a world-class musical education while indulging my curiosity in various fields has allowed me to grow as an artist in ways I never imagined. The vibrant atmosphere of the city made it the ideal setting for my studies as a classical singer and artist, while still staying close to home and family.

What are some of the ways you build positive routines in your music-making? OR What are some of your best practices for healthy music-making?
Sleeping on my ideas. I am a fan of letting them simmer. Music really does come alive when a deep sense of expression is felt and sometimes it just needs time. I think, especially for singers, that in this way, texts reveal themselves and become very intimate. A whole creative world unveils itself.

What made you choose to study at Schulich and in Montréal?
Initially when I decided to apply for graduate school, I did not have McGill on my list. Mostly because I did not think I could survive the winter in Montreal. That is until I worked with Patrick Hansen at the OperFest Sewanee program where he suggested I'd look into Schulich and the many productions and performance opportunities Opera McGill has to offer. The next summer I returned to Sewanee and got to work with Stephen Hargreaves. I knew then that I would be in good hands and in a safe environment at Schulich. It was indeed the greatest choice for me, and I am so glad to be a student here.

How did you go about selecting your repertoire for the competition?
(Do you have a favourite?)
I decided to build a program made of pieces that have been in my repertoire, as well as brand new selections to keep it fresh.
The program has different elements that make it fun to work on. I find that having a woman composer (Chaminade) and an Israeli composer (Mark Lavri) give a little hint of myself that I wish to share on stage, which compliments the standard repertoire and vocal fireworks by Handel and Rossini. My favorite is to sing anything with coloratura, but for this contest I hope I get to perform Schubert. My Incredible pianist Alona Milner and I have established a great connection to this piece, as it is a complete contrast to everything else.

What’s something someone might be surprised to find on your playlist?
80s Taiwanese pop sensation Teresa Teng.

What’s a recent musical discovery you’ve made? (Composer, piece, approach, perspective, minutia, fun fact — anything!)
Hans Eisler’s song cycle The Hollywood Songbook! With poetry by Berthold Brecht this cycle captures Brecht’s thoughts and feelings in war era Germany, his escaping Nazi controlled Germany, and disdain for the hyper-capitalist America he found refuge in. One of the songs in my finals set “ An den Kleinen Radioapparat” is from this set and it’s rawness and intimacy is, in my opinion, unparalleled.