Kentucky Opera Studio Artists

2012.13 Studio Artist audition dates announced. Details . . .

Kentucky Opera’s Studio Artist Program provides unique training experiences and career guidance for emerging opera artists at multiple stages in their education.  The Studio Artist Program consists of three levels of singing artists; Resident, Apprentice and Intern.

Meet the 2011.12 Studio Artists

The Resident Artists have typically completed their graduate studies in voice and are looking to extend their education and training to include mainstage experiences with comprimario and covering roles as well as access to professional singers, conductors, directors and coaches.  Resident Artists also perform for educational and outreach events throughout the community including live radio and TV broadcasts, donor events, community concerts and schools. 

The Apprentice Artist level is a partnership program with two of Kentucky’s universities; the University of Louisville School of Music and the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre.  Apprentice Artists are still in the process of completing their graduate training in voice at these universities and are given the opportunity to train with Kentucky Opera during the fall mainstage season.  Apprentice Artists may have comprimario, cover and chorus roles for mainstage productions and are included in all professional development opportunities, master classes and coachings.  We are currently working on creating the opportunity to include Kentucky State University vocal students in this level.

The Intern Artist level is a partnership program with the Youth Performing Arts School (YPAS), a unique school within the Jefferson County Public Schools and one of only two schools in Kentucky to provide high school students with majors in the performing arts.   Intern Artists are given the opportunity to participate in the chorus for one or more of the fall mainstage operas. 

Professional development opportunities for all levels of Studio Artists are made available through Kentucky Opera’s Education Department.  Working with the Studio Artist Music Director and Kentucky Opera’s Resident Conductor/Music Director, the Education Department provides opportunities for Studio Artists to study with incoming professional opera singers, conductors and directors as well as receive extended instruction in acting, recitative, monologues, movement, stage combat and other stage/opera related areas.  Other professional development opportunities include a session on taxes, resumes, head shots and audition preparations with Kentucky Opera’s Artistic Administrator, as well as other business related areas. 

Resident and Apprentice Artists are the principal performers in a collaborative semi-staged concert opera with the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, Opera Kentucky in Bowling Green and the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra as well as the Composer Workshop, a composer in residence project with the University of Louisville School of Music and the Academy of Music at St. Francis in the Fields.  Resident composers work extensively with Studio Artists over the course of one week, culminating in a final public concert of new and/or existing works.  Composers in residence have included Jake Heggie, Ben Moore and Daron Hagen. 

Auditions for the Resident Artist level are held annually in Cincinnati and Philadelphia.  Resident Artists are paid a weekly stipend and are responsible for their own housing.  The mainstage season is approximately 16 weeks.  Studio Artists will arrive in late August for rehearsals and coachings with the first mainstage production in September.  Following the first production will be the Composer Workshop and the run-out of performances in Bowling Green, Owensboro and Lafayette, IN throughout the month of October.  The second production will begin in late October with performances in late November prior to the Thanksgiving holiday week-end.  December is an off month.  Mid-January will have the touring artists arrive for rehearsals and the launch of the school tour.  Mainstage Studio Artists will arrive in mid-January for the third and final mainstage production with performances in late February.  The school tour artists will finish in mid-February.

For more information on the Studio Artist Program, please contact Deanna Hoying, Director of Education at 502.561.7938 or e-mail at deanna_hoying@kyopera.org.

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