Anna Maria Schultz, a high school senior from Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is the $1000 First Prize Winner of the 31st annual Italian Songs and Arias Vocal Competition for Michigan High School Students. The Concert of the Finalists of this always exciting event, sponsored by the Verdi Opera Theatre of Michigan, in collaboration with the Italian American Club of Livonia Charitable Foundation, the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan, the Italian American Cultural Society, the Detroit Opera, and under the auspices of the Italian Consulate of Italy in Detroit, was held on April 27, at the Italian American Club of Livonia front of an appreciative large audience that rewarded each of the talented young finalists with enthusiastic applause.
The ten finalists, chosen from participants who entered the competition from schools throughout the state, were required to sing from memory, to piano accompaniment, their two Italian art songs or opera arias submitted initially to enter the contest. The works performed at the concert included some of the most beautiful art songs and opera arias by Bononcini, Caldara, Donaudy, Donizetti, Giordani, Durante, Gluck, Melani, Mercadante, Mozart, Paisiello, Puccini, Respighi, Tosti, Scarlatti, Torelli, Schubert, and Vivaldi.
The First Prize winner, Anna Maria Schultz, captivated the audience with her stage presence, lovely sound, and engaging expression, singing Stefano Donaudy’s charming art song. “Spirate, pur spirate”, and Alessandro Melani’s rare (from the 1660s!) but still alluring art song “Vezzosa Aurora”.
All the finalists showed noteworthy musical training and their love of singing which made for a delightful musical afternoon for the audience and a challenging task for the two distinguished judges, Suzanne Mallare Acton, Assistant Music Director and Chorus Master of the Detroit Opera; and Melissa Maloney, Lyric Coloratura Soprano – a former finalist of this vocal competition – and now a valued music teacher at Oakland University as well as a clinician and adjudicator for high school vocal music events throughout Michigan. Char Van Arragon of Grand Rapids Christian High School was awarded the Second Prize of $500. Marisa Black of Waterford Kettering High School received the $300 Third Prize. The other seven finalists, who were considered of equally high merit, each received $200. They were: Vada Brasington, Isla Falconer, and Olivia Frixen, from Traverse City Central High School; Kavya Kannan, Novi High School; William Murray, Grosse Pointe North High School; Emmy Tosterud, Spring Lake High School; and Morgan Jones-Baldwin, Traverse City West High School. The entire $3,200 of the prizes awarded to the 10 finalists was provided by the Italian American Club of Livonia Charitable Foundation and the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan.
In addition, two new special $500 Awards for Continuing Music Education (ACME) were presented, one for a high school music student and one for an adult singer. Robert DiGovanni and Judith Steeh provided funding for these awards. The recipients of these awards, who submitted winning essays about their continuing studies, were William Murray, from Grosse Pointe North High School, and Corinthia Sims, currently pursuing a Master’s in Vocal Performance at Wayne State University.
By Sandra Tornberg
