2020 VOICE WINNERS - GROUP A (5-7)

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 2nd / AFAF Golden Voice of America International Vocal Competition 2019    2018-2020 Private Lesson (Vocal)  2017-2020 Peabody Preparatory (Flute)  2013-2017 Private Lesson (Piano)  2012-2013 Private Lesson (Music Enlightenment ) A Member of the Peabody Preparatory ---《Italian Lyric Diction》 A Member of the Eastman Community Music School 

 Born in Nov. 21, 2007, Raymond as a Grade 8 student, lives in Vancouver,  Canada.    Raymond is very active in learning Chess, Taekwondo, skating, ski,  swimming and Basketball. He is good at Mathematics.   Music is Raymond’s favorite. He is learning the Piano, Guitar and the  Opera singing. Regularly, Raymond attends the music performances for the  seniors at the local communities.    In the year of 2019 before Covid-19, Raymond participated in many events  with prizes granted including 1st place winner at American Protege  International Music Talent Competition; 2nd place at Tri-cities Got  Talent at a local festival. 

 Polina was born in Ekaterinburg, Russia. From 5 years she started  singing in Sverdlovsk State Children Philharmonic Society. From age of 6  she was singing in Rossiyanka Choir in Tokyo. In November, 2017 she was  a Winner of Planet of art competition in Orlando USA. In May 2019 she  won a competition in Washington D.C. After she singed in Girls Choir  of  South Florida. Polina takes voice lessons with voice teacher Asmik  Arutiuniants. Polina also won in competitions Talents of Europe  International Art Competition, Festolonia, and Colibri vocal  competition. 

 Mia Ye was born in the United States in 2008. She has been studying  ballet and traditional Chinese dancing since the age of four and piano  since the age of seven. She began her vocal lesson in 2014 with opera  singer Li Chunfeng, demonstrating excellence in singing 17th century  Italian arias and Chinese art songs. She won first place at the American  Fine Arts Festival, performing at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie  Hall, first place at the American Protege International Vocal  Competition of 2017 and 2018, first place at the Summer Gala Concert of  2019, and first in the Musical Theater American Protege Competition.  

 My name is Jinhao Zhang. I live in Maryland, USA. I loved music when I  was little and I felt joy when I shared the songs I’ve learned with  friends. I began vocal lessons with Mr. Chunfeng Li, a known baritone,  at the age of nine. My favorite part about singing is that I can sing in  front of many audiences and share my progress and passion with them.  When I’m singing, I feel very energized. This year is my first time  entering an International music competition. I feel confident to give a  great performance. 

 Sophia Cotrotsios is a sophomore at Unionville High School in Kennett  Square, PA. She studies voice privately with Anna Buglio and is coached  by UHS choral director Jason Throne. Sophia is thrilled to move forward  in the King’s Peak International Music Competition. She is also a  Semifinalist in the 2021 Music International Grand Prix. Sophia is a  member of four ensembles, including the highly selective Chamber Choir,  and is a member of Tri-M Music Honor Society. Her love of musical  theatre has grown through her participation in five musicals. She  intends to pursue theatre and/or classical voice in college. 

 Eliana Pislariu Ranghilof’s first participation in an opera production  was at 2 years old.  She played the Child in Madame Butterfly.  When she  was 6 years old,  she got her first award at a Child Fest, and  afterwards she got  many other awards and trophies.  Eliana also had  recitals at various events in Romania, in Australia, Italy, and Turkey,  also TV shows.  About  8 years old  she became interested in opera,  operetta and musical, she was a member of  Bucharest National Opera  Children’s Choir, she played „ Il Pastore” from  Puccini’ s „Tosca”,  recently she won the first prize at the notorious romanian Contest  „Allegria” on the 1st of Septembre 2020, also other international   prizes: first place at USIMC, Finalist at E-contest  Competition and  many other romanian  Contests. 

 Rachel Zhao, 15, started playing piano when she was five and begun play  violin at the age of eight and viola at the age of thirteen. She joined  the Peabody Children’s Choir six years ago and began her vocal training  under Chunfeng Li in November 2019. She participated in her first vocal  competition in June 2020 and won Young Artist finalist award in 2020  United States International Music Competition.  

 Noot Cohen is a 14-years-old opera singer, pianist, composer and  actress. She studies Voice with her mother, mezzo-soprano Bavat Marom,  and Music with Dr. Alexander Kornhandler at the Israeli Conservatory of  Music Tel Aviv; Piano with Ron Trachtman; and Composition with Eyal Bat.  She is a member of the Bat-Kol Girls Choir, with whom she has performed  in Israel and the UK, including in the opera “Carmen” at the Israeli  Opera. She is a winner of the Scholarship Competition of the Israeli  Conservatory of Music and has performed as a singer and actress in  numerous films, TV series and performances. 

 My name is Vizsnyai Ferencz-Botond. I am 16 years old and my hometown is  Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania, Romania. I study classical singing at the  „Sigismund Toduță” Music College with prof. dr. Daniela Păcurar Neamț.        Awards: 3rd place of the „Emanuel Elenescu” Music Competition,  2019; 3rd place of the „Emil Rotundu” Canto & Piano International  -online- Contest; 2nd place of the „Liga Interpreților” Online Music  Festival; 3rd place of the „6th International Singing Competition, The  Alida Vane  Award Junior, 2020”; 2nd place of the Sabin Drăgoi  International Singing Competition; 2nd place of the Jean Sibelius Vocal  Contest 2020; 1st place of the Magia Cântecului Vocal Contest Oradea  2020; 3rd place of the Maramuzica Trophy 2020.         I am very glad to be part of the King's Peak International Music  Competition. 

 •Laureate of the 1st prize at the Istoki International Competition,  Russia,  at the International Competition of Russian Romance  "Mediterranean Romansiada 2020" in Cyprus, winner of the Grand Prix at  International competitions in Israel Camerton, at the International  Competition of Russian Белый кит. 2019, Russia at the International  Ukrainian Song Festival in Haifa, Israel2019 , of "Golden Laurel 2018"  at the "International Children's Olympiad of Performing Arts" • Laureate of the second prize at the World Art Diploma ( 88/100) age  category 16-19 years old , 7.12.2020 Spain • Laureate of the third prize at the International Competition "Children  in the World of Early Music-2019", Russia.  •Invited to participate in the Talents of the World concert at the  Kremlin Moscow accompanied by the State Symphony Orchestra • AFS Fellow, Awarded Travel to USA. • Among the winners represented Greece at the New Year 2020 celebration  in Artek, Crimea • Presented at the opening of the International Youth Conference on the  Preservation of Cultural Heritage 2019, held under the auspices of  UNESCΟ, Athens, Greece. • Participant of more than 20 charity concerts, including those  organized by UNESCΟ in Greece, Denmark, Italy and at the closing of the  Paralympic Games, Thessaloniki, Greece .

 Ryan was born in Maryland, USA in September 2006. He demonstrated his  talent and passion in singing when he was very young. Ryan started voice  training in 2016 when he joined Peabody Children’s Chorus, in which he  still sings. He started to learn classical and opera pieces in 2018  while taking voice lessons with Mr. Chunfeng Li, a professional opera  singer. Ryan’s repertoire includes Opera and classical songs in English,  Italian, German, and Chinese. 

 Helena Susha is born 24.09.2020 in St. Veit, Austria. She started her  musical education when she was 12 years old in the class of prof. Gonce  Bogoromova, which she also had as vocal teacher at the Music High School  DMBUC Ilija Nikolovski-Luj. In 2018 she also started working with Ana  Durlovski. Helena attended many masterclasses by world renomated names  in the industry like Giuseppe Gippali, Olga Makarina, Rame Lahaj,  Claudia Eder, Alessandra di Giorgio, Blagoj Nacoski, and many others.  She has won many competitions in and out of the country. One of the more  meaningful ones were, the competition in Neustadt, Germany where she  got 2nd place which brang her a debut with the Deutsche  Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-pfaltz, and also 3rd place at the  competition for Russian romances in Bulgaria, where because of age she  couldnt compete in the next round but was invited to sing as a guest in  Moscow. This year she attended the University for music and arts in the  class of prof. Ana Durlovski in Skopje.  

 Trinity started singing at age five after auditioning for a role in the  opera Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti. In 2013, she  made her Carnegie Hall debut for classical voice. Along with singing,  Trinity enjoys playing the violin, viola, piano, and composing. She has  traveled to England for international piano competitions, and has toured  Ireland playing violin concerti. Throughout high school, she has  participated in choirs and orchestras. Trinity currently studies with  Caitlin Lynch, professional opera singer. Outside of music, Trinity  enjoys varsity figure skating and volunteering as her school’s Community  Service Student Council Chair. 

 My name is Lara Galletta, i'm 19 years old and I come from Italy. I'm  studying opera singing at Scuola Civica Claudio Abbado in Milan. My  passion for Opera was born when I was 13 years old, when I started the  musical high school. Meanwhile I also took classes with a private  teacher, Julia Demenko. I have also learned how to play drums and  percussions in the academic school, later adding piano since middle  school. Moreover, during the junior year, I spent one year abroad in  Latvia and there I continued my studies in opera singing. 

 Tamara Lazăr- 18 years old Soprano, Student at ”Sigismund Toduță” Music  School in Cluj-Napoca in her forth high-school year. She has been  studying the art of singing from the age of 14. Tamara has participated  in multiple vocal performance competitions, winning numerous prizes. She  collaborated on multiple occasions with various philharmonics 

 My name is Cristurean Crina-Ionela and I’m 17 years old. I study  classical voice at the Sigismund Toduta Music College, Cluj with lect.  univ. dr Daniela Pacurar-Neamt. 

 Ewelina Polak started her vocal education at the age of 14 under the  tutelage of Mrs Justyna Wieruszewska-Biniek. Then she continued her  music education with Prof. Izabela Kłosińska at Fryderyk Chopin Complex  of State Music Schools in Warsaw. She is currently studying in the class  of Prof. Violetta Bielecka at Ignacy Paderewski Complex of State Music  Schools in Białystok. 

 Patheerapat Sireevaranunt is a soprano born and raised in Bangkok,  Thailand. She has just turned 18 years old. She possesses ample ability  in both piano and flute, and has been singing since a very young age. At  the age of 10, she started her classical singing training. After just  one year of lessons, she passed the ABRSM Grade 2 Singing exam with  Distinction, as well as winning first prize in her school's 'Rakpasathai  Song' singing competition. In 2015, at the age of 13, she won second  prize at the American Protégé international vocal competition, where she  performed at Canegie Hall. Two years later, at the age of 15, she won  second prize at the international music Salzburg competition "grand  prize virtuoso". She received the highest mark in the Trinity exam Grade  4-7 in Thailand in 2016-2018. This year, she was a finalist of The  Alida Vane Award 2020. . 

 Galo Lastra is an American Operatic Tenor from Utah, United States. He  is 19 years old and is passionate about opera and is emerging. He began  his career in the summer of 2019 in an opera festival in Provo, Utah. We  had won local competitions as well as placed 2nd (Silver) in the Music  and Stars Awards in 2020. His dream is to become a concert singer and to  perform in the greatest opera houses with the greatest orchestras. 

 Ioannis Lazopoulos was born in Thessaloniki, Greece.  He was awarded a  music scholarship to attend as a student  • AICF/SNF Grant Program at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in the  Vocal Department for Voice performance in Tel-Aviv, Israel • at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki,  • at the School of Monody of the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki,  • Winner of the International Music Competition “Vienna New Year’s  Concert” 2018 Winner Young Talent (Voice). Kazakhstan, Moscow, Russia. • He is selected for class attendance in Master class of Raina  Kabaivanska at the National Opera and Ballet House in Sofia (Bulgaria)  2018.  • Participant of more than 20 charity concerts, including those  organized by UNESCΟ in Greece, Italy and at the closing of the  Paralympic Games, Greece.  

 Alexandra Kzeski is a senior Voice Performance major at the University  of Michigan. Recently, she was cast as Adele in The University of  Michigan’s production of Die Fledermaus; and presently, she is preparing  the role of Norina for The University of Michigan’s upcoming production  of Don Pasquale, to be released online in March 2021. Alexandra is  thrilled to be a part of the King’s Peak International Music  Competition! 

 My age is 21. I graduated from Henryk Wieniawski High School of Music in  Lodz, Poland. In 2018 I began my studies at the University of Music in  Lodz, with a specialty in Baroque Cello. I participated in various music  festivals, concerts and competitions. Simultaneously I have been  training my voice at masterclasses and through private tutoring. In  October of 2020 I began my second faculty with a major in Vocal and  Acting Performance at the same university under mentorship of dr Dorota  Wójcik, the soloist of the Grand Theater. In the future I wish to  broaden my vocal repertoire. 

 Mezzo-soprano Mala Weissberg is currently a Senior at Westminster Choir  College earning her B.M in Vocal Performance as the pupil of Professor  Laura Brooks-Rice. Mala performed Cendrillon (Cendrillon) Autumn  (Service Provider),  Lee (Marie Begins) and Third Spirit (Die  Zauberflöte) in WCC productions. A Young Artist in the CoOperative  program, Opera Viva! (Verona, Italy) and soloist with the Young Israel  Philharmonic she worked with esteemed faculty from all over the world.  Upcoming engagements include Dorabella Cosi fan tutte, Young Artist  Sewanee Opera Intensive program, Soloist in The Lindsey Christiansen Art  Song Festival and resident chorister at Spoleto Festival in Charleston. 

 Music has been present in my life since I was six when I started  studying violin in Las Rozas. However, I always knew singing was my  passion. I started studying opera in 2015 by the hand of the Portuguese  maestro Rita Moldão, Alfio Grasso and Robert Jezierski who taught me the  Italian singing technique, a methodology focused on emitting a natural  sound without forcing or altering the voice. In virtue of this I have  recently won different international competitions such as the Gianlucca  Campochiaro award in Italy and the Alida Vane Junior award in Lithuania. 

 My name is Abraham Cruz, and I am from Fresno, California. I am currently in my second year attending The Boston Conservatory as a Voice  Performance major. I will be the first person in my family to graduate  from a four-year college. I plan to continue my studies and become a  Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance: Voice. I am a proud Hispanic who wants to make a difference in his community. 

 Soprano Asmik Arutiuniants was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. In 2010 she  graduated her bachelor at State Conservatory of Uzbekistan.Roles Asmik  performed in the conservatory Opera Studio included Susanna in Mozart’s  Le Nozze di Figaro Mozart, and Violetta Verdi’s La Traviata.  In 2009  she was invited to join the training group of the Alisher Navoi Opera  and Ballet Theatre with which she performed the role of Marfa in The  Tsar's Bride, Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni, and the Princess  in Gladkov’s musical The Bremen Town Musicians. Following the  internship, she sang the role of Leonora in an independent production of  the opera Fidelio by Beethoven, funded by support of the Swiss and the  German Embassy in Tashkent.In 2018 Asmik graduated assistant in the  department of music at Florida Atlantic University, where she is  pursuing the Master of Music in Vocal Performance. As a winner of the  FAU 2016-2017 Concerto and Aria Competition, she performed in February  2017 with the FAU Symphony Orchestra. She studied voice in the studio of  Dr. Sandra McClain.In March of 2019, Asmik became a winner in the Voice  Experience Opera Idol Competition in Chicago, IL.During the summer of  2018, she participated in three festival programs such as VOICExperience  & Savannah VOICE Festival (full scholarship), Pittsburgh Festival  Opera (Young Professional Artists Program as a Studio Artist) and Opera  Fusion.In May of 2019, she made her debut in Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera The  Tsar’s Bride with the Bel Cantanti Opera Company in Washington, Asmik  performed the main role of Marfa. 

 Soprano Sara DeFranco has been praised for commanding the stage with  "powerful sincerity" (UR Campus Times). Recently, she has performed  various roles in the opera and musical theater repertoire including the  Ghost of Christmas Past (A Christmas Carol), Alice Murphy (Bright Star),  The Maid (The Polite Abductress),  Nora (Riders to the Sea), a Spirit  (Cendrillon), and Camille in a staged production of Jake Heggie’s  Camille Claudel: Into the Fire. She has also appeared in the ensemble of  Finger Lakes Opera’s productions of Carmen, La traviata, and Tosca.  Sara is currently applying to graduate programs in Germany and the  Netherlands. t.

 My name is Krisztina Blaga, I am a 26 years old opera singer from  Hungary. My classical singing studies started in 2011. I graduated on Classical  Singer Bachelor’s, Opera Singer Master’s and Teacher of Music  Performance Master’s Degree Programmes at the University of Szeged -  Faculty of Music from 2014 to 2020. Meanwhile I had the opportunity to play smaller roles in opera  performances, such as Countess Ceprano in Verdi’s Rigoletto at the  Open-Air Festival of Szeged in 2018, and Nella from Puccini - Gianni  Schicchi in the National Theatre of Szeged’s 2019/2020 season 

 Margarita Greiner was born in Ukraine, where she started to play piano.  At the age of 15 she came to Germany. After her piano studies in Leipzig  she studied finally opera singing bachelor and master at the University  of Music Franz Liszt Weimar. During her studies she won twice the  Charlotte-Krupp-Grant for the extraordinary artistic achievements, sang  several concerts and opera roles and completed also an Erasmus semester  at Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Milan. Since 2018 Margarita has been  singing the second alto in the chorus of Deutsche Oper Berlin and became  2020 finalist of the 15th International Rinaldo Pelizzoni singing  competition.  

 Graduated master’s degree in vocal and acting at the G. and K. Bacewicz  Academy of Music in Lodz, in class of dr B. Grabias. She has studied at  vocal courses given by I.Sobotka, D.Grabowski and A.Saciuk. Her  repertoire includes operatic roles from different musical periods from  operas such as Frau Reich("Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor "O. Nicolai),  Shepherd (“The Child and the Spells”M. Ravel)Volpino (“Lo speziale” J.  Haydn) ,The Grand Duchess and Charlotte (“The Grand Duchess of  Gerolstein"J.Offenbach).Laureate of  IVth Int. Vocal Competition “Bella  Voce” in Busko–Zdroj (Poland) where she won the special prize for „The  best mezzosoprano”.  

 Born in Würzburg mezzo-soprano currently developes her singing skills   at  the  Hochschule  für Musik “Hanns Eisler” in Berlin under the  supervision of Stephan Rügamer. She performed as a soloist in many concert halls, for example Deutsche  Oper Tischlerei, National Philharmonic in Warsaw, Berliner Philharmonie,  Konzerthaus Berlin, Warsaw Chamber Opera. In 2018 Dominika gained Special-Prize for Mozart-Aria at the 5th Vocal  Competition in Drezdenko. In 2019 Dominika Kościelniak made her polish debut in “Zauberflöte” in  Warsaw Chamber Opera as Zweite Dame and in “Le nozze di Figaro” as  Barbarina. She followed with Bianca in “Rape of Lucretia” with the  Deutsche-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. 

 American mezzo-soprano Rachel Abbate is from Destrehan, LA, a small town  outside of New Orleans. Equally comfortable on the operatic and concert  stages, she performs works spanning from Handel to today’s leading  composers in contemporary music as well as musical theatre repertoire.  Ms. Abbate earned her Master of Music degree in vocal performance from  Rice University in Houston, TX, and earned her Bachelor of Music degree  in vocal performance from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. 

 Argentinean-American mezzo-soprano, Jacqueline Ledesma, began her  performing career as a dancer. She has performed at Off-Broadway  theaters, Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, and many other notable  stages around New York.  Most recently, Jacqueline was a featured soloist for the Westchester  Choral Society and has been a member of the St. Anthony of Padua Church  Choir for twelve years. During this time she has had many solos written  for her voice by the director of music, Laurence T. Broderick.  An alumna of NYU, Jacqueline is now continuing her education in vocal  technique and opera performance in New York City. 

 Arthur Cornélio has a bachelor degree in lyric singing, musical  composition and anthropology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais  (Brazil). In France, he made his stage debut as Orontes (Alcina) under  the direction of Catherine Boni. At the Grand Théâtre de Genève, he  participated in several productions since 2018, notably for the opera  Einstein on the Beach, where he performed the tenor solo. He obtained  his Diploma of Musical Studies at the CRR de Lyon with high honors. At  the Center of Baroque Music Versailles, he devoted himself to French  baroque music. In addition to his activities as a lyrical singer, he is a  composer, guitarist and music teacher. His songs were released in the  album "Coração na boca" (2019), in partnership with Stéphane Helias. . 

 Wang Shuaitong, tenor, born in Henan, China, is currently a PhD student at the Plovdiv Academy of Music and Dance, Bulgaria. 1、August 2020：won the second prize in the vocal category of the “International  Moscow  Music  Competition ” 2、 October 2020: won the medal in the Vocal Professional Group of the "2020 Prokofiev International Music Competition"  3、October 2020： won the second prize of "2020 bolowitz International Music Competition" 4、 November 2020：won the second prize of the Italy 23rd INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION "Pietro Argento"   

 The Chinese tenor, Shaocong Wang, is currently pursuing contertiste  superieux at Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris-Alfred Cortot. He earned  DEM (master degree) from Conservatoire National de Région de Marseille,  where he performed the role of Vincent in Charles Gounod’s Mireille at  Opéra municipal de Marseille. In 2016 he received Bachelor degree at  Wuhan Conservatory of Music. He won outstanding singer award at 2020  American Classical Singer International Vocal Competition and third  prize at 2018 Bologna International Vocal Competition. He has performed  numerous times as a soloist, such as 2018 new year concert in  Salon-de-Provence Armand Theater and concert in memory of Adienlegros.     

 Beginning as an organist with François Ménissier and Eric Lebrun, Benoit  was finalist at the international Grand Prix d’orgue Florentz in 2017.  He started singing with Xavier Legasa and Marcin Habela. Semifinalist 2019 at the competition Nuits lyriques, he was awarded 3rd  young artist prize at the Vire international competition Jeunes talents  and 2nd prize at the Clés d’or competition in 2020. He is now studying  in masters at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Samantha Malk  and Stephan Loges. On stage he was Ben (Menotti’s the Telephone), Guglielmo (Cosi fan  tutte) and Valentin (Hervé’s Petit Faust).   

 Justas Razulevicius - baritone, studying in Lithuanian Music and Theater academy, masters degree. 

 -Graduated of the Department of Vocal Music at Kyungsung University.  -Appeared opera.  *L'Elisir D'Amore, Dulcamara *Cosi Fan Tutte, Don Alfonso/Guglielmo  *Don Giovanni, Leporello *Tosca, Il Sagrestano *La Boheme, Benoit/Alcindoro *Rigoletto, Ceprano *La Traviata, Barone *Marry Widow, Cascada *Amahl and the night visitors, Balthasar  -The North International Music Competition 3rd prize winner  -New York International Music Concours 1st prize winner  -EAFF International Grand Music Competition 1st prize winner   -Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition 1st prize winner  -Music Stars Awards Silver Star winner  -Work Sivering as a representative of the Youth Opera Team 'ManGeun Studio.'  -Working as a bass member of the Gimhae Municipal Choir.