Congratulations to the winners!
Watch the recording of the Final Round Concert
Final Round Concert
March 23, 2024 | 7:00 PM
Betty Van Andel Opera Center
Opera Grand Rapids is proud to announce the 2024 VanderLaan Prize.
The 20th annual VanderLaan Prize is an opportunity for college-level voice students to compete for cash prizes and receive feedback from adjudicators who themselves are acclaimed opera artists. Opera Grand Rapids brings world-class professionals into its adjudication process in order to give contestants meaningful instruction and critique. 10 finalists will be chosen to perform in the final-round concert at the Betty Van Andel Opera Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on March 23, 2024. The finalists will sing for three adjudicators and participate in educational and social activities with one another.
This competition boasts one of the largest purses in the nation at nearly $25,000, awarded as follows:
First Place
$10,000
Second Place
$5,000
Third Place
$2,500
Audience Choice Award
$1,000
chosen by audience members during the final-round concert
10 Finalists will receive $500 to be used as a travel stipend. Prizewinners will also receive special consideration for roles in upcoming Opera Grand Rapids productions.
The winner of the VanderLaan Prize is obligated to return to Grand Rapids and perform at our annual gala April 19, 2024.
2024 COMPETITION TIMELINE
November 15, 2023
Application opens
February 12, 2024
Application deadline
February 13–26, 2024
Round 1 prescreening and adjudication
February 27, 2024
Finalists notified
March 23, 2024
Final-round concert in Grand Rapids, Michigan
2024 Finalists
Bailey Bower, Soprano | University of Houston
Bailey Bower, soprano, is a born and raised Texan and is currently based in Houston as a senior in her undergraduate studies at the University of Houston.
This season, she returns to UH’s Moores Opera Center as Valencienne in Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow. Bailey was recently awarded the Encouragement Award as a National Semi-Finalist in the Schmidt Vocal Arts Upper Division Competition. She also received first prize in the 2022 Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston’s Scholarship Competition and was selected as one of ten finalists from across the south for the 2023 Madame Rose Palmai-Tenser Scholarship Competition.
Catherina Carrington, Soprano | The Cleveland Institute of Music
Catya recently performed Morgana from Handel’s Alcina in Fall 2023 at CIM. She performed her first full role as La Fée in CIM’s 2022 fall semester production of Cendrillon and continued as a principal role in the spring 2023 production of Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites as Constance. Carrington was recently awarded Honorable Mention at Miami Frost School of Music’s Mirabell Competition in Salzburg, first prize at Ohio NATS 2022, and as a Winner of Young Arts 2022. She was a part of CIM’s Opera Scene program in 2022 and 2023 playing Adele in Die Fledermaus, Amy in Little Women, and Mademoiselle Silberklang in Der Schauspieldirektor. In addition to singing, Catya assists with stage managing opera productions at CIM, including the yearly opera scenes program since 2022, the recent production of Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied, and Die Fledermaus.
Catherine Creed, Soprano | University of Rochester Eastman School of Music
Catherine Creed is a soprano in her fourth year of undergrad at the Eastman School of Music in the studio of Nicole Cabell.
Most recently, she was the First Prize winner of the Eastman Opera Voice Competition, which was judged by Christine Goerke. She has been in Eastman Opera Theater’s productions as Destino in La Calisto, Pemphredo in We’ve Got Our Eye on You, and Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos (Prologue). Upcoming, she will be the soprano soloist with the Eastman Philharmonia singing the Poulenc Gloria. She attended SongFest as a Brown-Loranger Fellow to sing Strauss’ Brentano Lieder with Javier Arrebola at the piano. She made her European debut singing Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro at the National Theatre in Prague in 2022.
Chase Côté, Baritone | Temple University
Baritone, Chase Côté, is a student at Temple University, under the tutelage of Dr. Marcus DeLoach.
Pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance, Chase is set to graduate this spring, marking a significant milestone in his musical career. Chase’s musical pursuits are multifaceted, including performance in opera, choral performance, musical theater, and competitions. This past summer, Chase appeared as an emerging artist at the esteemed Seagle Festival, a distinction he will uphold this upcoming season singing Masetto in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Tommy Albright in Frederick Loewe’s Brigadoon. Recent credits include, Baritone Soloist in Craig Hella Johnson’s fusion-oratorio Considering Matthew Shepard for Temple University Concert Choir, Junius in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia for Temple University Opera Theater, Grégorio in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette and the Big Bad Wolf in children’s outreach opera, The Ugly Duckling at Seagle Festival, principal roles from both Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up, and Il barbiere di Siviglia for Temple University’s Opera Theater’s scenes program, and covering The Count in Le nozze di Figaro for Temple University Opera Theater.
Cristina Rosheger, Soprano | DePaul University School of Music
Cristina Rosheger is a 22 year old Soprano from the Chicagoland area. She is in her fourth year at DePaul University School of Music, where she performed her most recent role as Fiordiligi/Così fan tutte in March 2023.
She will also perform the role of Rose/Street Scene in March of 2024. Previous DePaul Opera Theatre engagements include Alice Ford/Falstaff and Giunone/La Calisto. Ms. Rosheger is interested in a diverse range of repertoire; her recent Junior Recital which featured works by Florence Price, Cécile Chaminade, and Mariela Rodríguez. She currently studies privately with Dr. Linda Di Fiore. Past teachers include Carl Lawrenz, Nicole Cabell, and Cynthia Mace. In the summer of 2023, Ms. Rosheger studied at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, where she performed in four concert programs featuring repertoire from opera, Spanish-language art song, and American Spirituals abd competed as a Semi-Finalist in the Meistersinger Vocal Competition. She sang the role of Pamina in Chicago Summer Opera’s 2022 production of The Magic Flute. Ms. Rosheger has had the opportunity to sing masterclasses with director Neal Goren, soprano Janai Brugger, and Virginia Opera Artistic Director Adam Turner. Ms. Rosheger also plays concert percussion and piano, and grew up in a musical household. She credits her parents’ unconditional support for her success in “following her bliss.”
Eliza Beutler, Soprano | Michigan State University
Eliza Beutler (she/her) is a current senior at Michigan State University studying Vocal Performance and Music Education.
In her time at MSU, she has been in 6 MSU opera theater productions, both behind the scenes and onstage, with roles including Sandrina in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera and Anne Egerman in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. As president on the boards of MSU’s chapters of National Association for Music Educators and American Choral Directors Association, she is committed to organizing events that enrich the experiences of music education majors and foster a sense of belonging. Eliza currently works at the University United Methodist Church of East Lansing as the children’s choir director, teaching kids ages 3-10, and the soprano section leader of the chancel choir. She is currently completing her student teaching placement with a high school choir program in the Lansing area.
Grace Ryan, Mezzo Soprano | DePaul University School of Music
Grace Ryan is a young mezzo soprano originally from the suburbs of Chicago, currently finishing her degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education from DePaul University School of Music in Chicago, IL, where she studies with acclaimed tenor Scott Ramsay.
Grace has performed extensively throughout her time at DePaul as Nancy in Albert Herring, Emma Jones in Street Scene, and as a soloist with the DePaul Choirs, Symphony Orchestra and Baroque Ensemble. Throughout the Chicagoland area, Grace has performed in Gilbert and Sullivan works, as Tessa in The Gondoliers with The Savoyaires, and in the chorus of H.M.S. Pinafore with The Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company. She looks forward to performing the role of Presendia in Dark Sisters with DePaul Opera Theatre in June.
Most recently, Grace was the recipient of an Encouragement Award from the 2023 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in the Illinois District. In addition to opera, Grace enjoys crossover work in musical theatre, dance, and is passionate about teaching music to the next generation.
Ian Pathak, Tenor | University of Michigan
Ian Pathak, an Indian/American tenor and a native to the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area is a senior at the University of Michigan and studies with Scott Piper and George Shirley.
Pathak will join Opera Saratoga as an apprentice artist for their 2024 Summer season, covering the role of Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte and singing Harry the Horse in Loesser’s Guys and Dolls. Recently, he performed the role of Schoolteacher in a workshop of David Hanlon and Stephanie Fleischmann’s upcoming work, The Pigeon Keeper, in partnership with Santa Fe Opera. In Fall 2023 he portrayed the role of Mercure in Offenbach’s Orphée aux enfers at the University of Michigan.
Last Summer, Pathak was selected to attend the prestigious Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara California. Earlier that year, he made his University of Michigan mainstage role debut as the Schoolmaster/Mosquito in Leoš Janáček’s opera, The Cunning Little Vixen. Other 2022-2023 credits include chorister in Detroit Opera’s concert production of Aida, Bogdanovich in Toledo Opera’s production of The Merry Widow, and creating the role of Will Mossop in a workshop of Tom Cipullo’s upcoming opera, Hobson’s Choice. In Summer 2022 Pathak had the privilege of attending the Aspen Music Festival as a Summer 2022 studio artist.
Mr. Pathak has been recognized in competitions including winning 1st place in the Sue Goetz Ross Memorial Competition and the National Society of Arts and Letters Washington D.C. Chapter, 2nd place in the Southern Illinois Young Artist Competition, and being named a finalist in the 2022 Undergraduate Competition and 2022 American Pops NextGen National Voice Competition. He was also awarded the Director’s Award in the James Toland Voice Competition.
Saige Hoffman, Soprano | Oberlin College
Saige Hoffman is a Nicaraguan-American native of Miami, Florida and graduate of New World School of the Arts High School.
She is currently pursuing a bachelor degree in vocal performance at Oberlin College and Conservatory and studies with Dr. Katherine Jolly. In high school she placed first in competitions such as the New World School of the Arts’ Concerto Competition, NATS in 2019, Federations in 2018, 2021 and 2022 in multiple categories, and the University of Kentucky’s AllTech Competition. She was a third-round finalist in the Classical Singer Competition and placed third in the Schmidt Vocal Competition in 2021 and 2022. Saige has participated in a variety of summer programs including Schmidt Vocal Institute (2021), ArtsBridge (2021), Accademia Vocale Lorenzo Malfatti in Lucca, Italy (2022), and Classical Singing in New York in June (2023). She is currently participating in Oberlin Conservatory’s modern production of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo.
Sam Higgins, Countertenor | Curtis Institute of Music
Sam Higgins is a national award-winning countertenor who has appeared as a soloist with many orchestras and companies such as the Boston Symphony Pops, the United Nations, Opera Philadelphia, From the Top, the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra, ChoralArts Philadelphia, and the New England Philharmonic, among others.
He has won first prize at numerous competitions including the Schmidt Undergraduate Awards, the NATS Competition, the Classical Singer National Competition, and more. Higgins prides himself on his work in both early and new music, and looks forward to several commissions and debuts in 2024, including works by Juan Pablo Carreño, Leigha Amick, and Maya Miro Johnson. He is currently an undergraduate at the Curtis Institute of Music studying under Julia Faulkner.
Higgins’ 2023-24 Season started with Opera Philadelphia’s “Festival O’23,” where he performed Britten’s Canticle II. He then performed the alto part in Handel’s Oratorio L’allegro at Curtis in November, and a new composition by composer Adrian Wong. The rest of his season includes performances of Bach’s Vergnügte Ruh (BWV 170), concerts as part of his resident artist position at the Victoria Bach Festival, and the role of Ruggiero in Alcina by Handel.
2024 JUDGES
Ricky Ian Gordon | Composer
Ricky Ian Gordon is a New York based composer and writer whose works have been performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and all over the USA and Europe.
As a leading writer of vocal music that spans art song, opera, and musical theater. Gordon’s songs have been performed and recorded by such renowned singers as Renée Fleming, Audra McDonald, Nadine Sierra, Dawn Upshaw, Nathan Gunn, Harolyn Blackwell, Judy Collins, Betty Buckley, Nicole Cabell, the late Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, and Frederica Von Stade. As a teacher, Gordon has taught both master classes and composition classes in colleges and universities throughout the country, including Yale, NYU, Northwestern, Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, and more. His honors include an Obie Award, the Stephen Sondheim Award, the 2003 Alumni Merit Award for exceptional achievement and leadership from Carnegie Mellon University, a Shen Family Foundation Award, the Gilman and Gonzalez-Falla Theater Foundation Award, the Constance Klinsky Award, and many awards from ASCAP.
His operas include The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (New York City Opera/Yiddish Folksbiene, lib. Michael Korie); Intimate Apparel (Metropolitan Opera/Lincoln Center Theater, lib. Lynn Nottage); Ellen West (Beth Morrison Projects, Opera Saratoga, lib. Frank Bidart); The House Without A Christmas Tree (Houston Grand Opera), 27 (Opera Theatre of St Louis, lib. Royce Vavrek); Morning Star (Cincinnati Opera, lib. William Hoffman); A Coffin In Egypt (Houston Grand Opera, lib. Leonard Foglia); Rappahannock County (Virginia Opera, lib. Mark Campbell); Green Sneakers (Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival and Lincoln Center, lib. Ricky Ian Gordon); The Grapes of Wrath (Minnesota Opera, lib. Michael Korie); The Tibetan Book of The Dead (Houston Grand Opera, lib. Jean Claude Van Itallie); and Orpheus and Euridice (Lincoln Center, lib. Ricky Ian Gordon, Obie Award). Musicals include Sycamore Trees (Signature Theatre, playwright Nina Mankin, Helen Hayes Award); My Life With Albertine (Playwrights Horizons, playwright Richard Nelson, AT&T Award, Gilman and Gonzalez-Falla Music Theater Foundation Award); and Dream True (Vineyard Theatre, playwright Tina Landau, Richard Rodgers Award). Upcoming works include the opera This House (librettists Lynn Nottage and Ruby Gerber).
About his work, The New York Times had this to say, “If the music of Ricky Ian Gordon had to be defined by a single quality, it would be the bursting effervescence infusing songs that blithely blur the lines between art song and the high–end Broadway music of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. It’s caviar for a world gorging on pizza!”
Michelle Johnson | Soprano
Soprano Michelle Johnson is a Grand Prize Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and “a clear audience favorite” according to the New York Times.
She has been lavished with praise for her “extraordinary breath control and flawless articulation… Her voice is velvety and pliant — a dulcet dream.” In the 2022-23 season, she makes her Nashville Opera debut as Mimi in La bohème, debuts the role of Serena in Porgy and Bess with North Carolina Opera and Opera Carolina, sings the title role of Tosca with Madison Opera, reprises the title role of Aida with Opera Grand Rapids, makes a role debut as the title role in Puccini’s Turandot with Opera Southwest, and is the soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Allentown Symphony. In 2024, Ms. Johnson will make her debut with Florentine Opera singing Mimì in La bohème.
Other recent engagements include house and role debuts with Chicago Opera Theater as Zemfira in Aleko, a featured soloist performance with Madison Symphony Orchestra, a debut with Waterbury Symphony’s Holiday Pops, and a return to Chautauqua to perform Strauss’s Vier letzte Lieder with Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. During the 2020-21 season, Ms. Johnson was slated to make her Allentown Symphony, Florentine Opera, Opera on the James, and Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia debuts, but Covid-19 intervened. Instead, she joined Opera Tampa as Leonora in Il trovatore, and Opera Delaware for a concert of Shakespeare selections.
A favorite of many houses, Ms. Johnson made recent returns to Lyric Fest for I Hear America Singing, Sarasota Opera as Madame Lidoine in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites, and Boston Landmark Orchestra as a soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Ms. Johnson has also made a name for herself as one of the most in-demand Aidas in the opera world today, performing Verdi’s tragic heroine with Glimmerglass Music Festival, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Columbus, Knoxville Opera, Opera Idaho, and Sarasota Opera, among others. Ms. Johnson’s debut with the Columbus Symphony as soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem was highly praised, and her collaboration with Madison Opera as Santuzza in its most recent production of Cavalleria Rusticana was given rave reviews.
Daniel Brevik | Bass-baritone
Bass-baritone, Daniel Brevik blends the grandeur of opera with the dynamic world of social media, captivating audiences worldwide with his exceptional vocal prowess and engaging digital content.
Founder of “StudioBrev,” Brevik has become a social media sensation with an expansive reach, boasting over 275,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, 475,000 TikTok followers, and 675,000 followers on Instagram. His channels not only showcase his musical talents but also offer insights into his teaching philosophy, amassing over 100 million views, translating into more than 20 years of streamed content worldwide.
Brevik’s foundation in classical music is distinguished by notable honors such as the Richard Gaddes Career Grant from the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and the Wendy Shattuck Presidential Scholarship from the New England Conservatory. His “impressive, sonorous voice” has earned acclaim from The Washington Post, while Opera Today said he could “rattle the rafters one moment and be lullingly conversational the next.” Brevik’s talents were highlighted by his role as Ernest Hemingway in the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s “Twenty-Seven,” a performance that not only landed him on the cover of Opera News but also featured him on the album recorded with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. Brevik’s voice has filled some of the most prestigious venues, from Boston’s Symphony Hall and New York’s City Center Theatre to the Vietnam Opera and Ballet, and various venues during the world renown Salzburg Opera Festival.
Within the digital sphere, “BigBrev,” as Brevik is popularly known, has made a profound impact. His collaboration on “Valhalla Calling” by Miracle of Sound has garnered a remarkable 42 million streams across various platforms, showcasing his unique ability to blend classical and modern musical styles seamlessly. His performance alongside Avi Kaplan of Pentatonix in 2022 further underscored his diverse appeal and adaptability as an artist.
Brevik’s recent collaboration with Bobby Bass et al on a rendition of Hans Zimmer’s “Hoist The Colours” has notably risen to prominence, capturing the title of the world’s third top-trending song on social media, underpinned by the vibrant hashtag #NorthSea. This cover didn’t just climb to the peak of social media trends; it also secured the top spot on Spotify’s official “Sea Shanties” playlist. Featured in over 300,000 videos, their collective efforts have amassed a staggering 1 billion streams across multiple platforms.
Brevik is on the voice faculty at The University of Hartford, Hartt School, and at Falcetti School of Music in Simsbury, CT.
PIANIST
Mira Choi | Pianist
A collaborative pianist, Mira Choi, tries to add different kinds of emotions into her play and thinks about how to express her music as a performer and collaborative pianist. She is happy when she collaborates with other musicians for musical performance.
Serving as a collaborative pianist at Michigan State University, Mira plays for the MSU Opera under Prof. Helton, showcasing her talent in productions like Mozart’s La finta giardiniera, and Don Giovanni, Verdi’s Falstaff, and Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. She also provides accompaniment for the Singing Spartans (the former MSU Men’s Glee Choir), directed by Dr. Reed, and supports vocal students in Prof. Fracker’s studio. Her participation in numerous master classes, including those led by Helmut Deutsch and Cameron Stowe, highlights her commitment to continual learning and growth.
Mira’s accompaniment repertoire extends to various music classes, instrumental and vocal recitals, and ensemble performances within MSU. Her previous engagements include facilitating master classes at the Centro Studi Carlo Della Giacoma in Todi, Italy, collaborating with Viridis (the former MSU Women’s Glee Choir), and participating at the Interlochen Arts Summer Camp. Currently, she serves as the choir pianist at the First Presbyterian Church in Holt, continuing her dedicated involvement in both educational and community music settings.
Mira Choi is currently a DMA student in Collaborative Piano at Michigan State University, studying with Zhihua Tang. She holds a master’s degree from Michigan State University under Zhihua Tang, maters’s degree from Sungshin Women’s University in Korea under Jinhye Lee and Gyeongju Jang, and her bachelor’s degree from Kyungnam University in Korea, studying with Soohyun Cho.
The 2024 VanderLaan Prize application is closed.
Eligibility
- Entrants must be enrolled as an UNDERGRADUATE at a higher-education institution in the UNITED STATES as of February 12, 2024.
- Entrants must be AGE 24 OR YOUNGER as of February 12, 2024.
First-Round Application
Contestants must submit several materials for the first round:
1. Video recordings of two arias
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- At least one piece must be in a language other than English.
- Only arias from operas are permitted. No art songs, musical theatre, oratorio, or other genres.
- Videos may be submitted only as YouTube links.
- You may submit video recordings with a live pianist, a prerecorded accompaniment, or even without any accompaniment at all. Our first-round adjudicators are aware of this rule and will not penalize applicants for singing without a live pianist. We aim to make this competition as accessible as possible and acknowledge that not all students can afford a live pianist. Feel free to record from a recital hall or your bedroom.
2. Photocopy of an ID with date of birth clearly displayed
3. Application fee
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- FREE for students who attend a school in the Opera Grand Rapids Collegiate Consortium
- $50 for all other students
- A limited number of fee waivers are available based on financial need. You must provide a 2023–24 or 2024–25 FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR), and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) must be $2,500 or less. Fee waivers are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so students should apply as early as possible.
ROUND 1 ADJUDICATION
All first-round adjudicators will remain anonymous. After prescreening, each application will be adjudicated by three opera professionals along the following criteria:
- Tone/vocal quality (5 points)
- Breathing/alignment (5 points)
- Language/diction (5 points)
- Musicianship (5 points)
- Artistry/stage presence (5 points)
The three anonymous adjudicators will each rate applicants on each category for a total of 75 points. The ten applicants with the highest scores will receive $500 and proceed to the final round.
It is in a spirit of gratitude and humility that Opera Grand Rapids is pleased to announce the renaming of our National Collegiate Vocal Competition to The VanderLaan Prize. Opera Grand Rapids is saddened at the loss of one of our greatest friends, Karl VanderLaan. Karl and his wife Jean have supported our music education programs for nearly twenty years and were constant champions of arts education. Karl and Jean have demonstrated the powerful impact of philanthropy and continue to do so with the establishment of the VanderLaan Music Education Fund at Opera Grand Rapids. Our National Collegiate Vocal Competition was a particular focus of Karl and Jean’s philanthropic endeavors. From sponsoring prizes to hosting dinners for the competitors, the VanderLaans’ generosity boosted the program for years.
Click here to support the VanderLaan Fund for Music Education.
Need a pianist?
Arlene Shrut | Collaborative Pianist
Contact Arlene to make a piano recording at arlene@arleneshrut.com.
As a collaborative pianist, Arlene has collaborated with Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson, Angela Meade, Isabel Leonard, Carla Rae Cook, Michael Fabiano, Anton Belov, Alissa Deeter, and Takaoki Onishi.
She regularly serves as official pianist and judge for international opera competitions sponsored by The Gerda Lissner Foundation, the Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation, The Giulio Gari Foundation, The Loren Zachary Society, The Marcello Giordani Foundation, and the Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation.
While many of Arlene’s professional activities focus on collaborations with singers, she is in demand with instrumentalists as well, featuring engagements such as her NYC debut with the Yoav Chamber Ensemble, touring with the Grand’Arte Trio, and as a finalist in the Munich International Competition in the violin-piano duo category with Julie Rosenfeld of the Colorado String Quartet, as well as winning the outstanding pianist award at the Music Academy of the West. In January 2014 Arlene teamed with pianist Anna Shelest in a 4-hand version of the Brahms Requiem with Voices of Ascension, under the baton of Dennis Keene, featuring soloists Martha Guth and Richard Zeller. Arlene has recorded for Dorian, Albany, Summit, Centaur, and Orion labels. Her discography includes works from the classical canon and recording premieres by contemporary composers.
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