IVC vocal competition

Video

(30'00")
Englisch spoken, no subtitles.
An exerpt from the Masterclass given by Soprano Roberta Alexander, during the International Vocal Competition 2008 in 's-Hertogenbosch.

(30'00")
Engels gesproken, geen ondertiteling.
Een fragment uit de masterclass van de sopraan Roberta Alexander, tijdens het Internationaal Vocalisten Concours 2008 in 's-Hertogenbosch.

Bio

Born: March 3, 1949 - Lynchburg, Va., USA

Among the most compelling singing actresses of our time, the admired black American soprano, Roberta Alexander, enjoys international renown for her riveting, incisive characterizations, miraculous vocal and dramatic range. She was reared in a musical family. She studied at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor from 1969 to 1971, receiving M. Music in 1971, and with Herman Woltman at the Royal Conservatory of Music at The Hague.

Roberta Alexander appeared as Pamina at the Houston Grand Opera in 1980, as Daphne in Santa Fe in 1981, and as Elettra in Idomeneo in Zürich in 1982. Following a tour of Europe, she made a successful debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York as Zerlina in November 1983. Among the operatic heroines she has unforgettably portrayed are the title role of Janacek's Jenufa (a Glyndebourne production), Mimì in Puccini's La Bohème, and especially the great Mozart heroines: Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Vitellia in Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito, the latter a major success with both the public and the press at the Glyndebourne Festival. In addition she has performed principal roles at New York's Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House/Covent Garden, and the major Houses of Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Zürich and Venice. In January 1999, Roberta Alexander sang concert performances of Jenufa, Act 2 with Sir Simon Rattle and the Philadelphia Orchestra, in Philadelphia and at New York's Carnegie Hall. Other recent North American highlights includes a Washington, D.C. recital on the distinguished Vocal Arts Society series and Britten's War Requiem with the Utah Symphony under its Music Director Keith Lockhart, both receiving rapturous critical acclaim.

Equally esteemed as an orchestral soloist, Roberta Alexander recently enjoyed particular success performing Ravel's Shéhérazade with André Previn and the NDR Sinfonieorchester, telecast throughout Europe. She has also performed with the Vienna, London and Royal Philharmonics; Royal Concertgebouw, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Bavarian Radio Orchestras; Cincinnati, Atlanta and Dallas Symphonies; and collaborated with such distinguished conductors as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Andrew Litton, Bernard Haitink, Sir Colin Davis, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, James Levine, Zubin Mehta, Carlo Maria Giulini, Leonard Slatkin, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Edo De Waart and David Zinman. She recently reunited with Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra for Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream and Tchaikovsky's Romeo & Juliet and the rapturously-received world premiere of Kirchner's Of things exactly as they are. In addition she sang Copland's In the Beginning with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the San Francisco Symphony.

An uncommonly communicative recitalist, Roberta Alexander has offered acclaimed programs at New York's Carnegie Recital Hall, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, the Vienna Musikverein, London's Wigmore Hall and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. An especially ardent and persuasive interpreter of American masterworks, her latest recordings include Songs My Mother Taught Me and With You (the latter an anthology of Broadway songs).

Roberta Alexander's voluminous discography on the Etcetera, Philips, Sony, Teldec and BMG reflects her astonishing mastery of varied vocal styles: songs by Barber, Mozart, Bernstein, Ives, Copland, Strauss, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Puccini and Heitor Villa-Lobos; Georg Frideric Handel's Giulio Cesare, Apollo e Daphne, Samson and Theodora; Mozart's Don Giovanni and Idomeneo; and such rarities as Goldschmidt's Der Gewaltige Hahnrei and Beatrice Cenci, Heppener's Four Songs of Ezra Pound and an Edison-winning recording of Andriessen's Songs with Orchestra.

(source: www.bach-cantatas.com)

Press

INTERNATIONAL VOCAL COMPETITION 2008

The 47th International Vocal Competition will be held in ‘s-Hertogenbosch from 20-28 September 2008. Singers born after 1 April 1975 are eligible for participation. Repertoire must come from opera, oratorio and lieder, or a combination of two or more genres. Performances of 20th Century repertoire will be held in high regard. A minimum of three of the fifteen chosen pieces must be 20th Century compositions. The International Preliminary Rounds will be held in Music Centre "De Toonzaal" in ‘s-Hertogenbosch on 15, 16 and 17 September 2008. Members of the Jury for the Preliminary Rounds are Roberta Alexander, Miranda van Kralingen, Albert Bonnema, Hein Meens (Chairman) and Annett Andriesen (IVC Directorate). The International Vocal Concours, consisting of First Round, Semi Final and Final, will be held in the Theater aan de Parade in ‘s-Hertogenbosch from 20-28 September 2008. For the first time in the history of the IVC, the Concours is being directed by a singer; the mezzo-soprano, Annett Andriesen.

The International Jury members are Roberta Alexander, Hanna Schwarz and Olaf Bär,  singers of international fame, Rudolf Jansen, pianist, Mya Besselink, professional singing teacher, Hein Mulders, Head of Artistic Administration, De Nederlandse Opera, Lenore Rosenberg, Artistic Administration, the Metropolitan Opera, Ilze Sprancmane, Casting Director of the Riga Opera, Nando Schellen, Producer and Director of Opera, Northern Arizona University, and Hans Hierck, Chairman of the Jury. Concours pianists are Hans Eijsackers (NL), Trisdee na Patalung (THA) and Andrew Wise (UK).

Since 2002 the IVC has invited a Dutch composer to write a composition assignment for the Concours. This year Roel van Oosten has had the honour. The song, Querela Pacis from a text by Erasmus, is a compulsory work to be sung by all candidates who reach the Semi Final.

Presentations and master classes will be given by members of the Jury, Roberta Alexander and Olaf Bär, and the world renowned soprano, Elly Ameling. A work shop on the compulsory composition will take place on 23 September 2008. Furthermore, Career Advisor, Pieter G. Alferink, will be giving a presentation. A celebratory concert will be given by the Brabants Orchestra, conducted by Enrico Delamboye, and Tania Kross, mezzo-soprano. There will also be a special Sunday morning "Champagne Recital" with virtuoso soprano, Marlis Petersen singing Goethe's Vrouwen, from the 20th Century Lieder Foundation's series, "Spotlights".

Prize winner concerts will be held in Leeuwarden, 's-Hertogenbosch and Zwolle in October and November 2008.

Applications for participation should be sent in not later than 31 July 2008. The application form can be found on the IVC website: www.ivc.nu.
For further information, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

IVC Office
Postbox 1225
5200BG ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Tel: +31 (0)73 6900999
Fax: +31 (0)73 6901166

Video

(14'00")
Englisch spoken, no subtitles.
An exerpt from the Masterclass given by the Dutch Mezzosoprano Jard van Nes, during the International Vocal Competition 2008 in 's-Hertogenbosch.

(14'00")
Engels gesproken, geen ondertiteling.
Een fragment uit de masterclass van de nederlandse mezzosopraan Jard van Nes, tijdens het Internationaal Vocalisten Concours 2008 in 's-Hertogenbosch.

Bio

After finishing her piano studies with Sas Bunge, Jard van Nes started her vocal studies with Herman Woltman at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague.

In 1978 she was a prizewinner in the International Vocalist Concourse of 's-Hertogenbosch and in 1981 in the International Opera- and Belcanto Competition, organised by the Belgian Radio. In 1984 Jard van Nes received the prestigious Dutch Music-award after additional studies with Christa Ludwig and Noemie Perugia.

In a very short time Jard van Nes became one of the most sought-after Dutch singers, who also outside her own country was considered to belong to the most important mezzo-sopranos of her generation. She worked on a regular basis with conductors of great fame like Daniel Barenboim, Roberto Benzi, Pierre Boulez, Riccardo Chailly, Charles Dutoit, Ivan Fischer, Carlo Maria Giulini, Bernard Haitink, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Mariss Jansons, Reinbert de Leeuw, Kurt Masur, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Kurt Sanderling, Georg Solti, Hans Vonk and Edo de Waart. She performed with all the Dutch orchestras, but also with most of the top-orchestras in the world she became a regular returning guest-soloist. Her repertoire ran from the period of early Baroque-music till pieces specially written for her, Theo Loevendie, Caroline Ansink, Tristan Keuris. During her singing career she worked in all the continents, except South-America and Africa.

A special reputation she earned with the music of Gustav Mahler; worldwide she performed many times his orchestral- and piano songs, as well as solo parts in his symphonies, second, third and eight symphony. Also with her interpretation of Das Lied von der Erde she moved again and again a huge audience.

With pianists like Gérard van Blerk, Roger Vignoles and David Selig Jard van Nes has given song recitals all over the world. For instance in the Wigmore Hall, London; Carnegie Hall, New York; Le Theâtre de l'Athenée, Paris; Musikverein, Vienna and of course on all the important podia of Holland.

She made her debut with the 'Nederlandse Operastichting' in 1983 as Bertarido (Rodelinda, Händel). In 1985 she sang the title part in 'Orlando' by Händel with the Nederlandse Opera Stichting and also at the Holland Festival the title part in the premier of 'Naima' by Theo Loevendie, 1985. She sang roles in works of a.o. Händel, Wagner (Brangäne, Fricka, Erda), Verdi (Ulrica) and Richard Strauss.
Lots of appearances at home and abroad, among others in the United States, Canada and in the summer of 1991, during the Salzburger Festspiele, she took part in the new production of 'The Magic Flute' by Mozart, conducted by Georg Solti. Also she participated in several concert performances of operas in the "Matinee op de vrije zaterdag" in Amsterdam.

In 1992, Jard van Nes appeared as soloist in Mendelssohn's oratorio Elias in Tel Aviv, Israel with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Choir of the Radio Broadcast company of Leipzig. Jard van Nes appeared several times with the 'Gelders Orkest'.

December 26, 2000, she gave her last concert, so that she could dedicate herself totally to the coaching of talented young singers via private lessons and public Master classes, among others in 's-Hertogenbosch, the place where her career started in 1978 with the participation in the International Vocalist Concourse. Some of these classes were recorded for radio and TV. Since than, she also was member of the jury of different competitions, a.o. the Franz Liszt competition, and the already mentioned International Vocalist Concourse of 's-Hertogenbosch, etc.
In April 2002 Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands appointed her "Ridder in de Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw".

(source: www.dutchdivas.net)

Press

INTERNATIONAL VOCAL COMPETITION 2008

The 47th International Vocal Competition will be held in ‘s-Hertogenbosch from 20-28 September 2008. Singers born after 1 April 1975 are eligible for participation. Repertoire must come from opera, oratorio and lieder, or a combination of two or more genres. Performances of 20th Century repertoire will be held in high regard. A minimum of three of the fifteen chosen pieces must be 20th Century compositions. The International Preliminary Rounds will be held in Music Centre "De Toonzaal" in ‘s-Hertogenbosch on 15, 16 and 17 September 2008. Members of the Jury for the Preliminary Rounds are Roberta Alexander, Miranda van Kralingen, Albert Bonnema, Hein Meens (Chairman) and Annett Andriesen (IVC Directorate). The International Vocal Concours, consisting of First Round, Semi Final and Final, will be held in the Theater aan de Parade in ‘s-Hertogenbosch from 20-28 September 2008. For the first time in the history of the IVC, the Concours is being directed by a singer; the mezzo-soprano, Annett Andriesen.

The International Jury members are Roberta Alexander, Hanna Schwarz and Olaf Bär,  singers of international fame, Rudolf Jansen, pianist, Mya Besselink, professional singing teacher, Hein Mulders, Head of Artistic Administration, De Nederlandse Opera, Lenore Rosenberg, Artistic Administration, the Metropolitan Opera, Ilze Sprancmane, Casting Director of the Riga Opera, Nando Schellen, Producer and Director of Opera, Northern Arizona University, and Hans Hierck, Chairman of the Jury. Concours pianists are Hans Eijsackers (NL), Trisdee na Patalung (THA) and Andrew Wise (UK).

Since 2002 the IVC has invited a Dutch composer to write a composition assignment for the Concours. This year Roel van Oosten has had the honour. The song, Querela Pacis from a text by Erasmus, is a compulsory work to be sung by all candidates who reach the Semi Final.

Presentations and master classes will be given by members of the Jury, Roberta Alexander and Olaf Bär, and the world renowned soprano, Elly Ameling. A work shop on the compulsory composition will take place on 23 September 2008. Furthermore, Career Advisor, Pieter G. Alferink, will be giving a presentation. A celebratory concert will be given by the Brabants Orchestra, conducted by Enrico Delamboye, and Tania Kross, mezzo-soprano. There will also be a special Sunday morning "Champagne Recital" with virtuoso soprano, Marlis Petersen singing Goethe's Vrouwen, from the 20th Century Lieder Foundation's series, "Spotlights".

Prize winner concerts will be held in Leeuwarden, 's-Hertogenbosch and Zwolle in October and November 2008.

Applications for participation should be sent in not later than 31 July 2008. The application form can be found on the IVC website: www.ivc.nu.
For further information, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

IVC Office
Postbox 1225
5200BG ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Tel: +31 (0)73 6900999
Fax: +31 (0)73 6901166