William P. Söderberg Voice Competition

Congratulations to all participants in the William P. Söderberg Voice Competition 2024

Junior Classical
Violet Milone, student of Paige Taylor

Young Adult Classical
Michaela Whittaker, student of Jennifer Pearl

Young Adult Musical Theater
Delaney McIsaac, student of Paige Taylor

Young Adult Contemporary
Mia Manfredi, student of Joshua Carlisle

Lorna Jane Norris Award - Eve Piazza
Overall Award - Mia Manfredi
Westerbeke Scholarship - Mia Manfredi and Michaela Whittaker

 

William P. Söderberg Voice Competition
Sunday, March 24, 2024, 1-6 pm Hingham campus

To enter the competition, please fill out the Soderberg 2024 Competition Entrance Form
Online entry form due: Monday, March 11, 2024 by 5 pm

Repertoire Requirements

  • The competition offers three audition categories: “CLASSICAL,” “CONTEMPORARY,” and “MUSICAL THEATER.” “Classical” includes opera, oratorio, art song, and folk songs sung in a classical style. “Contemporary” includes all contemporary styles (e.g. pop, rock, blues, jazz, country, etc.) and students have the option to audition with a microphone. “Musical Theater” includes repertoire from traditional and contemporary musicals, with special emphasis on dramatic presentation. Students may request an audition slot for one, two, or three categories. Each song submission should be under 5 minutes; songs should be memorized. Please consult with your teacher to determine which category(ies) and repertoire to choose.
  • Each track has two divisions by age: Junior (10-13) and Young Adult (14-18).
  • Singers will be judged on vocal quality, diction, musical style, expression, and preparedness. An extra point may be awarded if a foreign language is performed to a high standard and/or for a song with a high level of difficulty. Participants will receive the written judges’ comments by email from their teachers shortly following the Announcement of Results.

Accompaniment

  • A piano accompanist will be available to accompany each singer during the competition and Winners Concert.

Prize

  • The number of winning places for each category/division is based on judges’ discretion. First-place winners receive a tuition scholarship in the amount of $100 for the 2024-2025 academic year (if a high school senior wins, the scholarship will go to the 2024 summer session). Honorable mention trophies will be distributed at the judges’ discretion. The singer with the highest score will be deemed the Overall Winner.
  • The 2024-2025 Westerbeke Scholarship will be awarded at the Winners Concert. This coveted scholarship covers one year of 45-minute lessons and is awarded on the basis of need and merit. Applicants must have been a student at SSC since September 2023. This scholarship has a separate application form, available at the front desks. The deadline to submit the Westerbeke application is Monday, March 11, at 5 pm.
  • The Lorna Jane Norris Award for Most Expressive Classical Performance in the amount of $100 will be awarded by the judges.

Winners Concert and Awards Ceremony

  • Immediately following the 1 pm competition, the results will be announced and the winners will perform in the Winners Concert, held at 5 pm in Cox Hall, Hingham campus. We encourage all
  • participants to be present for the entire event. Prizes and participation certificates will be distributed after the event.

Entry Fee and Deadline

  • Online entry forms must be submitted and payment made no later than Monday, March 11, 2024 at 5 pm. Applications are not considered complete until a PDF of the sheet music is emailed to j.pearl@sscmusic.org. No late applications will be accepted

Eligibility and Procedures

  • The competition is open to South Shore Conservatory (SSC) voice students who are currently enrolled in private or semi-private lessons. Enrollment, payment plan, and all other aspects of the registration process must be completed six weeks prior to the competition entry deadline. Participation in SSC competitions is one aspect of a student’s entire musical experience and continuum of education at SSC. Student participation in any SSC competition should be the result of goal-setting between SSC teacher, student, and parent. Regular attendance and faculty approval is required for entry. We recommend reviewing Tips for Successful Competition and setting your personal goals for the event.
  • Students who place first in a given category/division in the 2023 competition (e.g. Classical Junior) may audition for comments only in that same category/division this year. They are eligible to compete for points in other categories/divisions (e.g. Musical Theater Junior, or Classical Young Adult) this year. All participants are welcome to sing for judges’ comments only.
  • Contestants must own an original copy of their chosen song(s).

For more information, please contact: Jennifer Pearl at j.pearl@sscmusic.org