Vocal Fellows Program

A Program for Increasing Diversity Among Professional Vocal Ensemble and Oratorio Singers

The Thirteen offers vocal fellowships to early career singers from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, or other demographic groups that are significantly underrepresented among professional singers of vocal ensemble and oratorio music. With this program The Thirteen aims to play a role in diversifying our field by providing fellows with a high-level music making experience, mentorship, and connections within the field. This fellowship will be an inclusive, welcoming experience and is aimed at singers who are enrolled in or have recently completed their undergraduate or graduate education and aspire to be professional vocal ensemble and oratorio singers. The Thirteen has a history of addressing important social issues of the day through its programming, including climate change, migration, and systemic racism. We frequently work with diverse composers and performing musicians. Fellowship recipients will rehearse, perform, and tour (if applicable) with The Thirteen from February 3- 11, 2024. They will be an integral part of this concert week, performing with the singers of The Thirteen in concerts of Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles.

OUR FELLOWS WILL RECEIVE

A high-level music making experience preparing and performing a concert of music with The Thirteen.
Mentorship from The Thirteen’s Artistic Director and The Thirteen’s Fellow Mentor.
Compensation of $1,200.00.
Travel stipend and per diem if located outside of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area

APPLICATION PROCESS | Complete applications are due October 1, 2023

Applicants must provide the following:

A resume/curriculum vitae that describes the applicant’s experience singing in ensembles and training in music, including graduation or matriculation dates (if applicable).
A letter of interest describing in specific terms (1) why the applicant is interested in the program, (2) why the applicant is a good fit for the program, (3) how the applicant is part of a significantly underrepresented demographic group in the field, and (4) the applicant’s interest in a career as a professional singer of classical and oratorio music.
At least one letter of recommendation from a professional conductor. The letter must include contact information for the conductor and be signed or electronically signed with the name of the applicant in the title of the file. The applicant waives any right to read this letter.
Contact information for a reference who is a private voice teacher and for a third professional reference.
Two solo oratorio, opera, or art song recordings, of which one must be a recording of a work from the Baroque.

All the materials above must be submitted electronically to info@TheThirteenChoir.org no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time on October 1, 2023. Please ensure that your name and “Vocal Fellow Application” is in the title of the file.

STEVEN BERLANGA | MENTOR
Active as a conductor, soloist, and ensemble singer, Bass Steven Berlanga performs with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, The Thirteen, Kinnara, Exigence, Chorosynthesis, Brevitas, and has sung with the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati, and Border Crossing of Minneapolis. He has received a MM degree in choral conducting at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati, and a BM degree in vocal performance from California State University – Long Beach. As a soloist in oratorio and opera he has performed with New Voices Opera, IU Opera, Cabrillo Stage, the Santa Cruz Symphony, Cabrillo College, Westfield State University, the Illuminati Vocal Ensemble, and the Raven Consort. Among his roles on stage he has sung Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Villains in Tales of Hoffmann, Dick Deadeye in H.M.S Pinafore, and Colline in La Boheme. In 2014 he performed the role of Boris in The King in Yellow with New Voices Opera, and he returned in 2016 to perform as Stranger in The Forest of Dreams. In 2011 Mr. Berlanga performed the baritone solos in Hindemith’s When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d with the Cabrillo Summer Chorus, and he returned in 2012 to perform the baritone solos in Vaughan Williams ’Dona Nobis Pacem with the Santa Cruz Symphony and Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus.

ANDREA WALKER | MENTOR

Andrea Walker is a Mexican-American collaborative soprano pursuing a D.M.A. in Historical Performance Practice at Case Western Reserve University. She recently graduated with a M.M. in vocal performance from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music where she studied early music, oratorio, and art song. As an ensemble singer, Ms. Walker has performed with The Thirteen, Apollo’s Fire Singers, Houston Chamber Choir, Bach Society Houston, and the Voces8 US Scholars. As a concert soloist, her recent performance highlights include being featured with CWRU chamber ensembles in a concert of late-renaissance music with Bruce Dickey, a world premiere with Apollo Chamber Players, a concert of Mozart arias with Echo Orchestra of Houston, and with Masaaki Suzuki and Juilliard415 in her Lincoln Center debut. This season (2022-2023), she joined the Yale Schola Cantorum on their German tour as a soloist in “Schöpfungsmesse” by Haydn and was featured at the Norfolk Chamber Choir Festival under the direction of Simon Carrington. Ms. Walker is thrilled to be making her solo debuts with Apollo’s Fire and CityMusic Cleveland this season.

SELECTION
This program is open to anyone currently preparing for or embarking upon a career as a professional singer of classical and oratorio music. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or residents with rights to employment in the United States. The Artistic Director of The Thirteen will select finalists based on the applications and accompanying materials and will invite each finalist to participate in a virtual interview and audition on October 6, 2023.

Artistic criteria are exceptional musicianship, an interest in the vocal ensemble field, strong sight-reading skills, and an ability to work well with others. Diversity criteria are a background from racial, ethnic, cultural, or other demographic groups that are significantly underrepresented among professional singers of vocal ensemble and oratorio music.

CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information or to apply, contact info@TheThirteenChoir.org.

Meet our 2024 Vocal Fellows