by Linda McAlister
photo credit: Eric Anderson

The Ohio William E. Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition will be held on November 19, 2016 at Miami University. The competition is open to talented singers in their sophomore, junior, and senior years of high school. All events of the competition are open to the public, including a master class with guest adjudicators at 2:15 pm and the final round of competition at 3:30 pm, both held in Hall Auditorium. Adjudicators for the Ohio Schmidt Competition are Hope Koehler (West Virginia University), Stanford Olsen (University of Michigan), and Benjamin Smolder (Miami University). A complete schedule of events is below.

Now in its thirty-first year, the Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition has impacted the lives of over 5,000 youth throughout the country and annually provides scholarships for over 120 students. Schmidt Competition participants have gone on to gain entrance into the world’s finest music schools and include winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the George London Competition, the National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Awards, and the National Opera Association Awards. The Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition is a program funded by the William E. Schmidt Foundation, an organization that encourages youth in the arts and provides support and inspiration to our next generation of artists. Since 2012, Miami University has been the National Headquarters of the Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition.

SCHEDULE of EVENTS (all times approximate)

Saturday, November 19, 2016

8:45am-12:45pm First Round of Competition in Presser 222

2:15pm Master Class with Hope Koehler, Stanford Olsen, and  Benjamin Smolder in Hall Auditorium

3:30pm Final Round of Competition in Hall Auditorium

4:15pm Performance by Miami University Voice Students

5:00pm Awards Ceremony in Hall Auditorium

More information about the Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition can be found at www.schmidtcompetition.org.