James Toland Vocal Arts, Inc.

06/09/2026

JTVA congratulates the 2026 Competition Semifinalists!

John Arlotti
Gabrielle Barkidjija
Tiffany Choe
Natalie Creel
Alex Delgado
Sam Dhobhany
Alexa Frankian
Alexander Granito
Christopher Gray
Giorgi Guliashvili
Abigale Hobbs
Sihao Hu
Yoonsoo Jang
Ariana Maubach
James McCarthy
Dalia Medovnikov
Luna Seongeun Park
Kathryn Riopel
Rachel Schlesinger
Vuyiswa Sigadi
Kayla Stein
Penelope Teague
Dominic Townsend

Stay tuned to learn which 7 singers will move on to the live final round!
Go to www.jamestolandvocalarts.org for more information!

04/22/2026

DEADLINE JUST THREE DAYS AWAY!

This year, James Toland Vocal Arts celebrates its 13th annual Vocal Competition weekend, with a master class and competition final round on August 8-9. We welcome singers hoping to pursue a career in the vocal arts who are in the earliest stages of their professional development. Eligible applicants are promising singers seeking support for further study and career advancement. They may be working toward or have completed a degree within the last two years or are currently completing their training in a Young Artist Program. Awards total nearly $35,000, including a top prize of $10,000, and ALL seven finalists receive a cash award.

Applications will be accepted only until APRIL 25, 2026.
https://www.yaptracker.com/posts/jtva-2026/

03/17/2026

📣 Applications for the 13th annual Vocal Competition weekend now OPEN! Join us for the master class and competition final round on August 8-9. We welcome singers hoping to pursue a career in the vocal arts who are in the earliest stages of their professional development. Eligible applicants are promising singers seeking support for further study and career advancement. They may be working toward or have completed a degree within the last two years or are currently completing their training in a Young Artist Program. Awards total nearly $35,000, including a top prize of $10,000, and ALL seven finalists receive a cash award. Deadline: April 25th.

03/17/2026

📣 Applications now open for the 2026 competition!

APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED! This year, James Toland Vocal Arts celebrates its 13th annual Vocal Competition weekend, with a master class and competition final round on August 8-9. We welcome singers hoping to pursue a career in the vocal arts who are in the earliest stages of their professional...

11/02/2025

JTVA officially announces bass John Mburu as the winner of the Elizabeth Greenfield Award for 2025!

John is a Kenyan-American bass from Warwick, Rhode Island. An alum of Lee University, Glimmerglass, Opera Theater St. Louis, and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, he has performed opera, oratorio, and concert works, and is quickly making a name for himself as a thrilling and versatile performing. A 2025 Merola Young Artist, John spent the summer singing in the American Song Recital, the Schwabacher Summer Concert, and in Rossini’s Le Comte Ory as Coryphée 2, before returning to Minnesota Opera’s Resident Artist Program this fall as Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte. In 2026, he will make his role debut of Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with Opera Tampa. Also an artist in his spare time, John is also a singer-songwriter, juggler, and stilt performer.

READ MORE: https://mailchi.mp/jtva/high-notes43-2025greenfieldwinner

10/03/2025

JTVA congratulates the 2025 Elizabeth Greenfield Award finalists! Stay tuned for the winner announcement on Sunday, November 2nd!

Adia Evans, soprano
Nina Evelyn, soprano
John Mburu, bass
Alicia Russell Tagert, soprano
Olivier Zerouali, baritone

WATCH the finalists and hear their magnificent voices at www.jtva.org/2025-greenfield

08/30/2025

In just four days, applications for the 2025 Elizabeth Greenfield Award are due. If you're a Black singer looking to make a professional operatic or concert career (jazz, opera, cabaret, musical theater, and more!), apply today for the $5,000 cash award. To learn more and submit your application, visit:

https://www.jamestolandvocalarts.org/about-the-elizabeth-greenfield-award

08/06/2025

📣 Attention singers: Now accepting applications for the fifth annual Elizabeth Greenfield Award!

Applications for the 2025 Elizabeth Greenfield Award are now open on YAPTracker. The award is a $5,000 grant which recognizes an outstanding singer who identifies as Black and is in the early stages of pursuing a professional career. The deadline to apply is September 3, 2025.

Learn more: https://www.jamestolandvocalarts.org/elizabeth-greenfield-award or go directly to the application: https://www.yaptracker.com/applications/jtva-elizabeth-greenfield-2025

Who is the award for?
Singers of any age who identify as Black are invited to apply. While the Elizabeth Greenfield Award is open to managed and unmanaged singers, applicants will be in the early stages of a professional operatic or concert career.

Who is Elizabeth Greenfield?
The award’s namesake honors the legacy of soprano Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield (1809-1876), known as “The Black Swan” and the first Black American singer to gain recognition in Europe and the United States.

08/05/2025

In reflecting on the 12th JTVA Weekend, we cannot help but feel so fortunate to support singers on their journeys and wish them all the best in their futures!

For more photos, check out our gallery: https://www.jamestolandvocalarts.org/gallery
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Did you miss the competition or just want to relive it? Stay tuned for competition videos!

07/21/2025

ANNOUNCING OUR 2025 TIER II WINNERS! ✨✨
Justice Yates, 1st place and Audience Favorite
Anna Thompson, 2nd place
Sofia Gotch, 3rd place

L to R: Justice Yates, Sofia Gotch, James Toland, Anna Thompson
📸: Kristen Loken Photography

Read all about it in the latest edition of HighNotes! Not on our list? Comment "HIGHNOTES" below to be added!