James Toland Vocal Arts Competition to be Held Virtually in 2021
JTVA continues to support vocal artists during pandemic
James Toland Vocal Arts (JTVA) announced that it will host a virtual competition this year due to ongoing community health concerns. The nonprofit’s 8th annual Vocal Competition will be held virtually, with a video of the 14 finalists’ performances streamed on June 27, 2021.
Pandemic uncertainty and continuing health concerns over large gatherings caused the decision to hold the event online.
Similar to the competition’s normal selection process, singers will be evaluated based on their audition videos, with one panel of judges selecting 40 semifinalists and a second panel choosing 14 finalists. Instead of competing in person this year, however, the finalists will record a performance to submit for the final round. Their performances and the first, second, and third-place winners will be announced in a video stream on June 27, 2021. Cash awards will total $50,000. As in previous years, two special performance opportunities will also be awarded, one in Provence, France and the other with the Oakland Symphony.
“I regret the missed opportunity to meet our singers face-to-face and to hear them live but it’s clear that planning a live event would be premature,” said James Toland, founder and general director of JTVA. “What’s most important is that we help singers weather this crisis.”
Last year’s live competition was also canceled. Each finalist, however, was awarded $2,000.
Singers are encouraged to apply for this year’s competition via YAP Tracker (https://www.yaptracker.com/posts/jtva-2021). The application period closes February 13.
JTVA’s mission is to give emerging singers the financial support and performance experience necessary to launch their professional careers. JTVA’s Vocal Competition has grown into one of the West Coast’s premier singing events, attracting nearly 250 applicants globally in 2019. Past JTVA winners have competed in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions finals, the Glyndebourne Cup, and Placido Domingo’s Operalia competition.
The competition features two tiers of competitors. Tier I is for singers ready to embark on a professional career and who have completed an undergraduate, graduate-level, or equivalent study in voice. Tier II is for singers who are studying voice at or near the college level. There are no age or residency requirements. Of the seven finalists in each tier, a first, second, and third-place prize winner is selected and awarded a cash prize up to $10,000. Finalists who do not place are each given $2,000.
In addition to the Vocal Competition, JTVA sponsors performance events throughout the year as well as promoting the careers of past finalists through social media. “My vision for JTVA is to celebrate singing and singers. I want them to be encouraged to sing and to study singing and to keep at it. We need them for all the songs in our lives,” said Mr. Toland.
About James Toland Vocal Arts
Based in Oakland, California, James Toland Vocal Arts, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to encouraging and cultivating, through competition and education, the emerging talents of singers who aspire to a professional career in vocal performance. The primary emphasis of JTVA is an annual voice competition with expert judging, a live audience, and monetary prizes, to be held in June. The organization also participates in events of a related nature including master classes, workshops and other training or networking opportunities.