2024 Voices of the Future Finals Masterclass
held at James Lorah House

The four winners of the Choral Society's 2024 Voices of the Future (V of F) outreach event held on Saturday, March 30, were: Helena Badialli (3rd from the left), a junior from C B East; Audrey Gaona (far right), a junior from C B East; Olivia Giampolo (2nd from the right), a junior from C B South; and Cameron Krauss (2nd from the left), a senior from Neshaminy High School. When all was said and sung, top honors and the $1000.00 prize was awarded to Olivia Giampolo. Olivia is a student of voice teacher and coach, Anne Odlund.

On stage at the James Lorah House in Doylestown, each participant sang a classical piece and a selection from musical theater. Composers featured included Mozart, Debussy and Copeland. Musical theater choices ranged from West Side Story, Music Man, Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. Olivia's winning combination was a piece with text by poet Langston Hughes and Til There Was You from The Music Man.

BCCS Assistant Director, Susan Johnson, welcomed an audience that included BCCS singers, contestants and their coaches, accompanists and families. Susan introduced BCCS Artistic Director, Tom Lloyd; citing V of F as Tom's brainchild to encourage serious young vocal students. Former BCCS board member, Bob Vernon, was introduced and warmly thanked for sponsoring the event which he and wife Alice have done for many years. Susan then welcomed back clinician, Paul Spencer Adkins (below), who delighted singers and audience members two years ago. Paul has enjoyed international success as an opera singer and vocal coach at The Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia, and never fails to entertain students and audiences alike as he drills down on technical aspects of singing.

After each singer presented their songs, Paul Adkins provided twenty minute coaching sessions tailored to what he had heard and observed. All four students responded well - and quickly! - to his individualized instruction to the delight of the audience. Observers got a little clue to Paul's powerful tenor voice when he sang along with Cameron for a few measures of Maria from West Side Story in his quest to get Cameron to sing louder and sustain a dramatically high note at the end of the piece.

While waiting for Paul to determine who would receive top honors, contestant Audrey Gaona told her coach, parents and this reporter that interacting with Paul was the highlight of the event so far as she was concerned. Her parents commended BCCS for arranging and funding this opportunity for students serious about their vocal singing.

Following the presentation of the $1000.00 check to Olivia and the $500.00 checks to the other three finalists, Paul Adkins spoke individually with each singer and vocal coach. Juniors Helena and Audrey are eligible to participate in next year's Voices of the Future event. Susan closed out the program by announcing that one or more of the finalists would be invited to sing at a BCCS concert in the 2024 - 2025 season.

- Christopher Whitney

Voices Of The Future Application Form (email this to info@buckschoral.org)

VOICES OF THE FUTURE is a classical singing competition sponsored by the Bucks County Choral Society for students in grades 9-12 who live or attend school in Bucks County. Prior first place winners are ineligible to re-apply. 2025 will be the eighth year of the competition.

Applicants must submit links to video or audio recordings of two contrasting songs or arias. At least one of the two selections must be a classical art song or aria; alternately, the second selection can be a musical theater song.

Each year, following the recording and application submission, four finalists are be invited to perform in a live master class with a master voice teacher. At the conclusion of the master class, $2,500 in cash prizes are be presented: $1,000 for first place and $500 for each of the three runners-up.