Washington International Competition

2023 70th Annual Washington International Competition for Voice
Sponsored by the Friday Morning Music Club Foundation

The 2023 Competition for Voice semifinals will take place at George Washington University in the Phillips Hall (Basement level) at 801 22nd Street, NW, on Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 9:00 am. 

Finals will take place on May 28, 2023, at 2:00 pm in the Terrace Theater of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 

With the live portion of the competition, all COVID-related requirements of the venue and the District of Columbia that are in effect at the time of the competition, such as proof of vaccination or negative COVID test as well as masking, will be observed. 

Questions?

• For general questions, please contact competition chair Chenli Tzeng wicvoice@fmmc.org
• For repertoire questions, please contact Leslie Luxemburg, Friday Morning Music Club President, at president@fmmc.org

• For technical questions, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk.

Please visit our website here for more information.

Competition History and Purpose

The Washington International Competition (WIC) was established in 1950 to support outstanding young classical musicians in their pursuit of professional careers. The WIC occurs in a three-year rotation for piano, strings, and voice.

As of 1976, a competition for composition of a chamber work for 3 to 5 players - string trio, string quartet, piano trio, piano quartet, or piano quintet – is also held concurrently with the strings’ competition.

Prizes

• First prize: $10,000
• Second prize: $5,000
• Third prize: $3,000
• Three Finalists Awards: $1,000
• Audience prize: $1,000

Performance Awards

Performance awards included solo appearances with the Avanti Orchestra, City Choir of Washington, New Dominion Chorale, and FMMC Chorale.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 32 (as of May 27, 2023, the date of the competition).
• Proof of age will be required.
• Applicants must not be under professional management.
• Previous first-prize winners of the competition may not apply
• Current students of the judges may not apply

Application Fee: $95 - Application is non-refundable

Housing and Transportation

• The WIC provides local housing for all semi-finalists
  
• Local transportation and meals offered at the convenience of hosts.
• Housing is available for all semifinalists from May 25- May 28. 

Application Deadlines

Applications will be accepted from October 15, 2022 - February 25, 2023.

Deadline is February 25, 2023, by 11:59 pm EST.

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REQUIRED REPERTOIRE

1. Two arias, selected from oratorio and/or cantata, by a composer of your choice
2. Three contrasting arias from the operatic repertoire
3. Three French art songs from the 19th through 21st centuries
4. Three German art songs from the 19th through 21st centuries
5. Three art songs in English, including two by contemporary American composers (1900-present). Musical theater selections do not meet this requirement.

Application Video

Submit a maximum of 30 minutes, chosen from your required repertoire, for the audition video. The selections should present an accurate representation of your singing.

The video must contain:
     1. An oratorio or cantata aria
     2. An opera aria
     3. A French art song
     4. A German art song
     5. A song by an American composer (1900-present)

List of format and video instructions can be found at app.getacceptd.com/wic.

IMPORTANT

• Please DO NOT include your name in the file name of your video recording.
• All submitted video selections must come from the submitted repertoire list.
• No substitutions or edits will be allowed for submitted repertoire once the application is finalized.
• Applicants must be prepared to present all repertoire on list if chosen to participate in the semifinals.

• All selections must be performed from memory, both on the video and in the live auditions. Scores are allowed for the oratorio/cantata selection.
• Contestants should be prepared to perform all submitted repertoire in their entirety for the semifinal and final rounds.
• Repertoire for the preliminary round MUST be the same for the semifinal and final rounds.
• No changes in repertoire permitted past the deadline date on February 15, 2023.
• A separate preliminary round jury will review submissions and select approximately 16 semifinalists 
• All applicants will be notified of the results by Mid-March 2023.
• Semifinalists will be sent further instructions as needed.
  

• Sylvia McNair
• Aprile Millo
• Antony Walker

Official Pianists
      
     Hui-Chuan Chen
     Joy Schreier

Additional Information

1. FMMC Foundation assumes no responsibility for actions of or injuries sustained by applicants or their escorts during their course of stay in the Washington, DC area.
2. All contestants are responsible for transportation to and from Washington, DC.
3. The decision of the judges is final and not to be disputed. No contact with the judges is permitted until after the results have been announced.
4. The WIC reserves the right to use any recordings or photographs originated during the competitions, or any photographs or recordings provided by the contestants.