American International Czech and Slovak Voice Competition

10/18/2024

Thank you to our sponsor, Sokol Milwaukee, for your generous support of the competition and the singers. We truly appreciate all the work you do to honor Czech and Slovak Culture. We look forward to seeing you again in 2026!

10/13/2024

Announcing this year's winners!

First place: Erin Ridge, Soprano, USA
Second place: Julia Johnson, Soprano, USA
Third Place: Revere Taylor, Baritone, USA
Fourth Place: Nina Krížová, Soprano, Slovakia
Fifth Place: Weronika Wojtkowsa, Mezzo, Poland

Kaprálová Prize: Julia Johnson

Congratulations! We were so impressed with the high artistic level of this year's competitors. We can't wait for 2026!

10/10/2024

Vítáme vás! The competition has officially begun, and we are excited to hear some wonderful singing today!

Can't make it to campus? Join our livestream!

Preliminaries – 10 a.m. Thursday, October 10, 2024

10/04/2024

2024 Singer Spotlight:
Sitong Liu, Soprano

Born in Guangzhou, China to an artistic family, soprano Sitong Liu has recently earned her D.M.A. in Voice performance with full ride from the University of Michigan, studying with Stanford Olsen. Sitong has a wide variety of performance experience and has participated in public and private masterclasses in Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. She completed her Master of Music Studies from Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she received several scholarships for her academic and musical excellence. With Sydney Conservatorium Opera, she performed multiple principal roles including 1st Lady in The Magic Flute and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. In 2019, she made her debut of Donna Anna and Micaëla with Mediterranean Opera Festival in Italy. Other operatic roles include Giannetta, Barbarina, Satirino, etc. In 2022, she appeared as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte at University of Michigan, and appeared as Donna Anna again in the production of Don Giovanni under the baton of Martin Katz and under direction of Mo Zhou in March 2023. She earned her bachelor’s degree, Cum Laude, from California State University Fullerton, having been inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.

10/04/2024

2024 Singer Spotlight:
Catherine Gispert, Soprano

Catherine Gispert, an emerging Cuban-American soprano originally from Miami, FL, has been heralded by South Florida Classical Review as a "high soprano" to watch, deserving of "larger assignments... in the future."
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Ms. Gispert recently appeared as a Street Singer in Fountain Street Church Oratorio Choir’s Bernstein MASS and a Fairy in West Michigan Savoyard’s Iolanthe.
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Other recent operatic performances include Zerlina in Don Giovanni with University of Michigan and Saluzzo Opera Academy, Paní Pásková and a Slípka (Hen) in The Cunning Little Vixen with University of Michigan, Susannah in Carlisle Floyd's Susannah with University of Michigan, and both Ida and Frosch in Die Fledermaus with Berlin Opera Academy. She also performed in the US premiere of Aran O'Grady and Kaitlin Sullivan's chamber opera Eintänzer. Previous appearances include Annina in La traviata with Opera Grand Rapids, Zo-Zo in The Merry Widow with Riuniti Opera, Guillaume in La Chanson de Fortunio with Miami Music Festival, and la Zia in Madama Butterfly, una Novizia in Suor Angelica, and un Pastore in Tosca, all with Miami Lyric Opera.
A lover of sacred music and recital work, Ms. Gispert has performed as a soprano soloist with the Second Avenue Jewish Chorale and Nova Singers, and as a cantor in churches throughout the United States, including the Cathedral of Saint Andrew in Grand Rapids and St. Martha Catholic Church in Miami Shores. Most recently she has sung with the West Michigan Opera Project in their Concert Outreach series, and in 300 Years of Oratorio: In Recital performing Britten's "Lacrimosa" from his War Requiem alongside tenor Standford Olsen. She presented her fourth solo recital, "Dedication," in April 2023, focusing heavily on the music of Cuban composers.
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Ms. Gispert has performed frequently in various opera choruses, including those of University of Michigan, Saluzzo Opera Academy, Berlin Opera Academy, Opera Grand Rapids, Florida Grand Opera, Miami Lyric Opera, Riuniti Opera, Miami Music Festival, and Barry University. She has attended the Miami Music Festival, Opera Naples Academy, Berlin Opera Academy, and Saluzzo Opera Academy opera training programs.
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An award-winning singer, she has been awarded an Encouragement Award from The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, the 3rd Prize from the 7th Concorso Internazionale di Canto Lirico "Vano Visioli," and a Graduate Encouragement Award winner from the Sam Vitale & Aaron Caruso Neapolitan Song Competition. She has also been a semi-finalist in the American International Czech and Slovak Voice Competition and the 2020 winner of Opera Grand Rapids’ Betty Van Andel Scholarship. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music with an emphasis in Voice Performance from Florida State University, and her Master of Music in Voice Performance from University of Michigan.
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When not performing, she resides in Grand Rapids, MI with her partner and their tiny, misbehaved dog, Luna, and enjoys counting down the days until summer. She sings often with the Cathedral of Saint Andrew and Fountain Street Church.

10/03/2024

2024 Singer Spotlight:
Elly Kirkendall, Soprano

Elly Kirkendall, Soprano, earned her Bachelor of Music in Voice from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), and her Master’s and Doctoral degrees in German Studies, also from the University of Cincinnati. She served as the Visiting Assistant Professor of German at St. Norbert College from August 2022-May 2024. She has performed in operas, in concert, and in musicals, in the United States, France, and Austria. Most recently she performed with the Civic Symphony of Green Bay, in their “Symphonic Sips: Reds, Whites, and Blues” Gala, singing the Flower Duet from Lakmé and Sull’aria from Le Nozze di Figaro alongside Soprano, Dr. Yi-Lan Niu. Favorite opera roles include the title role in Gounod’s Mireille with the Franco-American Vocal Academy in Périgueux, France, and “Cherubino” in Le Nozze di Figaro at the University of Cincinnati-CCM. She also enjoys singing musical theater having performed regionally in the Cincinnati area. There, she understudied Marian at LaComedia Dinner Theater, and performed the roles of “Cinderella” in Into the Woods, “Grace” in Annie, and “Elsa” in The Sound of Music in local Cincinnati theaters. Elly currently resides in the greater Green Bay area with her husband, violist and software engineer, Matt Kirkendall.

10/03/2024

2024 Singer Spotight:
Josephine Barstad, Soprano

Josephine Barstad, soprano, is lauded for her glorious and expressive voice. Her artistry has recently been displayed as La Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro at Wichita State University and in her Graduate Recital, where she showcased 20th century art songs and arias. Her other recent roles are the title role of Suor Angelica at both Wichita State University and Spotlight on Opera. She juxtaposed this with comedic timing as La Ciesca in a reimagining of Puccini's beloved comedy Gianni Schicchi. Last seen in Duluth, Minnesota, she joined Lyric Opera of the North in their chorus for Puccini's La Bohème.

With a flexible voice and sensibilities in a variety of styles, her other recent engagements include Damon in Acis and Galatea at WSU and her professional debut as Mrs. Gleaton in Susannah, with the Wichita Grand Opera.

Recently, Ms. Barstad was a winner of the WSU Concerto-Aria competition and performed with the University’s Symphony Orchestra. Her other awards include taking third place in St. Croix Valley Opera's Opera on the River Competition, being a finalist for the Naftzger Young Artist Auditions and Awards, and winner of the Minnesota NATS competition. She was a Shera Barton Memorial Fellowship recipient and Graduate Teaching Assistant at WSU. In 2022, she graduated from University of Minnesota Duluth with a bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance, where she performed the role of Rosalinda in an excerpt of Die Fledermaus, as well as Antonia in excerpts of Les contes d’Hoffmann. She has most recently completed her Master of Music in Opera Performance at Wichita State University where she studied with Dr. Cristina Castaldi.

When not in rehearsal, Josephine can be found crocheting and listening to audiobooks at home with her partner Andy and four cats.

10/02/2024

2024 Singer Spotlight:
Maggie Sczekan, Soprano

Maggie Sczekan is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree at the Lamont School of Music in Denver, Colorado, where she will be featured in this season’s operas as Belinda in Dido and Aeneas and Nella in Gianni Schicchi. She was last seen on the operatic stage as Adina in L’elisir d’amore and Despina in Così fan tutte, both with Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance program in NYC. Other favorite roles include Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro and F***y in La cambiale di matrimonio, both with CU Opera in Boulder, CO. A proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, Maggie has also been seen on the largest professional stages for musical theatre in the Denver region, covering lead roles and appearing in A Christmas Carol (Denver Center), Death Takes a Holiday and Sister Act (Arvada Center), South Pacific (Lone Tree Arts Center), and played Christine in Phantom (BDT Stage) and Princess Fiona in Shrek the Musical (Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center). When she’s not on stage she can be found teaching piano and voice, taking ballet, or reading fiction at her favorite pho restaurant.

10/02/2024

2024 Singer Spotlight:
Revere Taylor, Baritone

Revere Taylor is a Pacific Northwest-based baritone originally hailing from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Acclaimed for his flexible voice, linguistic facility, and commanding stage presence, Revere is equally at home in comedic and dramatic repertoire. His recent credits include Dandini in La Cenerentola at Kitsap Opera, Achilles in the fully-staged premiere of Erica Meyer’s Achilles and Patroclus with Lowbrow Opera Collective, and the bass soloist in Hadyn’s Missa in tempore belli with Masterworks Choral Ensemble. Past highlights include Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro with Dona Ana Lyric Opera, Ping in Turandot with Opera Fort Collins, and Melitone in La Forza del Destino with Opera Classica Europa. Revere is a frequent sight on the Seattle Opera stage, both in small roles and as a chorister, and has toured extensively in Washington state as a teaching artist, both with Seattle Opera and Northwest Opera in Schools, Etc.
Revere holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Northern Colorado, a Bachelor of Music from New Mexico State University, and a Certificate of Higher Education from the Royal Conservatoire in Scotland. In recent years, he gained notoriety as a crossover artist through serving as the founding lead singer and lyricist for the power metal band Greyhawk. He recorded four albums and appeared at numerous international festivals in that capacity before stepping down earlier this year to focus on his classical singing projects.

10/01/2024

2024 Singer Spotlight:
Julia Johnson, Soprano

Julia Maria Johnson is a soprano from Spokane, Washington. At the 2024 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, she was a Washington State District Winner and a Northwest Region Encouragement Winner, a semi-finalist in the Heartland Sings Vocal Competition, and a top nine finalist in the Vienna Beethoven Competition. Ms. Johnson was recently a Resident Artist at Opera Naples singing the roles of Phyllis in Gilbert &
Sullivan’s Iolanthe and Kate Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. She was also selected for the Vocal Immersion Program Fellowship with The Castleton Festival. This season, Ms. Johnson is making three role debuts, performing the role of Pamina in Die
Zauberflöte with Genesis Opera, covering Musetta in La Bohème with Opera San Jose, and performing the role of Ernestina in Salieri’s La Scuola de’ Gelosi with Pacific Opera Project. She is thrilled to be performing both new and standard works in opera and recital with companies including The Opera Buffs, New Opera West, Sky Opera, Lyricn Opera of Orange County, and Modern Opera Company, as well as singing on many premiere recordings for composers. Since earning her M.M. in Voice Performance from The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in 2021, she has also gone on to join the Voice Faculty at California Lutheran University.

09/30/2024

2024 Singer Spotlight:

Erin Ridge, Soprano

Erin Ridge is an American multidisciplinary artist making a name for herself in the opera industry as both a stage director and a lyric soprano. Combining versatile artistry with a probing intellect and commanding stage presence, Ridge delivers compellingly honest performances both on and off the stage. In keeping with her vision to be the “Barbara Hannigan” of singing & directing, Ridge finds herself at home across a variety of genres with a particular proclivity towards bringing modern 20th & 21st century stories to life. Described as having an “unflappable spirit”, Ridge’s approach to artistic creation is fastidious in her attention to detail and audacious in her commitment to bold embodiment.

This fall, Ridge is thrilled to be named a semi-finalist in the Camille Coloratura Vocal Competition, the Marcella Sembrich International Vocal Competition, and the American International Czech & Slovak Voice Competition. As an active AGMA chorister, Ridge is also looking forward to re-joining the Washington National Opera in their upcoming production of Macbeth. Ridge will be joining the Trinity Chamber Orchestra in April as the soloist for Mahler’s 4th Symphony.

Her love of art song has led to two recitals so far this year: The Last Rose of Summer - presented at the Cardella Salon Series, and Into the Silent Land - a one woman show about the journey of meditation produced during her residency with The Apiary, and she is looking forward to presenting a mini-recital at the Arts Club of Washington later this fall featuring spanish art songs and spanish-inspired duets.

In the 23/24 season, Ridge made her solo debut with the Washington Concert Opera as Cleone in Ermione as well as several university stage directing debuts. She returned to her alma mater Vanderbilt University to direct the first ever Spanish production of children’s opera Lucinda y las Flores de la Nochebuena and then joined the Peabody Institute, Johns Hopkins University to direct their graduate production of Svadba, a Serbian chamber opera. She also joined the Beth Morrison Projects & Vision Into Arts for their DC workshop of new opera Sensorium Ex. Ridge has been a semi-finalist in national competitions including the Gerda Lissner and the Giulio Gari, as well as a finalist in the Orpheus and Partners for the Arts.

09/30/2024

2024 Singer Spotlight:

Weronika Wojtkowska, Mezzo-Soprano

From an early age, she participated in classical dance classes at the Anna Niedźwiedź ballet school.

She started her musical education at the State Music School in She started her musical education at the State Music School in Poznan, where she developed her cello skills, and then her vocal skills. In June 2024 Weronika will finish her Masters at the Feliks Nowowieiski's Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz in the singing class of Dr. Anita Urban-Wieczorek.

Her most important vocal achievements include performing in the Pomeranian Philharmonic in Bydgoszcz,in the alto part in Stabat Mater by K. Szymanowski and during the Carnival Concert conducted by M. Dworzynski. She also sang the alto part in Stabat Moter G, B. Pergolesi with the baroque orchestra in the Bydgoszcz Garrison Church (2023).

She is the laureate of the III Prize in the 11th National Vocal Competition in Mława and distinctions in the VOICEandV!LLAS 2024 competition in Willa Lentza in Szczecin.

At the 14th Opera Youth Forum in the Chamber Hall of the Opera Nova in Bydgoszcz, she played the role of Mrs. Nolan in the premiere performance of G. C. Menotti's opera Medium, conducted by Piotr Wajrak and directed by Ewa Rucińska. She made her debut on the main stage of the Opera Nova with the role of the 3rd Knabe in The Magic Flute by W. A. Mozart, and then in a student performance with the role of the 3rd Lady conducted by Maciej Figas. She took part in many prestigious vocal courses, including working with Mariusz Kwiecien, Olga Pasiecznik, Jeff Cohen and Ewa Iżykowska.