Upcoming Auditions for Elementary & Junior Divisions
January 11, 2012 from 5:30pm-6:30pm
Townsend Opera Hall: 611 H Street, Modesto, CA 95354.
For more information contact Amy Sullivan, Artistic Administrator 209.523.6426 or asullivan@townsendoperaplayers.com
Elementary Division
Targeted to students aged 6-10, the Elementary Division will work to develop early musical skills through a fun, activity-based curriculum. Three sessions of 10-12 weeks each will focus on developing the very rudimentary skill set required to advance to the next stage of their musical development, culminating in a capstone performance highlighting the skills developed in each session. Meeting once a week, students will receive work on the following skills:
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Very basic ear training, terminology, and note recognition
- Basic vocal technique, including breathing, posture and control
- Development and performance of basic songs and small productions
Each student will be charged $50 per 10-12 week session. To maximize the educational benefit, participation will be limited to 15 students per session. There is no minimum skill level to participate in the Elementary Division, but a placement audition will be required. Mature students aged 9-10 will have the opportunity to audition for the Junior Division.
Students will be given a ticket to all major productions, as well as an invitation to attend a technical and/or dress rehearsal.
Junior Division
Targeted to students aged 10-14, the Junior Division will work to develop early musical skills through a performance-based curriculum. Two sessions of 16-20 weeks each will focus on developing the skill set required to advance to the next stage of their musical development, culminating in a capstone performance highlighting the skills developed in each session. Meeting once a week, students will receive instruction in:
- Basic music theory, sight singing, and ear training
- Intermediate vocal technique, including manipulating the break in the voice
- Development and performance of medium-sized productions
Each student will be charged $75 per 16-20 week session. To maximize the educational benefit, participation will be limited to 15 students per session. The 15 participants will be selected by audition. Students that do not meet the required skill level for the Junior Division will be placed in the Elementary Division until the skill level is acquired.
Students will be given a ticket to all major productions, as well as an invitation to attend a technical and/or dress rehearsal. For more information about either Elementary or Junior Division program, please contact Randi Linee.
Performances for Elementary and Junior Division
- September 10, 2011 2pm Carnegie Arts Reopening
- December 9 and 10, 2011
- April 20 and 21, 2012
- July 20, 21, 2012
Senior Division
Targeted to high school students, the Senior Division will provide a set of educational and professional development activities that can be experienced at a variety of levels of time commitment. All activities will be based around the Townsend Opera season, and will provide students with unlimited access to every element of a major production.
Activities for high school students will include:
- Professional exposure seminars with singers, costume designers, make-up designers, set designers, lighting designers, and stage crew, and company administration
- Question and answer sessions with Collegiate Division participants
- Attendance at staging, technical, and musical rehearsals
- Opportunity to audition for the Townsend Opera Chorus
- Opportunity to perform non-singing roles, or act as a supernumerary in a major production
High school students will participate in as many or as few of the scheduled events as they are able. Some events may have restrictions on the number of participants, and RSVP will be required. The Senior Division will be administered through the area high school programs. Home study students and students not attending a participating high school will be encouraged to contact Townsend Opera to participate. There is no cost to participate in the Senior Division.
Students will be given a ticket to all major productions, as well as an invitation to attend a technical and/or dress rehearsal.
Collegiate Division
Targeted to college-level students, the collegiate division is the natural extension of the Senior Division. Students that continue studying music in college at either Modesto Junior College or CSU Stanislaus will be able to participate in advanced professional development activities, including:
- Performing chorus and secondary roles in their institutions’ collaborative productions with Townsend Opera.
- Performing secondary roles in other Townsend Opera productions
- Participating students will have the opportunity to work with and learn from leading professionals in their field, as well as develop their repertoire and resume, while performing in Townsend Opera main stage productions
- Professional development seminars with singers, costume designers, make-up designers, set designers, lighting designers, and stage crew, and company administration
- Professional development seminars in resume building and development and career advancement
- Master classes with prominent guest artists performing with the company
Aside from institutional tuition, there is no cost to participate in the Collegiate Division, and it is the long-term goal of Townsend Opera to offer institutional tuition scholarships to outstanding students to participate in the College Division.
Kristina Townsend Memorial Scholarships
Annual scholarships covering all fees for the Townsend Opera Program will be awarded to elementary and middle school students who have demonstrated outstanding musical accomplishment. Applications will be made available through area music teachers. A scholarship committee of the Townsend Opera Board of Directors will select four scholarship winners, two from each of the elementary and middle school applications. Each winner will be enrolled in the appropriate division of the Townsend Opera Program if they choose to participate. Each scholarship is valid for the period of time between the awarding of the scholarship and the winner’s enrollment in high school, regardless of the winner’s age at the time of the scholarship award, and can only be withdrawn for poor attendance, poor grades in school, or poor behavior in the program.
The annual scholarships honor the memory of Kristina Townsend, daughter of founder Erik Buck Townsend and his wife Erika, who passed away of leukemia days before her thirteenth birthday.
