From A Competitors Perspective…
Kaswanna Kanyinda
University of Michigan Graduate 2016
2015 Winner, Fourth Prize and Robert Sims Spiritual Prize
At some point in time, a musician seeks music that sharpens and refines the essence of who he or she is, so much so that the experiences and nuances of that person can be expressed by a song, an opus, or a cycle. It wasn’t until my senior year of undergraduate that I realized this was what I was looking for.
In my development as a classical singer, I often felt alienated from the music I was assigned by my teachers, I craved music that told my story, music that I could relate to, and when I prepared for the George Shirley Competition in 2014 for the first time, I realized it was already out there, waiting for me.
My experience in the George Shirley Competition opened the door to a world of classical music where language and harmony created a home, where I always had something to say, and what I said mattered. Here, I came in contact with other talented African American singers and connected with them over our shared experiences, I received feedback from African American professionals who are actively successful in the business, and absorbed wisdom from George Shirley and Willis Patterson about this genre.
Towards the end of the competition, George Shirley spoke about the importance of this music and his dream for this event, but in the end he said,
“Music is a universal language. This music does not belong to just one group of people. It has its place among all the other styles of music and, like all music, belongs to everybody.”
After hearing this, I rarely have a problem performing Western classical music because I realized that music isn’t about notes, rhythms, composers, or Shakespearean characters, its about communicating your soul to the world, and it’s here, at the George Shirley Vocal Competition that I found what I wanted to say.
The George Shirley Vocal Competition continues to inspire singers because of wonderful donors such as Harold and Cherie Bridges, Robert Sims, Willis Patterson, Zingerman’s, Hilda Harris, Charsie Sawyer, and Alma Mayson. This 2017 competition season, Marquita Lister will give her support to this event by funding an Art Song Composition Prize, causing the money in prizes to swell to $15,000. In addition, the competition will be held at the University of Michigan this year and grows into a 2-day event, where a masterclass will take place after the preliminary auditions and the final performance will be held the following day. Please show your encouragement for this music and the gifted performers who bring it to life by attending the concerts and donating.
Thank you so much for your support!
Sincerely,
– Kaswanna Kanyinda
(http://www.linkedin.com/in/kaswanna-kanyinda-71807611b/)
Experience…be inspired…find your voice! Apply to the 2017 GSV competition.
You have exactly a week left to apply!