2011 Vocal Competition Results

The first annual Kentucky Bach Choir Vocal competition took place on Saturday, April 30 at First Presbyterian Church in Lexington, KY. Seven college and university students under the age of 30 competed for a cash prize of $1,000 and an opportunity to be a featured soloist on next year’s Kentucky Bach Choir season. The singers were required to prepare three pieces – two by J. S. Bach and one by Haydn or Mozart. The singers chose the first piece that they performed and the panel of judges selected the second piece from the remaining two.

First Prize was awarded to Eric Jurenas, countertenor, currently a junior voice major at the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati.

An encouragement award of $500 was awarded to Conor Angell, a doctoral voice student at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.

Other singers who competed were Jason Brown, tenor, University of Kentucky; Rebecca Eaddy, soprano, Bowling Green State University (OH); Rebecca Farley, soprano, Univeristy of Kentucky; Sarah Klopfenstein, mezzo soprano, University of Kentucky; and Joe Sokohl, baritone, Shorter University (GA). The competition was adjudicated by William Averill, vocal coach, Ohio University; Christopher Conley, countertenor, Lexington; and Marlon Hurst, Artistic Director, Kentucky Bach Choir. Nan McSwain, Univeristy of Kentucky, accompanied the competition, Elizabeth Arnold, University of Kentucky, organized the competition and Roger Duvall, station manager, WEKU-FM, served as the competition M.C. The vocal competition was begun to fulfill the portion of the mission of the Kentucky Bach Choir that is "to provide professional opportunities with high artistic standards for exceptional singers..."

LexArts has provided funding support for the
Vocal Competition through its Fund for the Arts.