Alltech Competition Brings Star Vocalists to Campus

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 5, 2010) − Talented, young opera vocalists from around the country will grace the Singletary stage for a chance to sing for thousands of dollars of scholarship money. Alltech will team up again with the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre to present the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition. The event will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, March 14, at the Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

More than $300,000 of prize and scholarship money will be awarded at the competition. The prizes include:

- The Alltech Graduate First Prize: $10,000 cash prize, a full graduate assistantship to UK and a $10,000 stipend;

- The Alltech Graduate Second Prize: $7,500 cash prize, a full graduate assistantship to UK and a $10,000 stipend;

- UK Undergraduate First Prize: $5,000 and a matching tuition waiver from UK; and

- UK Undergraduate Second Prize: $2,500, sponsored by Bryant's Rent-All, and a matching tuition waiver from UK.

The 2010 Alltech Opera Scholarship Competition will be judged by a panel of professionals in the field of opera from all over the U.S. This year's judging panel includes: David Roth, general manager of Kentucky Opera; Marcus Kuchle, director of Artistic Operations at Cincinnati Opera; Beverly Hay, professor of voice at Converse College; Thomas King, co-artistic director for AIMS (American Institute of Musical Studies) and professor of voice at Austin Peay State University; and Roderick George, associate professor of voice at University of Montevallo. Cliff Jackson, Classical Singer Magazine Coach of the Year and UK Opera Theatre faculty member, will provide accompaniment for the contestants.

The Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition is open to new voice students who plan on attending the University of Kentucky beginning in the 2010-2011 academic year. The singers must complete an application to the university by the time of their audition and be selected from their audition to compete for the scholarship. They must also be acceptable for admission to the University of Kentucky and enrolled as a full-time student during the 2010-2011 academic year to receive an award.

Co-sponsors for the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition include Bryant's Rent-All and Lexington Opera Society.

For more information on the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition, contact UK Opera Theatre at (859) 257-9331 or visit the competition online on the UK School of Music Web site at www.uky.edu/FineArts/Music/scholarships/alltech/.