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Kristin Lewis: Connecting the Dots

Kristin Lewis

Since its inception, the Kristin Lewis Foundation has been successful in creating new pathways for other musically talented individuals toward resources needed to assist in their artistic growth and development.

The Kristin Lewis Foundation is very proud to highlight young singers and attract international artists to the Arkansas arts community.

My work as an international opera singer has inspired me to share my experiences with other musicians pursuing careers in performance. In 2014 I founded the Kristin Lewis Foundation, Inc., an Arkansas based nonprofit corporation. My purpose was to connect young singers with educational and professional experiences to further develop and refine their talents.

 

 

On March 5, 2017, the Kristin Lewis Foundation will present a concert featuring sixteen very talented young singers in the final round of its annual Vocal Scholarship Auditions. This concert will take place at the Pulaski Technical College Center for Humanities and Arts at 3pm. Admission is free and is open to the public. Each finalist is a vocal student from one of the nation’s colleges or universities, and all are vying to receive an all-expense paid trip to study for one week in Vienna, Austria – in addition to being granted other scholarship awards.

This year’s audition process guarantees excitement – from the presentations of the chosen finalists to the activity of the illustrious judges who will mentor these singers throughout two days of performances.

This undertaking is reminiscent of my earlier experiences of waiting in the wings with great anticipation prior to stepping out onto a stage to perform – all in the hope of moving a step closer toward my goal of successfully competing for a grand prize in a competition or being cast as my desired role in an operatic production. For I, too, had the lofty goal of becoming a successful opera singer while pursuing a degree in vocal performance at the University of Central Arkansas. My then voice teacher, Dr. Martha Antolik, family and friends in Arkansas encouraged me and helped to nurture my dream. As a result my journey led me to Vienna, Austria where I now live and from where I travel internationally to perform and share my gifts with the world.

Three dynamic judges will participate in this year’s audition process. The Foundation is extremely proud and excited to invite Diane Kesling, Morris Robinson and Lorne Richstone to serve in this capacity.

Ms. Kesling is a world renowned mezzo-soprano who has sung in over 40 productions at the Metropolitan Opera and has been featured with some of the nation’s leading symphonic orchestras. She is currently an Artist in Residence and vocal instructor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Mr. Robinson has established himself as a leading bass in opera companies ranging from the Metropolitan Opera to Teatro alla Scala in Milan; and can be seen in the DVD production of “Showboat” with San Francisco Opera and heard in his CD entitled, “Going Home.”

Lorne Richstone is a charismatic vocal coach whose career has included being a member of the artistic staff of the Deutsche Opera in Berlin, Germany; while currently balancing his duties as Artistic Advisor for the Hong Kong Festival and Associate Professor for Vocal and Opera Coaching at the University of Oklahoma.

 

The Kristin Lewis Foundation’s primary objective has been to provide scholarships and other professional resources to young singers who demonstrate the potential for careers in opera performance.

You are cordially invited to join us at the third annual Kristin Lewis Foundation Vocal Scholarship Auditions on March 5, 2017 at the Pulaski Technical College Center for Humanities and Arts, at 3pm, as we celebrate the Arts and promote promising musicians as they enter the world of opera performance!

Inviting Arkansas

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