2025 MIOpera International Vocal Competition

University/ College General Information

Applications are now OPEN for the 2025 International Competition!

1st place: $1000.00

2nd place: $500.00

3rd place: $250.00

Additional Awards (Given at the discretion of the Judges): Music at the Manor Recital Artist Contract, John and Tracy Koch Audience Award, 2024 Mary Ellen Clancy Scholarship Award (chosen from semi-finalists by the Opera Illinois League Board: https://www.facebook.com/operaillinoisleague) and MIOpera Role Award.

  1. No travel is involved during any stage of the competition. Everything will be submitted and presented online.

  2. The judges will review the videos and choose the winners. All decisions of the judges are final. (Feedback from judges will be given to the semi-finalists)

    This year’s judges:

    -Prof. John M. Koch, MIOpera

    -Tracy Marie Koch, MIOpera

    -Dr. Carren Moham, soprano

  3. This competition is open to all singers regardless of citizenship.

  4. All awards will be sent electronically through PayPal.

  5. Applicants will be notified by email of our results.

  6. Twenty (20) semi-finalists will be chosen by our judges and ten (10) finalists will be chosen from our semi-finalists to compete.

    important deadlines

    Deadline: Friday February 7, 2025

    Announcement of Semi-finalists: Friday February 28, 2025

    Finalists & Winners: Friday March 7, 2025

  7. The final Announcement of the Winners will be on our MIOpera YouTube Channel Friday March 7, 2025

 University/ College Competition Rules:

*Previous first prize and grand prize winners are not eligible.

  1. Applicants must be enrolled in a University/College program at the Undergraduate, Graduate or Doctoral level. Individuals enrolled in a performance certificate program. Please apply as an Emerging Artist.

  2. Applicants must submit three (3)audition selections. Once the selections are submitted, they can not be changed. Submit a video recording of the following:

    1. One Art Song (any language & genre)

    2. Two Arias (from Standard Operatic or Oratorio repertoire; can be in any language)

  3. A $30.00 application fee will be required during your application submission. All application fees are non-refundable.

  4. Applications must be submitted by the competition deadline date,

    Friday February 7. Late applications will not be accepted.

  5. Applications not completed in their entirety, not submitted by the deadline date, or submitted without an application fee payment will be considered ineligible.

  6. Applicants must dress in concert attire for your videos.

  7. All video links submitted on your application must be active and able for the judges to view. If any of your links do not work, you will automatically be disqualified.

  8. You may use videos with orchestral and/or piano accompaniment. If you are using a video from a performance, please obtain permission to use the video. Please have your videos ready to start at the beginning of your aria.

  9. If you do not respond to our emails from the MIOpera International Vocal Competition and/or do not submit the requested videos on time during the semi-finalist or finalist portion of the competition, you will automatically be disqualified and alternates will be notified. Please make sure our email address: mioperaoffice@gmail.com is in your contacts so our emails do not go to your spam folder.

  10. Please read the rules carefully and abide by them.

  11. MIOpera reserves the right to extend the competition deadlines.

  12. If you are having trouble paying the fee please do so here: https://www.miopera.net/marketplace/2024-miopera-vocal-competition-application-fee

  13. Questions? Email: Tracy: mioperaoffice@gmail.com