Wigmore Hall launches the fourth, “expanded” year of the Wigmore French Song Exchange, in partnership with the École Normale de Musique de Paris.
The Wigmore French Song Exchange has been devised by Dame Felicity Lott and François Le Roux with Wigmore Hall’s Director John Gilhooly.
“We would like to encourage applications to Wigmore French Song Exchange from young singers and accompanists in the UK and in France, who are interested in furthering their knowledge and appreciation of French song. We will hold auditions in London and Paris and singers and accompanists from each country will be selected. They will each receive coaching with Dame Felicity Lott, François Le Roux and Sebastian Wybrew (the official pianist of the WFSE), and this year, some sessions will also be taught by visiting singers. For the first time, we will also study aspects of English Song as part of the course. The coaching will take place in London and Paris from January 2024, with various themes to focus on and masterclass milestones throughout, and at the end of the year there will be showcase recitals at Wigmore Hall in London and at the Salle Cortot in Paris. The participants will be provided with a professional video recording of their final concert at Wigmore Hall to use for promotional purposes. We are looking forward to exploring French poetry and French song together with a new generation of recitalists and accompanists.”
If selected for live audition, we ask singers to prepare two mélodies: one classical style, Berlioz to Fauré, and one Debussy to Poulenc.
For the first time, the Wigmore French Song Exchange will select two pianists to join the programme. They will work with the 8 selected singers and receive additional coaching from Sebastian Wybrew. They will be chosen from those pianists partnering singers selected for live auditions.
To apply:
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Deadline of Monday 13th November, 12 noon.
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Age limit of 33 at the time of application.
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Applications open to singers & pianists of all nationalities. A good understanding of French is required.
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Singers to send: CV, letter of recommendation from a prominent musician regarding this specific application, and one audio OR video recording, made within the last year, of a performance of a French mélodie. The audition recording must be certified by a recognised musician or the recording engineer as the recent work of the named performers (please upload a signed letter of certification). Applicants are advised to have the recording made professionally otherwise it may not do justice to their performance.
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If a pianist would like to be considered for a place on the course, upon invitation to audition with their partner singer, the pianist will be asked to submit a CV. Pianists do not need to send anything at this stage.
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Audio or video recordings should be uploaded to a host site, provided to us via the website URL.
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Chosen participants will be provided with dates of the course beforehand and will need to commit to at least one date per month to take part in the course.
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The successful singers will work with two chosen accompanists throughout the course.
Auditions in London or Paris:
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If selected for live audition, we ask you to prepare two mélodies: one classical style, Berlioz to Fauré, and one Debussy to Poulenc. The repertoire performed at the live audition must be different from the audition recording. The two songs together must be no longer than 10 minutes maximum (no more than 5 minutes each).
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Singers selected for the live auditions should all bring their own pianist. Pianists are eligible to be chosen as one of the two official WFSE course pianists if they wish.
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Songs to be performed from memory.
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Transpositions allowed.
Dates:
For any questions regarding the auditions, please contact Joe Duer jduer@wigmore-hall.org.uk