International Vocal Competition 2019
The American Protégé International Vocal Competition is designed for singers who would like to challenge themselves in a very competitive environment. The Competition is open to solo vocalists and vocal groups of all ages, nationalities and countries.
Participants are required to submit video recording materials for the audition.
A panel of qualified judges evaluates audition materials. All judges are independent, their students are not allowed to apply this season.
Singers from 14 countries applied for this year’s Competition: different U.S. states, Canada, Costa Rica, Germany, Russia, Kazakhstan, Republic of Georgia, China, India, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and Australia.
Eligibility
We invite school students and adults to participate in the Competition. There is no age limit for the adult participants.
Multiple winners will be chosen in each of the following age groups:
Category: | Age: |
Young Singers | 5 - 10 |
Junior | 11 - 14 |
Intermediate | 15 - 17 |
Amateur (without Professional Degree) | 18 and older |
College students and professional singers | 18 and older |
Awards
First and Second Place Winners will perform at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City on the following dates:
- Saturday, December 14, 2019
- Sunday, December 15, 2019
- Saturday, December 21, 2019
$300 Scholarship, Judges’ Favorite Award Trophy, Judges’ Distinction Award Trophy and other Special Awards may be granted based on the judges’ recommendations.
International Vocal Competition 2019 Results:
Judges’ Distinction (Plaque Trophy) Award Winners

Wenelle Tham is a member of the Vocal Associates Festival Children’s Choir. Under the guidance of Khor Ai Ming, Wenelle’s passion for the performing arts has been brought to a new level. She attained a Merit for her Trinity College London Singing examinations, and Distinction for ballet at Royal Dance Academy. She took on stage to perform in Jon Rutter’s Mass of the Children, SHINE Festival ASEAN Major, Song Birds Series III and Vocal Associates One Voice, One World Concert with the VAFCC. Wenelle enjoys singing & dancing, and wishes to perform singing on a world stage one day where no boundaries of race, language & religion. Through the beauty of voices to make this world a better & harmonious place.

Lucia Papikian is 14 years old. She loves to sing, play piano, dance and learn. She just graduated from Our Lady’s Academy (middle school) and she will continue at St. Joseph’s Prep High School. Lucia is a member of National Junior Honor Society. Lucia’s vocal teacher is Victoria Avetisyan. Lucia Papikian was the winner of American Fine Arts Festival (AFAF) Competition in voice category for the 2017-2018 season and she has performed at Carnegie Hall on June 23, 2018. Lucia performed at multiple events. The most recent one was a charity event on the 150th birth anniversary of Komitas (Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church, May 31 2019).

Kerui Yang, an eleventh grader from Chongqing, China, has a passion for singing, piano, drums and stage acting and is a host and art troupe captain of the China Central Television Show Colorful Planet. In 2017, his first single “Years of Mama” was released. In 2018, he won the 1st place in the National Youth Vocal Contest organized by the China Central Conservatory of Music, the 1st place in the Vocal Finals of the 12th Hong-Kong International Youth Arts Festival, and the excellent award in Professional Group in the International Competition at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory.
Name | Age | City/State/Country |
First Place Winners: | ||
Young Singers Category, Age 5 to 10: | ||
Opera Aria | ||
Alexander Matos | 10 | Loxahatchee, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Grace Choi | 10 | Anaheim, CA |
Student of Hannah Silfert | ||
Classical Repertoire | ||
Caresse Wang | 9 | Owings Mills, MD |
Student of Chunfeng Li | ||
Wenelle Tham | 8 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming | ||
Broadway/Musical Theatre/Jazz | ||
Shannon Teo | 6 | Singapore |
Student of Mok Kang Wai | ||
Angelina Tong | 7 | Johns Creek, GA |
Student of Tina Cui | ||
Phoebe Rose Claeys | 7 | Mableton, GA |
Student of Adriana Janse van Rensburg | ||
Wenelle Tham | 8 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming | ||
Sarah Qistina Lim | 9 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
Student of Maja Pavlovska | ||
Carly Cantor | 10 | Wellington, FL |
Student of Michael Soper | ||
Emilie Khury | 10 | Kirkland, Canada |
Student of Martina Oslejskova | ||
Juliana Priddy | 10 | Wellington, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Noah Cheong | 10 | Flushing, NY |
Student of Soohyun Oh | ||
Zhi Ling Victoria Chew | 10 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Amelia Tang | ||
Folk/Traditional | ||
Wenelle Tham | 8 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming | ||
Xiao Xuan Reanne Hong | 9 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Amelia Tang | ||
Junior Category, Age 11 to 14: | ||
Opera Aria | ||
Tiffany Hsu | 11 | Arcadia, CA |
Student of Marine Ter Kazaryan | ||
Ryan Zhou | 12 | Ellicott City, MD |
Student of Chunfeng Li | ||
Kirsten Tierney | 14 | Falls Church, VA |
Student of Sonia Yon | ||
Lucia Papikian | 14 | Waltham, MA |
Student of Victoria Avetisyan | ||
Rozlin Pell | 14 | Rockledge, FL |
Student of Joani Slawson and Joseph Franco | ||
Classical Repertoire | ||
Adelina Mukhametzhanova | 11 | Almaty, Kazakhstan |
Student of Nurgaliyeva Gulnara | ||
Albina Niceforo | 12 | Mareeba, Australia |
Student of Carmelina Niceforo | ||
Alicia Chu | 12 | Newark, DE |
Student of Chunfeng Li | ||
Alexander Kalischewski | 13 | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany |
Student of Prof. Sylwia Burnicka-Kalischewski | ||
Sofia Lee | 13 | Buford, GA |
Student of Qian Tao Li | ||
Broadway/Musical Theatre/Jazz | ||
Lauren Yeobin Park | 11 | Fort Lee, NJ |
Student of Amelia DeMayo and Glenn Gordon | ||
Napasspun Lertcharunratana | 11 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Jay Veerayano | ||
Karina Kopacz | 12 | Wellington, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Nuttamon Chandavimol | 12 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Yaowapa Hoisungwarn | ||
Tiffany Hsu | 11 | Arcadia, CA |
Student of Nuo Mu | ||
Jessica Russo | 13 | Coconut Creek, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Emma Venezia | 13 | Lake Worth, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Becki Digby | 14 | Clarence, NY |
Student of Kimberly Potfora | ||
Felipe Ma-Pinto | 14 | Boynton Beach, FL |
Student of Michael Soper | ||
Gracie Dundee | 14 | La Canada, CA |
Student of Lisa Matsko-Hamilton and Lindsay Mendez | ||
Rozlin Pell | 14 | Rockledge, FL |
Student of Joani Slawson and Joseph Franco | ||
Folk/Traditional | ||
Tiffany Hsu | 11 | Arcadia, CA |
Student of Hong Ding | ||
Austin Russel | 12 | Denver, CO |
Student of Joshua Carlson | ||
Ashley Chung | 14 | New York, NY |
Student of Sunyoung Chang | ||
Intermediate Category, Age 15 to 17: | ||
Opera Aria | ||
Rozlin Pell | 14 | Rockledge, FL |
Student of Joani Slawson and Joseph Franco | ||
Sasha Tang | 16 | Fremont, CA |
Student of Zhongyan Liu | ||
Ariana Wu | 16 | Irvine, CA |
Student of Susan Wong and Mai Sui | ||
Kerui Yang | 17 | Chongqing, China |
Student of Wei Luo, Hong Li and Bradley Williams | ||
Classical Repertoire | ||
Elise Marra | 15 | Commerce Township, MI |
Student of Danielle Wright | ||
Peggy Yin | 16 | Port Jefferson, NY |
Student of Jane Olian and Lingyan Zhou | ||
Sophie Seidel | 16 | St. Louis, MO |
Student of Rosemarie Cereghino | ||
Gina Han | 18 | Cupertino, CA |
Student of Jaclyn Kim | ||
Broadway/Musical Theatre/Jazz | ||
Anna Balin | 15 | North Reading, MA |
Student of Victoria Avetisyan | ||
Elise Marra | 15 | Commerce Township, MI |
Student of Danielle Wright | ||
Suchanya Hansittanont | 15 | Chiang mai, Thailand |
Student of Tianchai Sooktiang and Book Kitavadhana | ||
Hunter Denton | 17 | Wellington, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Madison King | 17 | Westmount, Canada |
Student of Martina Oslejskova | ||
Renae Rovnyak | 17 | Wellington, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Folk/Traditional | ||
Arya Balian | 15 | Chevy Chase, MD |
Student of Vago Ohanyan | ||
Monique Therese Cheng | 15 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Stephanie Lim | ||
Category College Students and Professional Singers: | ||
Opera Aria | ||
Allison Carter | 29 | New York, NY |
Student of Jeremy Seagal | ||
Bingchuan Wan | 41 | Allston, MA |
Student of Karyl Ryczek | ||
Marietta Derono | 34 | Rome, Italy |
Stepahie Chang | 23 | Los Angeles, CA |
Student of Rosy Zhang | ||
Classical Repertoire | ||
Anna Bowser | 27 | Toronto, Canada |
Student of Angela Dorfman | ||
Kristina Aksenova | 31 | Moscow, Russia |
Student of Evgeny Bortman | ||
Emily Cai | 36 | San Francisco, CA |
Student of Susan Wang | ||
Broadway/Musical Theatre/Jazz | ||
Claire Lisson | 34 | Melbourne, Australia |
Daniel Tang | 25 | Atlanta, GA |
Student of Darius Lei | ||
Joseph Tello | 28 | San Jose, CA |
Student of Mark Tetenbaum | ||
Tiffany Tze | 46 | Irvine, CA |
Student of Tina Zhou | ||
Valerie Park | 31 | Seoul, South Korea |
Student of Minkyung Song | ||
Amateur Category: | ||
Opera Aria | ||
June Yang | 54 | Rockville, MD |
Student of Lingling He | ||
Xiaofang Yuan | 63 | Boyds, MD |
Student of Lingling He | ||
Broadway/Musical Theatre/Jazz | ||
Beverly Joy Goh | 19 | Singapore |
Student of Elena Ng | ||
Emily Shecter | 18 | Wellington, FL |
Student of Michael Soper | ||
Jennifer Russo | 23 | Coconut Creek, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Selena Chun | 32 | Houston, TX |
Folk/Traditional | ||
Dustin Dart | 26 | Los Angeles, CA |
Student of Rosy Zhang | ||
Maria Camproso | 24 | Palm Beach, FL |
Student of Fernando Falabella | ||
Second Place Winners: | ||
Young Singers Category, Age 5 to 10: | ||
Opera Aria | ||
Luna Kup | 9 | Pacific Palisades, CA |
Student of Kathleen Kernohan | ||
Anna-Maria Grodowski | 10 | Salem, New HH |
Student of Ekaterina Shimanovich and Evgeniya Puzheva | ||
Classical Repertoire | ||
Gloria Wang | 9 | Johns creek, GA |
Student of Qian Li | ||
Xiao Xuan Reanne Hong | 9 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Amelia Tang | ||
Lucy Cui | 10 | Washington, DC |
Student of Ling Xiao | ||
Zhi Ling Victoria Chew | 10 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Amelia Tang | ||
Broadway/Musical Theatre/Jazz | ||
Bethany Kua | 7 | Singapore |
Student of Grace Ng Ee Wern | ||
Declan Zac Chan | 8 | Singapore |
Student of Ivy Lui | ||
Ethan Lubarsky | 8 | Westmount, Canada |
Student of Martina Oslejskova | ||
Leevia Wang | 8 | Renton, WA |
Student of Angela Wang | ||
Amy Tierolf | 9 | Marietta, GA |
Student of Xianyu Cui and Cindy Weisbrod | ||
Karley Kopacz | 9 | Wellington, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Luna Kup | 9 | Pacific Palisades, CA |
Student of Kathleen Kernohan | ||
Xiao Xuan Reanne Hong | 9 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Amelia Tang | ||
Irene Gunara | 10 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Jay Veerayano | ||
Rasamita Terdtoontaveedej | 10 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Kanokkan Glomchum | ||
Valentina Canas | 10 | San Jose, Costa Rica |
Student of Luz Maria Romero | ||
Zhi Ling Victoria Chew | 10 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Amelia Tang | ||
Junior Category, Age 11 to 14: | ||
Opera Aria | ||
Natalia Murillo | 12 | Jackson Heights, NY |
Student of Liliana Herrera | ||
Yehong Jiang | 12 | Los Altos, CA |
Student of Mingsheng Yang | ||
Nina Nazarov | 13 | Nesconset, NY |
Student of Laury Tatz Herzlin | ||
Classical Repertoire | ||
Hazel Kim | 11 | Buffalo Grove, IL |
Student of Ahra Cho | ||
Kristy Lee | 11 | Singapore |
Student of Kuo Po | ||
Scarlett Summer Asia Renton Grieves | 11 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Stephanie Leong | ||
Hannah Self | 12 | Cumming, GA |
Student of Qian Li | ||
Mirabelle Kelder | 12 | Singapore |
Student of Amelia Tang and Khor Ai Ming | ||
Nuttamon Chandavimol | 12 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Yaowapa Hoisungwarn | ||
Roger Wang | 12 | Suwanee, GA |
Student of Qian Li | ||
Zimo Zhao | 12 | Duluth, GA |
Student of Qian Li | ||
Camille Eugenie Cheng | 13 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Stephanie Lim | ||
Qiu Han (Cynthia) Wang | 13 | Artesia, CA |
Student of Jessica Zhang | ||
Yixin (Gem) Zhang | 13 | West Vancouver, Canada |
Student of Jessica Zhang | ||
Broadway/Musical Theatre/Jazz | ||
Federica Aramburu | 11 | Singapore |
Student of Tania Levy | ||
Heather Johnson | 11 | Parkland, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Julia Murphy | 11 | Oakton, VA |
Student of Sonia Yon | ||
Macy Gabel | 11 | North Tonawanda, NY |
Student of Stephen Piotrowski | ||
Palisa Ploipailin | 11 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Suparrat Mongkolkasem and Jay Veerayano | ||
Rodrigo Ma-Pinto | 11 | Boynton Beach, FL |
Student of Michael Soper | ||
Sarah Serena Thompson | 11 | MABLETON, GA |
Student of Dr. Adriana Janse van Rensburg | ||
Scarlett Summer Asia Renton Grieves | 11 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Stephanie Leong | ||
Sitarin Divari | 11 | Pathumtani, Thailand |
Student of Fonpa Pramoj Na Ayudhya | ||
Yuqi Pan | 11 | Singapore |
Student of Grace Ng Ee Wern | ||
Brandi Lee | 12 | Wellington, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Mirabelle Kelder | 12 | Singapore |
Student of Amelia Tang and Khor Ai Ming | ||
Pattarapon Wongprang | 12 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Jay Veerayano | ||
Roger Wang | 12 | Suwanee, GA |
Student of Qian Li | ||
Aayushi Ranjan | 13 | Boca Raton, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Avani Kongetira | 13 | Saratoga, CA |
Student of Margie Alejandro | ||
Camille Eugenie Cheng | 13 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Stephanie Lim | ||
Hannah Gluckman | 13 | Pittsford, NY |
Student of Diane Abrahamian | ||
Kiara Charles | 13 | Delray Beach, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Lalima Sharan | 13 | Boca Raton, FL |
Student of Mike Soper | ||
Rohan Radhakeesoon | 13 | Lexington, MA |
Student of Victoria Avetisyan | ||
Bastien Buwalda | 14 | Singapore |
Student of Alexandra Novicova and Kuo Po | ||
Chaiyatouch Suralertrungson | 14 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Jay Veerayano | ||
Pijaksana Rojanavilaivudh | 14 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Narattha Kreephanich | ||
Sophia Orlando | 14 | New York, NY |
Student of Badiene Magaziner | ||
Folk/Traditional | ||
Scarlett Summer Asia Renton Grieves | 11 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Stephanie Leong | ||
Hanmeng Zhang | 12 | Surrey, BC, Canada |
Student of Jessica Zhang | ||
Mirabelle Kelder | 12 | Singapore |
Student of Amelia Tang and Khor Ai Ming | ||
Camille Eugenie Cheng | 13 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Stephanie Lim | ||
Rosanne Mirabella | 13 | Austin, TX |
Student of Miranda Coggins | ||
Intermediate Category, Age 15 to 17: | ||
Opera Aria | ||
Dominique Schleider | 15 | Singapore |
Student of Alexandra Novicova | ||
Maria Bonwell | 15 | Montpelier, VA |
Student of Anne O’Byrne | ||
Annie Li | 16 | Irvine, CA |
Student of Kathleen Martin | ||
Emily Badzik | 16 | Reston, VA |
Student of Sonia Yon | ||
Preethi Kumar | 16 | San Jose, CA |
Student of Patrycja Poluchowicz | ||
Abhinav Kumar | 17 | Rye, NY |
Kseniya Antonova | 17 | Secaucus, NJ |
Student of Richard Adams | ||
Classical Repertoire | ||
Monique Therese Cheng | 15 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Stephanie Lim | ||
Natalie Hahn | 15 | New York, NY |
Xintong (Hattie) Hu | 15 | Vancouver, BC, Canada |
Student of Jessica Zhang | ||
Garen Sahakian | 16 | Lexington, MA |
Student of Yeghishe Manucharyan | ||
Preethi Kumar | 16 | San Jose, CA |
Student of Patrycja Poluchowicz | ||
Eeshani Behara | 17 | Delray Beach, FL |
Student of Susan Dorchin | ||
Jillian Texeira | 17 | Ottawa,Canada |
Student of Yoriko Tanno-Kimmons | ||
Broadway/Musical Theatre/Jazz | ||
Alessia Prenda | 15 | Lake Worth , FL |
Student of Michael Soper | ||
Emily James | 15 | North Tonawanda, NY |
Student of Zachary Carr | ||
Monique Therese Cheng | 15 | Singapore |
Student of Khor Ai Ming and Stephanie Lim | ||
Sashwika S Venkatraman | 15 | Singapore |
Student of Jeremy Koh | ||
Caroline Goldenberg | 16 | Englewood Cliffs, NJ |
Student of Badiene Magaziner | ||
Iris Garcia | 17 | Wheatfield, NY |
Student of Zachary Carr | ||
Mita Kongetira | 17 | Saratoga, CA |
Student of Margie Alejandro | ||
Category College Students and Professional Singers: | ||
Opera Aria | ||
Jingyi Huang | 38 | Allston, MA |
Student of Dana Varga | ||
Wang Fang | 22 | Shanghai, China |
Student of Li Xiu Ying | ||
Classical Repertoire | ||
Gabriella Shimmer | 28 | Boston, MA |
Student of Edward Ronson | ||
Katherine Orlov | 23 | New York, NY |
Student of Isabel Fuks | ||
Rachel Stork | 42 | San Diego, CA |
Student of Elizabeth Kommel | ||
Broadway/Musical Theatre/Jazz | ||
Elizabeth Wilson | 32 | East Lansing, MI |
Student of Anna Folly | ||
Heather Johnson | 35 | London, England |
Liu Yang | 29 | Zigong, China |
Student of Zhang Min | ||
Li Na | 36 | Zigong, China |
Student of Zhang Min | ||
Amateur Category: | ||
Opera Aria | ||
Shania Tan | 20 | Singapore |
Student of Stella Zhou | ||
Christina Garfield | 34 | Chicago, IL |
Student of Thomas Shapiro | ||
Classical Repertoire | ||
Krittaya Sivakriskul | 23 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Koravee Soonthonvipat | ||
Shania Tan | 20 | Singapore |
Student of Stella Zhou | ||
Broadway/Musical Theatre/Jazz | ||
Korapin Pramesiripaisan | 19 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Jay Veerayano | ||
Mattithep Chankrabee | 18 | Bangkok, Thailand |
Student of Jay Veerayano | ||
Shania Tan | 20 | Singapore |
Student of Stella Zhou |
Third Place and Honorable Mention Winners will be notified of their standing via email.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS!