Opera Modesto

TOP Young Artists

Kristina Townsend Competition Winners

The Kristina Townsend Memorial Competition held in March 2019 had over 15 participants. Here are the winners and runner-ups in the three categories:

Category 1: Ages 15 – 17

1st Place: Darby Schmidt

Darby is a soprano studying with Annalisa Winberg. She is a senior at Oakdale Charter School and will graduate in 2020. She has already begun researching colleges and universities where she will pursue a career in Music/Vocal Performance and Opera. Darby will perform the role of Marie Bertram in Opera Modesto’s Story Into Song Opera, MANSFIELD PARK, in January 2020.

1st Runner Up: Luca Mitchell

Luca is a graduate of Hickman Charter High School and student of Annalisa Winberg. He is attending CSU Stanislaus this fall majoring in Music/Vocal Performance.

Luca is a tenor and will also be Opera Modesto’s production of MANSFIELD PARK performing the role of Mr. Rushworth.

Category 2: Ages 18 – 22

1st Place: Justin Ramm-Damron

Justin, a 21 years old bass, is a student of Dr Robin Fisher. He will graduate from California State University Sacramento this spring. After graduation Justin plans on attending Northwestern University, pursuing a Master’s degree in Music/Voice and Opera.

1st Runner Up: Christopher Rodriguez

Christopher is a baritone studying with Brigid de Jong.

He is finishing his Bachelor of Arst in Music/Vocal Performance at CSU Fresno in August of 2019, and will pursue his Master’s degree there following graduation.

Category 3: Ages 23 – 26

1st Place: Angela Yam and Tiffanie Trujillo

Angela Yam, soprano

A student of Dr Robin Fischer, Angela received her BA in Vocal Performance from UC Davis last spring and will continue at CSU Sacramento for a Master’s in Vocal Performance. Angela will perform as Mary Crawford in Opera Modesto’s production of the opera MANSFIELD PARK in January.

Tiffanie Trujillo, soprano

A student of Anthony Radford. Tiffanie received her Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance from California State University, Fresno in 2018.

Tiffanie plans to attend Manhattan School of Music for her Master’s degree.

Kristina Townsend Memorial Competition

The 2019 winners are:
Category 1 (Ages 15-17 ) 
1st Place: Darby Schmidt
1st Runner Up: Luca Mitchell

Category 2 (Ages 18-22)
1st Place: Justin Ramm-Damron
1st Runner Up: Christopher Rodriguez

Category 3 (Ages 23 – 26)
1st Place Tie: Angela Yam and Tiffanie Trujillo

Learn more about the winners: click here.

The Kristina Townsend competition honors the memory Townsend Opera Players (now Opera Modesto) founder Erik Buck and Erika Townsend’s daughter Kristina. She loved music and she loved to sing. The competition is designed to encourage and inspire emerging talented young singers in her honor. 

The competition is usually held in March. Singers ages 16 – 26 who live in the central valley perform two classical pieces of their choice and are judged by professional artists. Winners in each age category receive an award ranging from $200 – $500.


Summer Opera Institute

The Summer Opera Institute for Teens (SOI) is a University/Conservatory level vocal, acting and performance training program that includes opera and language workshops, dramatic preparation, music theory, International Phonetic Alphabet training, movement classes, and individual voice coaching sessions by acclaimed professionals. Held in July, the program concludes with a FREE Concert.

This year’s 2019 SOI Concert was in the Snider Music Hall at California State University Stanislaus on August 2, 2019. It included performances by 43 students from 20 schools and 14 cities between Manteca and Merced, CA. There were 27 songs in four languages, and the world premiere of a newly commissioned youth opera, Aesop’s Fables, the Operatic Mash-Up, by Dr. Deborah Kavasch and Linda Bunney-Sarhad, which will receive its full world premiere in the 2020 SOI.

You can see the SOI teens perform throughout the year at a variety of concerts and events. Details coming soon.

Enrollment for the next Summer Opera Institute will be in February, 2020. Please continue to check back for updates.