Glenn Korff School of Music graduate student Kiya Fife was recently announced as the winner of two international online competitions.
Pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance degree, Fife was searching for competitions and summer programs on YAP tracker and the Great Composers Competition came up as one of the results.
“I looked through the requirements and decided to apply for their Music of Europe conceptions,” she said. “There were two categories that I entered into -- The Music of Mediterranean Europe and The Music of Germany and Austria.”
She asked GKSOM accompanist Michael Cotton to record them with her and then she submitted them to the website.
“The two selections that I sang were “Liebst du um Schönheit” by Gustav Mahler from his Rückert-Lieder and “Va! laisse couler mes larmes” by Jules Massenet from his opera Werther. The videos had to be submitted by March 15 (she recorded them a couple of weeks earlier). The videos were then reviewed by a panel of judges (pre-screening) and I was then notified that I would be advancing to the final round. The final round was judged by a panel of eight professionals.”
Fife was announced as one of the winners on April 8.
“I was very honored and excited to not only win one of the categories but both,” Fife said. “The competition is global and so it is a great honor to be awarded first place in both categories.
“Winning these competitions is a testament to all of the hard work that I have done these past two years at UNL. I am very grateful for all of the guidance I have received from my applied teacher Dr. Jamie Reimer and coach accompanist, Michael Cotton. This was a wonderful competition and I am very grateful for the opportunity to have sung in it.”
Fife added, “Winning these competitions is a great accomplishment and have helped me further my performance career.”
--Brian Reetz, Glenn Korff School of Music