The 9th “World Chinese Bel Canto Vocal Competition” organized by NTD Television will be held from September 18 to 21, 2024, at the Merkin Hall of Kaufman Music Center in Manhattan, New York, USA. The competition will consist of preliminary, semifinal, and final rounds.
According to the competition committee, 50 contestants from seven countries and regions in Europe, Asia, and the Americas will participate in this year’s competition. The semifinals and finals will be open to the public, and the grand finals and award ceremony will be broadcasted live on TV and online.
The competition’s official website stated that the “World Chinese Bel Canto Vocal Competition” is one of the international cultural and artistic series events organized by NTD Television. It aims to promote the pure, virtuous, and beautiful traditional vocal art, and help talented Chinese vocalists from around the world step onto the global stage.
One of the judges for this year’s competition, Ms. Tian Li, a soprano singer from the Shen Yun Performing Arts, mentioned in a previous interview that the competition is looking for contestants who are “pure in heart and have substance, showcasing the elegance of Chinese singers.” Ms. Tian emphasized the importance of clear diction in singing, stating that “people should be able to hear what you are singing clearly, enunciate the words clearly, and make sure at least they can hear what you are singing. Additionally, the melody should be melodious.”
The competition this year focuses solely on Bel Canto singing technique. The repertoire includes arias from Chinese and Western operas and art songs. The competition is divided into three rounds: preliminary, semifinal, and final. In the preliminary round, contestants will perform a self-selected song. In the semifinal round, they will sing two songs – one self-selected opera aria or art song and one Chinese song, or two Chinese songs selected from the provided list of 30 Chinese songs.
In the final round, contestants will perform two songs – one self-selected opera aria or art song and one Chinese song, or two Chinese songs selected from the provided list of 30 Chinese songs. At least one of the songs in the final must not be a repeat from the semifinal round.
The awards set up for this year’s competition include one gold, one silver, and two bronze awards for both the male and female categories. The competition also includes several Outstanding Vocal Performance awards. For more information, please visit the official competition website: https://vocal.ntdtv.com.
The competition committee announced that the semifinals and finals will be open to the public, welcoming professionals and music enthusiasts to attend. For those interested in attending the semifinals and finals in person, tickets can be purchased online at: https://vocal.ntdtv.com.
Address:
Merkin Hall of Kaufman Music Center
129 West 67th Street
New York, NY 10023
USA
Schedule:
– September 18 (Wednesday): Orientation
– September 19 (Thursday): Preliminary round
– September 20 (Friday): Semifinal round
– September 21 (Saturday): Final round and award ceremony
– 1:00-2:00 PM: Final round for male category
– 2:00-2:15 PM: Intermission
– 2:15-4:15 PM: Final round for female category
– 4:15-5:15 PM: Final break
– 5:00-5:30 PM: Award ceremony
Live broadcasting platforms:
– NTD Website
– Epoch Times Website
– NTD Facebook Live
– NTD YouTube Live
– Epoch Times Facebook Live
– Epoch Times Taiwan Facebook Live
– NTD Clean World Channel