Singing competition. The repertoire will comprise opera, lieder or oratorio and one song by Wilhelm Stenhammar. In the Second Round the programme is chosen by the Jury from the contestant’s repertoire. Audience is welcome during the competition days. Free entrance. Only between every candidate, the audience is allowed to enter and/or leave.

© Photo: Ann-Charlotte Sandelin

Josefine Andersson mezzosoprano, Sverige

Joel Annmo tenor, Sverige

Sung Kyu Choi baritone, Sydkorea

Jungkwon Jang countertenor, Sydkorea

Yohan Kim tenor, Sydkorea

Hayoung Ra soprano, Sydkorea

Johanna Rudström mezzosoprano, Sverige

Rodrigo Sosa Dal Pozzo countertenor, Italien/Venezuela

Zinaida Tsarenko mezzosoprano, Ryssland

Vi önskar alla våra sångare lycka till!

Since we want you to know more about our singers and their motivation, we decided to ask them some questions. We hope that you enjoy their answers and will be curious and come and listen to their beautiful voices. Our questions were quite simple:

What inspired you to participate in WSIMC 2018?
What are your expectations for this year competition?

However, you can see the answers below. So, enjoy the reading and welcome to De Geerhallen for the second round!

Sigrid Vetleseter Bøe

Soprano, Norway
I have a lot of friends that competed in 2016 and told me how wonderful it was. Last year, I had the pleasure of being a soloist with Norrköpings symfoniorkester and loved the city and the DeGeer Hall, and I am very much looking forward to this year’s WSIMC.

I want to meet new friends and make music together with great musicians. And why not spend some summer days in Norrköping?

Hongyu Chen

Baritone, China
To discover the country and use this wonderful platform and opportunity to be heard.

Do all my best and make the audience to be touched by my singing.

Tuuri Dede

Mezzosoprano, Estonia
I decided to participate at the competition, because it seemed very interesting. I love that instead of asking to sing a few arias, the board also wants to hear different songs and quite many arias. It is nice, because that way one can get a better glimps at the artistry of the singer. And it feels more like a concert and less like sports. Also, previous competitors recommended me the competition.

My expectations are mostly to myself. But from the competition it would be nice to find friendly communication and I hope it to be as well organized as it seems so far. Also, I’d like to make some new singer-friends and find out how they are doing in the professional world.

Iain MacNeil

Baritone, Canada
I was inspired to participate in WSIMC firstly because it provided a direct motivation to learn a lot of music! I was especially intrigued by the music of Wilhelm Stenhammar, and have thoroughly enjoyed the process of learning the piece that I chose: Kejsar Karl’s visa. This is my first time singing in Swedish, and I’ve found it to be a singable and beautiful language. This will also be my first time in Sweden, and so I’m looking forward to experiencing first-hand a new country and a new culture.

In this competition I simply want one person to be impacted by the music that I’ve chosen. Of course, winning would be nice, but getting in front of an audience and delivering beautiful music is no small reward. I would also like one person to say, “I understood your Swedish!”

Fie Freja Sandkamm

Soprano, Denmark
I chose to apply for the Stenhammar competition, because I had heard many good things about it from others. I’m Danish but have lived and studied in Germany for the past 7 years, so it’s a wonderful oportunity for me to go back and reconnect to the classical music scene in Scandinavia. As far as expectations go, I’m hoping to make some good connections, and I’m very grateful for the chance to present myself and my voice to a wider audience.

Igår var det ett trevligt möte på Sveriges Radio. Sonja Stenhammar pratade om stenhammartävlingens historia, urvalsprocessen, jury och klassik musik. Vill du veta mera- lyssna gärna på intervjun här!

Seungju Bahg som blev Stenhammartävlingens 2:a pristagare 2016 vann nu det åtråvärda första priset i Norge!
En glad Seungju Bahg mottog priset ur Drottning Sonjas hand. Varmt grattis säger vi!

Elli Vallinoja mezzosopran från Finland och en av finalisterna i förra årets Stenhammartävling, har med stor framgång
medverkat i två uppsättningar på Opéra de Lyon i Frankrike.

Christina Nilsson, förstapristagaren i Stenhammartävlingen 2016 har under kommande säsong
erbjudits rollen som Aida på Kungliga Operan i Stockholm!

Förstapristagaren i Stenhammartävlingen 2016, Christina Nilsson och tenoren Adam Frandsen sjunger med SON på Trettondagsafton 2017. De bjuder på allt från operett och opera till smäktande wienermusik. Missa inte denna sprudlande och festliga inledning på det nya året!

Första pris Christina Nilsson
Andra pris SeungJu Bahg
Tredje pris Annika Schlicht
Fjärde pris delat mellan Won Kim och Florieke Beelen
Mozart pris Hanna Husáhr
Publikens pris Christina Nilsson
Stenhammar pris Florieke Beelen

9 fantastiska sångare, varav 4 svenska, går till finalen i Stenhammartävlingen!

Sofie Asplund

Florieke Beelen

Hanna Husahr

Åsa Jäger

Christina Nilsson

Annika Schlicht

SeungJu Bagh

Elli Vallinoja

Won Kim