2024 Competition for Colorado Singers
Congratulations to the DLOG Competition for Colorado Singers 2024 Winners!
The DLOG Competition for Colorado Singers Final was held March 23rd, 2024. To see the incredible performances this year, check out the 2024 Finals performances available on DLOG YouTube.
Listed below are all the Finalists along with their awards. Special thanks to pianist Jeremy Reger for his always impeccable accompaniment. And thank you to our Finals Judges Sarah Cambidge, Christian Pursell, and Jason Ferrante. And a final great thank you to our Committee members and our technical team for another superb year of competition!
First Place Galen & Ada Belle Spencer Foundation Award
Miguel Angel Ortega Bañales | Tenor
The Mexican tenor and pianist, Miguel Ángel Ortega Bañales, discovered a strong passion for music in the choral and vocal acapella setting at the age of 20. Miguel A. Ortega is a graduate student at the University of Colorado Boulder studying with Matthew Chellis, where he has received a Teaching Assistantship appointment to earn a master’s degree in vocal performance and pedagogy as well as choral conducting. Ortega obtained his bachelor’s degree in music performance from Berea College, during which he held a position as vocal TA and served as a piano collaborator for the music department. Since August 2020, he has served as Assistant Conductor at Eklund Opera, University of Colorado Boulder. Recent appearances include productions with Boulder Bach Festival and Central City Opera Touring Artists.
Second Place Kenneth King Foundation Award
Claudia de Lourdes Díaz | Soprano
Puerto Rican soprano Claudia de Lourdes Díaz, originally from San Juan, but raised in the city of Caguas, graduated in 2020 from the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico with honors and a bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance. Ms. Díaz participated three consecutive years in the then-known Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, winning the Margarita Castro Alberty Award, the Puerto Rico District Prize, and the Fundación Daisy Ruíz Awards. Alongside her participation in the mentioned competition, she was selected for the Vozarteum Opera Festival in 2019; traveling from San Diego, California to Baja California, Mexico, performing in various venues with a range of diverse repertoire. Afterward, Ms. Díaz was accepted to Houston’s Grand Opera, Young Artists Vocal Academy and over the course of the 2021 summer, she acquired a scholarship and placement in the Bologna International Opera Academy working with extraordinary faculty such as Danielle Orlando, Luis Ledesma, Leone Magiera, Stefano Vizzioli, and Nicoletta Conti. De Lourdes has been working closely for the past two years, with the distinguished Wagnerian Soprano, Heidi Melton. Currently, Ms. Díaz is part of Melton’s Studio at the Lamont School of Music, University of Denver pursuing a Master of Music in Vocal Performance.
Third Place Myrle F. Hoffman Memorial Award
Randy Ho | Tenor
Currently, Randy Ho is an Artist in Residence at Opera Colorado. Performing a diverse range of characters, including Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) and Philistine Messenger (Samson et Delilah), Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore), and Ramiro (Cenerentola). During the 2022-2023 season, as a Jan Miller Studio Artist at Pensacola Opera, Randy performed in their productions of La Bohème and Carousel, following his professional debut with Opera Saratoga as Ernesto (Don Pasquale). In the upcoming summer season, Randy will be covering the role of Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore and participating in the world premiere of Gregory Spears’ opera, The Righteous, and La traviata at Santa Fe Opera. Randy has gained recognition through his involvement in esteemed programs and competitions such as Carnegie Hall’s Song Studio. A finalist in the Premiere Opera Foundation Voice Competition and recently a Regional Finalist for the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. Additionally, Randy has showcased his vocal prowess as a concert soloist with prominent ensembles, including The National Repertory Orchestra, Pensacola Choral Society, and The Denver Spirituals Project.
Fourth Place Gary & Gayle Landis Award
Saane Halaholo | Soprano
Tongan-American and California native Saane Aziza Halaholo is already gaining recognition as a promising, young lyric soprano. Her 2023-2024 season includes covering Cio-Cio San in Cincinnati Opera’s new co-production of Madame Butterfly, joining Opera Colorado as an Artist-in-Residence to cover Donna Anna in Don Giovanni as well as perform Giannetta and Clorinda in touring productions of The Elixir of Love and Cinderella, and participating in the Glimmerglass Festival as a Young Artist to cover Giunone in La Calisto and perform Edith in Pirates of Penzance. Ms. Halaholo’s training includes prestigious institutions such as Wolf Trap Opera, where she was a three-time Studio Artist, the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music where she earned her Artist Diploma and Master of Music degrees, and the Bob Cole Conservatory at California State University, Long Beach, where she earned her Bachelor of Music
Fifth Place Shirley & Marlis Smith Award
Eric McConnell | Bass-Baritone
Denver native bass-baritone Eric McConnell is quickly garnering acclaim in American opera and musical theatre communities for his distinctive dramatic voice and theatrical interpretations of both comic and tragic characters. He began his 2023-2024 season with the Missouri Symphony and Landlocked Opera singing the title role in their joint production of Le nozze di Figaro this September. He then travelled to the DC metro area for a role and company debut as Escamillo in Carmen with Bel Cantanti Opera. In 2024 he returned to Opera Fort Collins to reprise the title role in Le nozze di Figaro before making his role and company debut with Shreveport Opera singing Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte. Spring 2024 will bring him back to his musical theatre roots in a crossover production of Beauty and the Beast with Opera San Luis Obispo as Gaston. He then debuts at the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, playing the roles of the fiendish dentist Orin Scrivello in Little Shop of Horrors and the shabby uncle Betto di Signa in a double bill of Gianni Schicchi and Buoso’s Ghost. His season concludes with his third appearance at Union Avenue Opera in St. Louis, where he will portray the Wolf in Into the Woods.
Sixth Place Carole Johnson Award
Jenna Clark | Mezzo-Soprano
Jenna Clark, mezzo-soprano is a versatile and compelling artist based in Denver, CO. Ms. Clark graduated from the University of Denver with a dual concentration Masters degree in Vocal Performance & Choral Conducting and is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the University of Colorado – Boulder. In the 2023-2024 season, Ms. Clark will sing the alto solos in Mozart’s Requiem and Cherubino in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro as a part of the Crested Butte Music Festival (August 2023). She also performed the role of Mistress Quickly in Verdi’s Falstaff at CU-Boulder (October 2023), joined the Colorado Bach Ensemble in their annual performance of Handel’s Messiah (December 2023), performed the role of Cherubino in Opera Fort Collins’ production of Le nozze di Figaro (February 2024), and will join the chorus of La Bohéme under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin as a part of the 2024 Bravo Vail! Festival (July 2024).
Seventh Place: $2,500 Marcia Ragonetti Award
Mackenzie Laun | Soprano
Mackenzie Laun, Soprano, is a Denver native. She holds her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado, and is currently pursuing her Masters of Music Education with an emphasis in conducting from Colorado State University. She spent nine years as a public high school choir teacher in Jeffco, but now enjoys the life of a stay-at-home mom and freelance singer. Mackenzie sings professionally all over Denver with groups like St. Martin’s Chamber Choir, Anima Chamber Ensemble, and Elus Vocal Ensemble. Some of her favorite past engagements include soprano soloist for Mozart’s Requiem with St. Martin’s Chamber Choir, soprano soloist for Bach’s Magnificat with Colorado Christian University, Pousette in Massenet’s Manon with Boulder Opera, and Lisette in Puccini’s La Rondine at UNC.
Certificate of Merit: Jackie Writz in Honor or Marlis & Shirley Smith Award
Alice Del Simone, Soprano
Certificate of Merit: Pam & Mike Mignoli In Honor of Dori Kavorkian Award
Elijah English, Counter-Tenor
Honorable Mention Sponsored by Tom and Mary Conroy
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“One of the first competitions I participated in was Denver Lyric Opera Guild. Through the encouragement and feedback of the visiting judges and financial support of the Guild, I had the means to continue to pursue my “opera addiction.” As young artists, we encounter so many hardships, disappointments and setbacks. But because of DLOG, when these blows came down, I still had the means and encouragement to push through.”