Grand Rapids Community College student Zachary Lutes advances to the Division I final round of Opera Grand Rapids Collegiate Vocal Competition. The final round will be at 7 p.m. on April 14 at the Betty Van Andel Opera Center, located at 1320 E. Fulton St.
Out of the nine finalists, Lutes is the only GRCC student to advance. “I was very shocked to make it into the final round of the competition,” Lutes said.
“Knowing the level of talent at the preliminary round, I was very honored. I am so excited to be blessed with this opportunity and glad to be able to represent GRCC and the Music Department as I move onto the final round.
“I was recommended to attend GRCC’s Music department by my sister Christine, who attended GRCC before me as a vocalist and is now a senior at New England Conservatory,” Lutes said. “I have yet to decide where I would like to continue my education, but after GRCC, I hope to follow in my sister’s footsteps and maybe study at a music conservatory.”
The other finalists are students who attend Western Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, Calvin College and Hope College.
Each student that advances to the final round will perform two operatic arias differing in style, language and composer. The students will have a piano accompaniment.
First place wins a cash prize of $500, $375 goes to second place and $250 will be rewarded to third place.
Compared to last year’s Opera Grand Rapids Collegiate Vocal Competition, the prize money has doubled. The first place winner of last year’s competition was Brent Smith of Hope College, who was awarded $250. Caitlin McDougall, also of Hope College, received $150 for second place, and Andrea Fleming of Grand Valley State University was awarded $100 for third place.
The Opera Grand Rapids Collegiate Vocal Competition is a competition that is open to all students that are attending colleges and universities in the West Michigan area. This competition gives students the opportunity to compete in a professional atmosphere while receiving feedback from a panel of professional judges. This is the ninth annual competition.
