U. singers repeating formula for success

Winning prestigious international competitions is normally a sure-fire way to fame and fortune. It opens doors that had previously been locked and offers the successful competitor artistic rewards that hitherto might not have been attainable.

But it also puts a burden on the winner. Being recognized as one of the best isn't always an end in itself. Frequently, you need to keep proving to the international musical community that you belong at the top.

Members of the University of Utah Singers know exactly what being a winner entails.

As the grand prize recipient of the Florilege Vocal de Tours International Choir Competition in France last year, the ensemble has been invited to take part in this year's European Grand Prix Competition in Tolosa, Spain. The competition, which takes place on June 17, pits the first prize winners of the six major European competitions against each other.

"We're really excited about this, and we've been preparing hard," said Anthony Ball, president of the group.

Many of the singers who were in the choir for last year's competition are in the group this year, so they know what it takes to win. However, there is a major difference between the Florilege Competition and the one in Spain.

"Last year, there were two categories for the program — a mixed and a free program," said choir director Brady Allred. "And once you got past the qualifying round, you were in the finals."

Making the Tolosa Competition more challenging is the fact that there will be only one 20-minute round, and the choirs need to perform pieces from several different stylistic periods, Allred said. "What it will come down to is programming. That will determine the winner."

But Allred and the singers seem to take it all in stride. "It's going to be different, because we will be competing with different choirs," said choir treasurer Kerrin Gates. "This year we're competing with children's, women's and mixed choirs. It's going to be interesting."

By the time the competition rolls around, the University Singers will be fired up and ready to compete. They will be coming off a two-week tour of France immediately preceding the competition. "The tour will give us a chance to polish our program," Allred said.

They did that last year, and it paid off. And since they don't want to change a winning formula, they will do the same thing this year and hope it pays off once again.