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Student Successes & Awards

Successes and Awards of Current and Former FSU Voice Students


Singers with degrees in voice and opera from FSU regularly win important competitions, go on to study at other leading universities and conservatories, including The Julliard School, Manhattan School of Music, and Eastman School of Music, teach in our nation’s finest music schools and conservatories, and perform in major opera houses throughout the world.

During the past few years, current and former students have achieved the following successes and awards:

Andy Acosta:

  • San Francisco Opera, Merola Program, 2017
  • WINNER, MET National Council Auditions, Indiana District, 2016-2017
  • Brevard Music Festival, Ferrando, Così fan tutte, 2015

Kevin Blickfeldt:

  • DMA, USC, 2015

Eliza Bonet:

  • Florida Grand Opera, 2014 & 2016
  • San Francisco Opera, Merola Program, 2014
  • Des Moines Metro Opera, Young Artist Program, 2013

Kathryn Bowden:

  • Metropolitan Opera, 2016/17
  • San Francisco Opera, 2015/16
  • San Francisco Opera, Merola Program, 2015

Will Bryon:

  • Minnesota Opera, Young Artist, 2016-2017
  • Opera Colorado, Young Artist, 2015-2016

Pedro Carreras:

  • Capital City Opera, Nemorino, L’elisir d’amore, 2015
  • Atlanta Opera Studio, Touring Artist, 2014
  • Atlanta Opera Studio, Rodolfo, En Mis Palabras, 2014
  • Atlanta Opera Studio, Prince Charming, Nightly News, 2014
  • Capital City Opera, Rodolfo, La Bohème, 2013
  • Peach State Opera, Pinkerton, Madama Butterfly, 2013

Ray Chenez:

  • Opera Omaha, 2017
  • Theatre de Caen, 2016-2017
  • Opéra National de Bordeaux, 2016-2017
  • Grand Théâtre de Genève, 2016-2017
  • Opéra Royal de Versailles, 2016-2017
  • Bergen International Festival, 2016-2017
  • Theater an der Wien, 2016-2017
  • Opéra National de Lorraine, 2016-2017

Anthony Ciaramitaro:

  • San Francisco Opera, Merola Program, 2017
  • WINNER: MET National Council Auditions, Florida District, 2017
  • Arizona Opera, Resident Artist Program, 2017-2018
  • Arizona Opera, Almaviva, il Barbiere di Siviglia, 2017-2018
  • Arizona Opera, Theseus, Hercules vs. Vampires, 2017-2018
  • Arizona Opera, Spoletta, Tosca, 2017-2018
  • Chautauqua Opera, Young Artist Program, 2016
  • Wolf Trap Festival Opera, Studio Young Artist Program, 2015

Richard Coleman:

  • Sarasota Opera, Young Artist Program, 2016-2017
  • WINNER: St. Petersburg Opera Vocal Competition, 2016
  • Music Academy of The West, Kecal, Bartered Bride, 2016
  • Chautauqua Opera Company, Studio Artist Program, 2015
  • Encouragement Award, District, MET National Council Auditions, 2015

Daniel Collins:

  • Metropolitan Opera, Chorus, 2013-2017

Josh Eflin:

  • Seagle Colony, Witch, Hänsel und Gretel, 2014
  • Seagle Colony, Sam, Susannah, 2014
  • Seagle Colony, Lensky, Eugene Onegin, 2013

Alexander Elliott:

  • Opera Omaha, 2017
  • Portland Opera, 2017
  • Madison Opera, 2016
  • Tulsa Opera, Soloist, Concert with Leona Mitchell, 2016
  • Opera Omaha, Gulgielmo, Cosí fan tutte, 2016
  • Pittsburgh Symphony, Soloist, St. John Passion, 2016
  • Portland Opera, Title Role, Eugene Onegin, 2015
  • Tulsa Opera, Marcello, La Bohème, 2015
  • Portland Opera, Belcore, L’elisir d’amore, 2015
  • WINNER, MET National Council Auditions, Oregon District, 2015
  • Portland Opera, Frank, Die Fledermaus, 2014
  • San Francisco Opera, Merola Program, Don Giovanni (cover), Don Giovanni, 2014
  • Portland Opera, Dimitrius, Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2014
  • Portland Opera, Enrico (cover), Lucia di Lammermoor, 2014
  • Portland Opera, Young Artist Program, 2013-2015
  • Tulsa Opera, Count Almaviva, Le nozze di Figaro, 2013
  • Central City Opera, Figaro (cover), Il barbiere di Siviglia, 2013
  • Central City Opera, Young Artist Program, 2013
  • Tulsa Opera, Young Artist Program, 2012-2013
  • Des Moines Metro Opera, Onegin (cover), Eugene Onegin, 2012
  • Des Moines Metro Opera, Young Artist Program, 2012

Damian Faul:

  • Musica Lyrica, Sharpless, Madama Butterfly, 2015
  • Seagle Colony, Peter, Hänsel und Gretel, Outreach, 2014
  • Seagle Colony, Merlyn, Camelot, 2014
  • Seagle Colony, A-Rab, West Side Story, 2014

Margaret Flanigan:

  • Seagle Colony, Alice Ford, Falstaff, 2015

Lydia Gray:

  • WINNER, Hyechka Club of Tulsa, Collegiate Vocal Competition, 2014

Aaron Grant:

  • Opus 3 Artist Management, Assistant Manager, 2012 to Present
  • Music Academy of The West, Program Coordinator, 2015 to Present

Ryan Speedo Green:

  • Wiener Staatsoper, Timur, Turondot, 2017
  • Houston Grand Opera, Osmin, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, 2017
  • Metropolitan Opera, Colline, La Bohème, 2016
  • San Antonio Opera, Escamillo, Carmen, 2016
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Basilio, Il barbiere di Siviglia, 2016
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Fest Contract, 2014-2018
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Commendatore, Don Giovanni, 2015
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Masetto, Don Giovanni, 2015
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Fafner, Das Rheingold, 2015
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Gremin, Eugene Onegin, 2015
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Titure, Parsifal, 2015
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Il Re, Aida, 2015
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Sarastro, Die Zauberflöte, 2015
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Il Bonzo, Madama Butterly, 2015
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Pietro, Simon Boccanegra, 2015
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Basilio, Il barbiere di Siviglia, 2015
  • WINNER, Richard Tucker Career Grant, 2014
  • WINNER, Leonore Annenburg Fund, 2014
  • FIRST PRIZE, Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition, 2014
  • WINNER, George London Foundation Competition, 2014
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Angelotti, Tosca, 2014
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Alidoro, La Cenerentola, 2014
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Sparafucile, Rigoletto, 2014
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Der Sprecher, Die Zauberflöte, 2014
  • Wiener Staatsoper, Angelotti, Tosca, 2014
  • Metropolitan Opera, Rambo, Death of Klinghoffer, 2014
  • Metropolitan Opera, Angelotti, Tosca, 2013
  • Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Program, 2011-2014

Jared Guest:

  • Sarasota Opera, Studio Artist, 2016-2017
  • WINNER, District, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, 2015
  • Chautauqua Opera Company, Apprentice Artist, 2015
  • Opera Colorado, Yamadori, Madama Butterfly, 2014
  • Chautauqua Opera Company, Studio Artist, 2014
  • Opera Colorado, Figaro, Il barbiere di Siviglia, 2014
  • Opera Colorado, Mercutio, Romeo and Juliet, 2014
  • Opera Colorado, Marullo, Rigoletto, 2014
  • Opera Colorado, Escamillo, Carmen, 2014
  • Opera Colorado, Young Artist Program, 2012-2014
  • Opera Colorado, Bartolo (cover), Il barbiere di Siviglia, 2013

Mary Hangley:

  • Minnesota Opera, Musetta, La Bohème, 2016-2017
  • Minnesota Opera, Millecent Jordon, Dinner at Eight, 2016-2017
  • Minnesota Opera, Musetta, La Bohème, 2016-2017
  • Glimmerglass Opera, Young Artist Program, 2017
  • San Francisco Opera Center, Merola Program, 2016
  • San Francisco Opera Center, Transformations, 2016
  • Sarasota Opera, Young Artist Program, 2014-2015
  • Lyric Opera Studio, Alice Ford, Die Lustige Weiber von Windsor, Weimar, Germany, 2014
  • WINNER, Madame Rose Palmai-Tenser, Mobile Opera Competition, 2014

James Harrington:

  • Santa Fe Opera, Young Artist, 2017
  • Santa Fe Opera, Raimondo (cover), Lucia di Lammermoor, 2017
  • Portland Opera, Soloist, Madrigals of Monteverdi, 2017
  • Santa Fe Opera, Diener #4, Der Rosenkavalier, 2016
  • Santa Fe Opera, Capulet (cover), Romeo et Juliet, 2016
  • Santa Fe Opera, Jigger, La Fanciulla del West, 2016
  • Santa Fe Opera, Young Artist, 2016
  • Utah Festival Opera, Colline (cover), La Bohème, 2015
  • Sugar Creek Opera, Rucker Lattimore (cover), Cold Sassy Tree, 2013

Natalie Havens:

  • Chautauqua Opera, Young Artist Program, 2017

Andrew Hiers:

  • San Francisco Opera, Merola Program, 2017
  • Tri-cities Opera, Basilio, Il barbiere di Siviglia, 2016
  • Opera Dell’ Arte, Bardolfo, Salieri’s Falstaff, 2014
  • Sugar Creek Opera, Rucker Lattimore (cover), Cold Sassy Tree, 2013
  • New York Opera Exchange, Leporello, Don Giovanni, 2013

Alan Higgs:

  • Lyric Opera of Chicago, Ryan Center Artist, 2017-2019
  • Atlanta Opera, Resident Artist, 2016-17
  • WINNER, MET National Council Auditions, Georgia District, 2016-2017
  • Santa Fe Opera, Apprentice Artist, 2016
  • Santa Fe Opera, Felice, La Fanciulla del West, 2016
  • Atlanta Opera, Title Role, Don Pasquale, 2016
  • Atlanta Opera, Resident Artist, 2015-16
  • Atlanta Opera, Mandarin, Turandot, 2015
  • Atlanta Opera, Imperial Commissioner, Madama Butterfly, 2014

Blake Hudson:

  • Opera Tampa, Young Artist Program, 2014-2015
  • Opera Tampa, Count Ceprano (cover), Rigoletto, 2014
  • Sarasota Opera, Young Artist Program, 2014
  • Festival of International Opera of the Americas, Alidoro, La Cenerentola, 2013

Mitchell Hutchings:

  • Assistant Professor of Voice, Houghton College, Fall 2013 to present
  • American Prize in Opera, 2nd Place, 2013
  • Carnegie Hall Debut, Mozart Requiem and Beethoven Choral Fantasy, 2013
  • Des Moines Metro Opera, Young Artist Program, 2013
  • Pensacola Opera, Young Artist Program, 2013
  • Pensacola Opera, Figaro (cover), Il barbiere di Siviglia, 2013
  • Pensacola Opera, Fiorello, Il barbiere di Siviglia, 2013
  • Pensacola Opera, Ben, The Telephone, 2013
  • Pensacola Opera, Scarpia (cover), Tosca, 2013
  • Pensacola Opera, Angelotti, Tosca, 2013
  • Pensacola Opera, Young Artist Program, 2012
  • Adjunct Faculty, University of West Florida, 2013

Alicia Jayourba:

  • International Young Artist Program, Varna International Academy in Vienna and Austria, 2013-2014

Shannon Jennings:

  • San Francisco Opera, Merola Program, 2016
  • Virginia Opera, Emerging Artist Program, 2013-2015

Brandon Lockhart:

  • Festival of International Opera of the Americas, 2013

Chris Longo:

  • Sarasota Opera, Young Artist Program, 2016-2017
  • Central City Opera, Studio Artist, 2015
  • Masters in Vocal Performance, Eastman School of Music, 2013-2015

Andrew Paulson:

  • Virginia Opera, Ottokar, Der Freischutz, 2016-2017
  • Virginia Opera, Mandarin, Turandot, 2016-2017
  • Virginia Opera, Silvio (cover), Pagliacci, 2016-2017
  • Santa Fe Opera, Apprentice Artist, 2016
  • Santa Fe Opera, Diener #2, Der Rosenkavalier, 2016
  • Santa Fe Opera, Mercutio (cover), Romeo et Juliet, 2016
  • Sarasota Opera, Marcello (cover), La Bohème, 2015
  • Sarasota Opera, Young Artist Program, 2015-2016
  • Santa Fe Opera, Apprentice Artist, 2015
  • Opera Colorado, Young Artist Program, 2014-2016
  • Central City Opera, Studio Artist, 2014
  • Madame Rose Palmai-Tenser, Mobile Opera Competition, 2nd Place, 2014
  • Opera on the Avalon, Germont, La Traviata, 2013
  • Sugar Creek Opera, Clayton McCalister, Cold Sassy Tree, 2013
  • Poulenc Competition, Gerard Souzay Award, 2013

André Peele:

  • Virginia Opera, Artist in Residence, 2016
  • Masters in Vocal Performance, Eastman School of Music, 2013-2015

Felicia Plunkett:

  • Boston Lyric Opera, Emerging Artist, 2016-2017
  • Boston Lyric Opera, Title Role (cover), Carmen, 2016-2017
  • Boston Lyric Opera, Cherubino (cover), Le nozze di Figaro, 2016-2017

Frank Rosamond:

  • Chautauqua Opera, Young Artist Program, 2017
  • Chautauqua Opera, Young Artist Program, 2016

Jamison Walker:

  • Assistant Professor of Voice, Stetson University, 2014 to present
  • Madame Rose Palmai-Tenser, Mobile Opera Competition, Finalist, 2014

Timothy Wilt:

  • International Young Artist Program, Music Academy International (Italy), 2015

Nicole Woodward:

  • San Francisco Opera, Merola Program, 2015

Jemeesa Yarborough:

  • WINNER, North Carolina District, MET National Council Auditions, 2016
  • Saratoga Opera, Contessa (cover), Le Nozze di Figaro, 2016
  • Saratoga Opera, Mother Witch (cover), Witches of Venice, 2016
  • WINNER, South Carolina District, MET National Council Auditions, 2015
  • Savannah Voice Festival, Young Artist, 2015