The 10th NTD International Chinese Vocal Competition—a celebration of traditional vocal artistry—is underway. Eleven finalists are moving on to Sunday’s finals.
From Puccini to Chinese art songs, the sound of bel canto filled New York City’s Kaufman Music Center.
After Friday’s preliminaries, 17 singers performed in Saturday’s semi-finals.
Contestants from around the world traveled to New York for the three-day competition, celebrating authentic vocal artistry rooted in truthfulness, compassion, and beauty.
“I think it’s a very good initiative,” said Jiyun Bae, a contestant from South Korea. “Our society is gradually becoming harsher. Not forgetting these values and carrying them forward, sharing this mindset, and creating things together with it, I believe that very spirit is truly a good thing.”
Yuchuan Zhang, a contestant from Canada said: “This helped me to verify what is more than what is tradition, and ... what I want to absorb from the world and from the history, from the modern world. And I think it purifies me, because every time when you stand on the stage, you show everything of yourself—your inner heart, your technique.”
Bel canto—Italian for “beautiful singing”—is a traditional vocal technique emphasizing purity of tone, smooth phrasing, and precise control. It forms the foundation of Western opera arias and Chinese art songs, both required in this competition.
“I think language is what holds the culture of a nation,” said Adriana Da, another contestant from Canada. “Like the emotions, the stories, the regret, desire, and all kinds of feelings and stories are all in a nation’s language. So in order for me to have the opportunity to sing in my mother tongue, to sing in Chinese, I think it’s an honor.”
Vocalists with the world-renowned Shen Yun Performing Arts served on the panel of judges. Soprano Tian Li shared her insights into vocal arts ahead of the competition.
“In terms of vocal art, the human body itself is an instrument given by God,“ Tian Li said. ”If you can use this instrument well, and produce sound in the most correct position and most natural state, then you can truly make use of the way of singing that God has given to mankind.”
Contestants will also have the chance to attend a special masterclass led by opera legend Frederica Von Stade ahead of the finals on Sunday.
The grand finale will be livestreamed Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET on NTD.com.
