Alicia L. Dutka, American Council for Polish Culture Chairlady of the Council’s Annual Marcella Kochanska Sembrich Vocal Competition Committee, announces that the winner for 2011 is Julie-Anne Hamula, soprano.
Serving with Mrs. Dutka on the Committee are Robert Dutka and Jaroslaw Golembiowski. Entry requirements for this competition are: male or female, up to the age of 32 years, U.S. Citizen of Polish descent who has pursued or is currently pursuing higher education study in voice.
Julie-Anne Hamula of Binghamton, NY, whose extensive opera appearances in the United States, Costa Rica and Mexico have won her high praise in the press, e.g. “warm tone”, “agile phrasing”, considerable vocal energy” and “technically sound, rich performance”, and also a significant number of other distinctive awards. Ms. Hamula received a 2011 CareerBridges Encouragement Award, the Fielder Grant for Vocal Careers and the Phyllis Bryn-Julson Award at the Civic Morning Musicals Competition in Syracuse, NY.
This year she was also a semi-finalist in the Palm Beach Opera Competition, a finalist in the Liederkranz Competition General Opera Diviion, and finalist for the Dallas Opera Guild Competition. and the Fielder Grant for Vocal Careers. Ms. Hamula attended Westminster Choir College for her B.M. in voice performance and completed her Master of Music at the University of Texas.
In appearances with the Tri-Cities Opera, Ms. Hamula sang Antonia in Les Contes d’Hoffman, Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte, Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Gilda in Rigoletto. She has also sung the title role in Carlisle Floyd’s Susanna with The Butler Opera Center in Austin, TX and Pamina (Die Zauberflote) in Costa Rica, Mexico and Austin.
Ms. Hamula is scheduled to appear in full recital at the Marcella Kochanska Sembrich Concert on July 14, 2011 at St. Stanislaus Church, Slavic Village, Cleveland, Ohio. The Concert is scheduled as one of the outstanding events that will be taking place during the 63rd Annual Convention of the American Council for Polish Culture, which is being hosted by the John Paul II Polish American Cultural Center in Cleveland. During the Concert Julie-Anne Hamula will receive the ACPC’s Sembrich award of $1,500.
Marcella Kochanska Sembrich, who was born in Poland in 1858, was that rare occurrence in mankind, a total musical personality. She was a skilled violinist, an excellent pianist and one of the most brilliant representatives of the vocal art of all time. Sembrich made her American debut in 1883, the second night of the first season of the new Metropolitan Opera House, as Lucia, following appearances in the greatest opera houses in Vienna, France, Russia, Germany and Spain.