Intensive Opera Audition Training

Prof. Gerd Uecker, born in 1946 in Munich. Musical studies at the Academy of Music in Munich: Piano, musical pedagogics, conducting. 1969 Music Coach at the opera house Cologne. 1970 Teaching profession at the "Rheinisches Musikkonservatorium Köln" concerning the subject; 1973 Musical Director and head of the opera department at the "Südostbayerisches Städtetheater" in Passau; 1979 Director of the musical department at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich; 1982 Head of the office of the General Director at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich; 1988/89 Artistic Director and representative of the General Director at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich; 1993 Interim artistic head of the Bavarian State Opera; Sept. 1993 Opera Director of the Bavarian State Opera; 2000 Nominated as General Director of the "Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden", Semperoper; 2003 – 2010 General Director of the "Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden", Semperoper; 2005 – 2010 Chairman of the "Deutschsprachige Opernkonferenz"; Since 2007 Chairman of the board of the academy of the "Musikhochschule Lübeck"; 2010 Awarding of the "Dänisches Ritterkreuz des Danneborgordens"; 2011 Honorary president of the "Bundeswettbewerb Gesang Berlin".

Janice Alder-Alford, Mezzo Soprano, A.R.C.M.: Voice Studio, Training in Body Work & Style made her debut at the Vienna State Opera at only 24 years old. Here she performed many comprimario roles being chosen to sing Bersi in the new production of Andre Chenier with Placido Domingo and Gabriella Beneckovacap. Contracts followed for the Salzburg Festival, also for Decca in a recording with Mirella Freni and Renata Scotto (Norma - Bellini). Later her repertoire included Brangaene, Octavian, Amneris and Carmen in theatres eg. Dortmund, Straßbourg, and Paris. She also worked with such producers as John Dew, Phillipo Sanjust and Jean Claude Martinoty and conductors Nello Santi, Horst Stein, and Sir Charles Mackerras. Janice began her studies at the Royal College of Music, London and continued it with a scholarship in Vienna with Christa Ludwig and Erik Werba. Prior to signing her studio contract with the Vienna State Opera, she won prizes at the ARD-Competition in Munich and Concours International de Chant de Paris in France. Participation in the masterclasses gave her contact not only with Herbert von Karajan and Mario del Monaco but also with Janet Baker, Pierre Bernac, Hannelore Kuhse and Giulietta Simionato. Her repertoire has been performed in many major concert halls e.g. the Royal Albert Hall, London, Musik Verein Vienna, and the Philharmonie, Berlin. Due to a serious riding accident, Janice's operatic career was curtailed. Through the understanding of the singer's professional life, she has developed to a sought-after vocal teacher based in Berlin. Together with her husband, Jonathan Alder, she has been giving masterclasses since 1995 (in Walter Kaminsky Stiftung, Munich particularly). She is on the board for the German National Singing Competition.

Jonathan Alder, BA Cambridge, Pianist began his career in music as a boy soprano at Westminster Abbey, London. He studied not only piano, but also horn, singing, later as a counter-tenor, and composition. Having completed his studies at the Kings College, Cambridge, he gained a place for Piano Accompaniment at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London. Here he won the Overseas League Prize for accompaniment. Over the years he has become an accompanist with an international reputation. He has regularly performed with such artists as Christa Ludwig, Lucia Popp, Placido Domingo, Hans Sotin, Francisco Araiza, Gwyneth Jones, Pierre Fournier, and Viktor Tretjakow. Concerts have taken him throughout Europe, Asia, and America. He has been sought after for many Festival appearances such as Baden-Baden, Verona, Cervantino (Mexico) Salzburg and Hohenems. Numerous radio and CD recordings prove his high reputation. In 1989, he was offered a professorship for Lied at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and in 1993 at the Universität der Künste, Berlin. Since 1989, Jonathan Alder has been performing regularly with the Berlin members of the philharmonic orchestra – not only with Sir Simon Rattle but also Claudio Abbado.

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