Hello and welcome to my campaign!
My name is Kathryn Wieckhorst and I am a soprano currently pursuing a career in classical music in NYC. After finishing my master's degree last year at Queens College, I have been freelancing in NYC, performing both standard operatic repertoire and contemporary works in venues such as Symphony Space and Good Shepherd Faith Presbyterian Church by the Juilliard School. Here is "Vissi d'arte," from my performance with the Gemini Youth Orchestra at Symphony Space in December 2012: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10100741273249450&l=6310275619624555173
I have performed the roles of Musetta in La Boheme, the title role in Suor Angelica, Micaela in Carmen, the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Blanche in Dialoges of the Carmelites, The Lady with a Cake Box in Postcard from Morocco, and was honored to premiere a role in Bruce Saylor's 2012 premiere opera The Imagemaker. I am a chorister/soloist at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick, where I have sung since 2006, and am also a member of a fun, fabulous a capella group, The Salvatones. We are about to launch our first CD! Check us out on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Salvatones/130859726976390?fref=ts. I also sing with an amazing group called Opera Collective, who as part of the Music Under New York series strives to make opera accessible to those who would otherwise not be exposed to the beauty that opera can bring to your life. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Opera-Collective/154526124603085?fref=ts
I also work extensively with new composers and have a love for modern music, performing premiere works by Sunny Knable and Britlin Losee. I am lucky to work regularly with composer and Professor Emeritus at Queens College, Joel Mandelbaum, who has been an inspiration and huge support in my career pursuits.
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Singing Joel's piece "Homecoming," March 8, 2013 at Queens College in a benefit concert for Sandy Hook Elementary School
My passion is being able to bring beautiful music, whether standard or contemporary, to a wide range of audiences. Music has the ability to bring us to emotional and even physical places we never knew. One of my favorite moments singing with Opera Collective was a cold, rainy night in Port Authority; after singing Donde lieta from Puccini's La Boheme, a lovely older gentleman looked at me, put a dollar in our hat, said thank you, and had to turn away because he was tearing up. That moment was worth the world to me. That is why I chose the life of a musician; the want and need to connect with other souls.
The purpose of this campaign:
I have been invited to attend an absolutely amazing program in both Greece and Germany this summer, under the direction of Eilana Lappalainen. I will be participating in the Greek Opera Studio, Berlin Opera Studio, and perform in Bayreuth as part of the Festival junger Künstler Bayreuth. In Greece, I will have the privilege of covering the role of Fiordiligi in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte and will get the perform the role of Madame Herz in Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor. In Berlin and Bayreuth I will have the pleasure of performing in concert one of my dream roles, Violetta from Verdi's La Traviata.
Why the Indiegogo campaign?
As a young artist in the field of opera, many opportunities come our way that are an investment in our futures and are not necessarily something that will be lucrative in the beginning. However, this opportunity is going to bridge the gap between being a young artist and an emerging professional. If you donate, you will be helping to invest in the career of someone who not only loves what she is doing, but has the talent and drive to have a real impact in this field. If you would like to donate but would like references so that you know exactly what you are investing in, please feel free to email me at kathryn.wieckhorst@gmail.com and I can provide you with references from other professionals with whom I have worked closely.
- About $1,500-$2,000 of the donations will go straight to the costs of the flights to and from Europe.
- The rest of the money raised goes to the tuition for the opera studios in both countries plus expenses such as food and travel.
Since I am in the midst of also trying to create a better demo recording, what I can offer as a perk to anyone who donates is a CD of my graduate recital from Queens College (see perks below). I will be happy to send you an updated recording when it is completed. Here is an excerpt from my recital, Ottorino Respighi's Il Tramonto, with Dani Sametz and Sergey Prokofyev, Violins, Monica Martin, Viola, and Andrew Borkowski, Cello:
http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/music/inc/mBody/podcasts/Podcasts0512/051412b-12.mp3
The impact and value of my campaign
So many young artists struggle to pursue opportunities such as this and often have to turn them down because of limited funds. I refuse to let that happen! I believe that I am a valuable asset to the world of opera and classical music, and I hope that you will too. The opportunity to sing in Europe will help me reach a much wider audience and will get my name out there, and YOU will know you have made a huge impact in the life of a singer and possibly contributed to a very successful career (which I believe it will be!)
Other Ways You Can Help
Even if you can't contribute, please help to spread the word. Thank you so much for your time and for reading about my campaign and I hope to bring you as much beauty in music as music has brought to me.
