George Shirley Vocal Competition
African American Vocal Repertoire
The George Shirley Vocal Competition: African American Vocal Repertoire (GSVC) is an annual competition held at the University of Michigan. The competition offers singers and composers the opportunity to work with and receive feedback from world-renowned judges, including George Shirley. More than $44,000 in prizes are awarded annually. The competition is open to singers ages 14-35 of all races and ethnicities and composers ages 18-35.
The 16th annual GSVC semi-final and final rounds will be held on May 15-17, 2026 in the Earl V. Moore Building at the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance.
COMPETITION INFORMATION
APPLY TO COMPETE
Applications are closed.
PAST WINNERS
About the Repertoire
The GSVC provides a platform for tomorrow’s musicians to honor the past while creating new relevance in the 21st century. African American music is an outgrowth of a rich oral tradition from the shores of Africa. When the music was melded with European compositional techniques, a unique body of work and musical expression was born. The repertoire was crafted by individuals who had a deep passion for expressing the world as they experienced it. The resulting repertoire is unique in its authenticity and passion, making it an important, living part of American history. It is an art form that deserves to be shared and preserved for future generations.
Snapshots from Recent Competitions
Click on the gallery to view photo captions.
About George Shirley
George Shirley’s illustrious career has spanned more than five decades and has included national and international recognitions. He has dedicated his life’s work to giving voice to the powerful African American vocal repertoire. Mr. Shirley’s vision provides the mission for the George Shirley Vocal Competition.
Song must reflect meaning, emotion, and truth. In order to successfully impart these elements to our audience in performance, we must already have secured our ability to do so without losing control of ourselves and being overcome by our emotions. In order to move our audience to the brink, we must be able to dip into our sea of experience without being inundated in the flood.
2025 Winners
High School Division
- William Perkins, tenor, Detroit School of Arts, Detroit, MI
First Prize, High School Division: $1,000
(Sponsored by Zingerman’s Community of Businesses) - Danielle Douglas, soprano, Conestoga High School, Berwyn, PA
Second Prize, High School Division: $750
(Sponsored by James and Bonnie Rose) - Isabella Edmonds-Hogan, soprano, Finton High School, Finton, MI
Third Prize, High School Division: $500
(Sponsored by Chauncey Packer) - Caley Gracey, alto, Avondale Senior High School, Auburn Hills, MI
Third Prize, High School Division: $500
(Sponsored by Videmus)
Collegiate Division
- Tiara Abraham, soprano, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
First Prize, College Division: $4,000
(Sponsored by anonymous donor) - Joshua McMiller, baritone, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Second Prize, College Division: $2,500
(Sponsored by Arthur White) - Kayla Sconiers, mezzo soprano, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Third Prize, College Division: $1,500
(Sponsored by Sylvia Holifield and siblings in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Talmage Turner)
Pre-Professional Division
- Justice Yates, baritone, New Haven, CT
First Prize, Pre-Professional Division: $5,000
(Sponsored by Carrie Wilson) - Sarah Rosales, soprano, Cedar Rapids, IA
Second Prize, Pre-Professional Division: $4,000
(Sponsored by Louise Toppin in memory of Edgar and Antionette Toppin) - Myah Paden, mezzo soprano, Seattle, WA
Third Prize, Pre-Professional Division: $3,000
(In honor of James and Carole Rose)
International Division
-
Giedrė Kisieliūtė, soprano, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
International student prize: $900
(Sponsored by Videmus and Patrice Eaton) -
Gerald Franklin (St. Gerald), tenor, McGill University, Montreal Quebec, Canada
The Harry T. Burleigh Art Song Prize (International Division): $150
(Sponsored by the Harry T. Burleigh Legacy Foundation)
Composer's Division
- Ty Bloomfield, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Prize for a newly commissioned work: $1,500
(Sponsored by Karen Slack) - Brittney Benton, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Art Song Composition Prize: $1,000
(Sponsored by Marquita Lister)
Special Prizes
- Soprano Prize: $1,000 (Sponsored by Myra Merritt)
- Sarah Rosales, soprano, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Mezzo Soprano Prize: $1,000 (Sponsored by Hilda Harris)
- Audrianna Hughes, mezzo soprano, Lexington, KY
- Tenor Prize:
- Ari Mandel, tenor, Morristown-Beard School, Morristown, NJ
High School: $200 (Sponsored by Videmus) - Jackson Hagood, tenor, Hope College
Collegiate: $500 (Sponsored by Videmus) - Bo Shimmin, tenor, Tucson, AZ
Pre-professional: $1,000 (Sponsored by Carrie Wilson in honor of George Shirley) - Justin Bell, tenor, Jersey City, NJ
Pre-professional: $1,000 (Sponsored by Videmus)
- Ari Mandel, tenor, Morristown-Beard School, Morristown, NJ
- Baritone Prize (Sponsored by James and Bonnie Rose in honor of Christal Rose)
- Jeremiah Sanders, baritone, Bloomington, IN
1st place, Pre-professional: $2,000 - Joshua McMiller, baritone, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
2nd place, Collegiate: $1,000
- Jeremiah Sanders, baritone, Bloomington, IN
- Art Song Prize: $1,000 (Sponsored by Willis Patterson)
- Joshua McMiller, baritone, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
- Sarah Rosales, soprano, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Contemporary Art Song Prize for Pre-professional division:
- Andrew Smith, bass-baritone, Washington, DC
Pre-professional: $500 (Sponsored by Kenneth Overton)
- Andrew Smith, bass-baritone, Washington, DC
- Contemporary Spiritual Prize for Pre-professional division
- David Pelino, tenor, Washington, DC
Pre-professional: $500 (Sponsored by Kenneth Overton)
- David Pelino, tenor, Washington, DC
- Operatic Aria Prize: $1,000 (Sponsored by Patricia Miller)
- Justice Yates, baritone, New Haven, CT
- Spiritual Prize:
- Justice Yates, baritone, New Haven, CT
1st place, Pre-professional, $1,000 (Sponsored by Robert Sims) - Candace Williams, soprano, Cincinnati, OH
2nd place, Pre-professional $500 (Sponsored by Patrice Eaton)
- Justice Yates, baritone, New Haven, CT
- Women Composers Prize: $1,000 (Sponsored by Charsie R. Sawyer and Laura English Robinson)
- Myah Paden, mezzo soprano, Seattle, WA
- Jay-Red-Koh Award for Mentorship: $1,000 (Sponsored by Opera on Tap Rochester)
- Rodney Sharp, baritone, Fort Worth, TX
- William Grant Still Operatic Aria/ Art Song Award (Sponsored by Black Leaders Arts Collective)
- Lwazi Dlamini, baritone, Dallas, TX
Pre-professional: $1,000 - Kayla Sconiers, mezzo-soprano, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Collegiate: $500
- Lwazi Dlamini, baritone, Dallas, TX
- The Harry T. Burleigh Art Song Prize (Sponsored by the Harry T. Burleigh Legacy Foundation)
- Candace Williams, soprano, Cincinnati, OH
Pre-professional: $1,000 - Lazuli Clark, bass, University of Cincinnati
Collegiate: $500 - Jaden Douglas, baritone, University of Michigan
Collegiate: $500 - Isabella Edmonds-Hogan, soprano, Fenton High School, Fenton, MI
High School: $250
- Candace Williams, soprano, Cincinnati, OH
- George and Gladys Shirley-Louise Toppin Award of Promise: $1,000 (Sponsored by Washington Isaac Holmes)
- William Perkins, tenor, Detroit School of the Arts, Detroit, MI
- Collaborative Piano Award: $1,000 (Sponsored by Timothy Jones)
- John Morefield, Ann Arbor, MI
- Detroit Music Association Scholarship for High School division (Sponsored by Detroit Music Association (DMA))
- William Perkins, tenor, Detroit School of the Arts, Detroit, MI
High School: $700 - Evangeline Jarvi, mezzo-soprano, Grosse Pointe High School, Grosse Pointe WD, MI
High School: $150 - Nia’Rae Smith, soprano, Detroit School of the Arts, Detroit, MI
High School: $150
- William Perkins, tenor, Detroit School of the Arts, Detroit, MI
Show Your Support
Each year GSVC continues to advance its mission of encouraging the study of African American vocal repertoire and composition and fostering the talents of students of all ethnicities. With the help of donations from supporters such as you we hope to inspire the talents of the next generation of singers and composers. Support this year’s competition by making a gift today.
