SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, June 15, 2015 /EINPresswire.com/ -- One of the most demanding of all the art forms is asking for crowdfunding support in order to help its young students learn to hit the high notes. Opera NEO, based in San Diego, California, is an opera company and workshop for young singers. This educational program endeavors to provide a month of intensive training so that novices can become tomorrow’s stage professionals. In order to raise the $15,000 needed to fund a symphony orchestra, so that its singers can perform in two fully staged opera productions with all the musical trimmings, Opera NEO is seeking help from the Indiegogo community for a crowdfunding campaign that has one month left to raise the money it needs.

The success of tomorrow’s arts depends upon the students of today who will carry their lessons forward from the classroom to the stage. Opera is many things—international, powerful, dynamic, and exciting, but it’s also expensive. In fact, says Opera NEO's Artistic Director Peter Kozma, “It’s one of the most expensive artistic endeavors.” Part of that expense comes from the cost of having 30 musicians playing in the symphony orchestra. But because opera is a synergy of poetry, drama, singing, instrumental music, dance, visual arts, color and light, the orchestra is vital to the experience and the complete training of the students.

Singers selected by Opera NEO are voice majors in nationally recognized conservatories and college music programs, as well as post-graduate young professionals. Their participation is based upon a rigorous and highly selective national audition process. The goal of Opera NEO is to unlock the full potential of the singers it trains, while nurturing each individual's artistic qualities and personality to help them develop into successful, independent artists. The training includes staging rehearsals, classes, lessons, master classes, and seminars, as well as performing in two fully staged opera productions with the accompaniment of a symphony orchestra. A student’s typical daily schedule begins with lessons in movement and stage craft at 9:00 am, followed by two-and-a-half hours of voice lessons, ensemble, chamber music and staging rehearsals and coaching. After an hour for lunch, it’s back to work: four-and-a-half hours of audition techniques, role preparation and career seminars, instrumental and voice lessons, coaching and staging rehearsals. Dinner is followed by more staging rehearsals and other related events. The days are long, demanding, and productive.

It’s a lot of training, but to hear the students who’ve been through it, it was worth it. Jennifer Wu, a participant from the 2012 season, praised Opera NEO: “This organization is truly a testament to the fact that compelling and artful creation can thrive outside of seven-figure donors, big-name stars and general grandeur.” Nathan Ward’s observations from the 2013 session described his month at Opera NEO in the following way: “What a month . . . an amazing, life-changing, tough, inspirational journey. I am grateful for each of my wonderful colleagues, and for the truly amazing faculty.”

This training center for the next generation of opera singers and instrumental musicians teaches its young charges to aspire to the highest levels of their profession. Opera NEO emphasizes the importance of learning the opera business, developing communications skills, improving networking abilities, and encouraging professional work ethics. The community in which the young singers are mentored is strong and supportive so that they can open themselves up to the excellence within. At Opera NEO, they are given the tools that they’ll need in order to compete in the changing, demanding music market.

As part of its mission to train the next generation, Opera NEO is also developing the next generation of audiences. By finding new possibilities for contemporary interpretations of classic operas, the organization can investigate opera’s role today to engage broader audiences. They’re dedicated to building a bridge that connects the performers and audience to the giants of the past, keeping their classic work relevant today.

Opera NEO invites supporters to join them as they create experiences that will invest in the future of opera, enrich the life of the community, contribute to the vibrancy of the city of San Diego and create the building blocks for the talent that will perform in the opera festivals of the future.

It’s a tall order, but as these young singers have already demonstrated, they can hit the high notes.

About Opera Neo
Opera Neo, (www.operaneo.com), a San Diego-based opera company for young opera singers, combines music and education in order to nurture the next generation of operatic talent. The artists-in-training attend classes and seminars, take part in lessons and master classes, and perform in two fully staged productions with the accompaniment of a symphony orchestra composed of 30 musicians. The only professional opera training program in San Diego, Opera NEO is also the only workshop of its kind in Southern California.

Peter Kozma
Opera Neo
www.operaneo.com
email us here

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.