Contestants/deltagere 2023

Johannes Moore & Ilan Kurtser

Singer: Johannes Moore

Pianist: Ilan Kurtser

Louise McClelland Jacobsen & Laurits Dragsted

Singer: Louise McClelland Jacobsen

Pianist: Laurits Dragsted

Anna Bæk Christensen & Octavian Leyva Dragomir

Singer: Anna Bæk Christensen

Pianist: Octavian Leyva Dragomir

Veikko Vallinoja & Jussi Littunen

SPECIAL PRIZE: Best performance of a song by Carl Nielsen

Singer: Veikko Vallinoj

Pianist: Jussi Littunen

Katrin Helena Kuslap & Hazel Friedman

SPECIAL PRIZE: Best performance of Danish repertoire

Singer: Katrin Helena Kuslap

Pianist: Hazel Friedman

Domas Saulevičius & Lina Žutautaitė

Singer: Domas Saulevičius

Pianist: Lina Žutautaitė

Helena Donie & Yeon Seo Ra

Singer: Helena Donie

Pianist: Yeon Seo Ra

Helen Lacey & Stella Lorenz

Singer: Helen Lacey

Pianist: Stella Lorenz

Lyla Levy-Jordan & Yuriko Watanabe

Singer: Lyla Levy-Jordan

Pianist: Yuriko Watanabe

Mira Alkhovik & Alla Belova

Singer: Mira Alkhovik

Pianist: Alla Belova

Birita Poulsen & Mattias Kapnas

Singer: Birita Poulsen

Pianist: Mattias Kapnas

Lyt til finalen 2023

Billeder 2023

Johannes Moore & Ilan Kurtser

Johannes Moore: Singer

Johannes Moore is a Baritone from Herefordshire, studying with Mark Wildman at the Royal Academy Opera Studio in London. He was a 2022 Young Artist with Grange Festival Chorus and studied on the prestigious Solti Accademia in 2023. Future roles include Sid in Albert Herring with RAO, and Mephistopheles in Boulanger’s Faust.

On the concert platform, Johannes has sung across the UK performing Oratorio and Song. He has won multiple competitions, and performed at Ludlow Song Weekend. He is a member of Royal Academy’s Song Circle, performing at Leeds International Song Festival and the Wigmore Hall in 2024.

Ilan Kurtser: Pianist

Ilan Kurtser is a Royal Academy of Music alumnus. At the Academy, he was a Bicentenary Scholar and studied with Michael Dussek, James Baillieu and Malcolm Martineau. He is a Leeds Lieder Young Artist, a Samling Artist and won numerous prizes including the Kathleen Ferrier and Bampton Competition Accompanist Prizes. As a Bicentenary Scholar, he is recording his debut CD of the complete Goethe-Lieder by Wolf. Concert highlights include Wigmore Hall, Leeds Lieder and International Lied Festival Zeist. Ilan is a Fellow at the Academy. He curates concerts for the Academy Song Circle and coaches Song duos.

Louise McClelland Jacobsen & Laurits Dragsted

Louise McClelland Jacobsen: Singer

Louise finished her Master’s degree with honors in summer 2023 from The Royal Danish Opera Academy. She made her stage debut at the Royal Danish Opera as 5. Magd in Strauss’ Elektra in March 2023. In the 2023/2024 season she joins The Royal Danish Opera as a member of the Young Artist Ensemble. Louise's artistic work already embraces an enormous range. She has had huge successes in oratorios, operas, Lieder – including contemporary vocal repertoire. Louise was awarded the "Carl Nielsen and Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen's talent prize" in 2022 and the “Léonie Sonnings Talent prize” in 2023.

Laurits Dragsted: Pianist

Laurits is a Copenhagen based pianist and repetiteur who holds a Master’s degree in repetiteurship from The Royal Danish Academy of Music and just finished 2 years of advanced postgraduate studies in the Young Artist Programme at the Royal Danish Theatre playing Verdi’s Aida as his final production. Laurits has played for many esteemed conductors, such as Paolo Carignani, Julia Jones and Fabio Luisi. He has worked freelance in the Copenhagen Opera House, The Danish Radio Broadcast and the Royal Danish Academy of Music. He is the primary pianist for the Malko Academy for Young Conductors and thus enjoys working on symphonic repertoire as well as Lied and Opera.

Anna Bæk Christensen & Octavian Leyva Dragomir

Anna Bæk Christensen: Singer

Anna Bæk Christensen has a passion for singing, conducting and piano. During her studies at Malko Academy for Young Conductors, she had the opportunity to conduct DR’s orchestra & vocal ensemble. She also studied piano at MGK before moving to Stockholm to study choral conducting at the Royal College of Music, but she decided to change and finished a bachelor in singing instead. Since 2018 she’s been in The Tolkien Ensemble with actor Billy Boyd and for the past year she has studied singing with T. Semmingsen at The Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. Anna and Octavian have recently won the Dorothy Irving Scholarship.

Octavian Leyva Dragomir: Pianist

Octavian Leyva Dragomir developed early a passion for art songs which continued at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm with M. Widlund and later at both the ESMUC in Barcelona and the Vadstena Singing & Piano Academy. He is currently studying at Mälardalen Musikhögskola with S. Sandström and has received guidance in vocal chamber music from M. Svensson, Anne Sofie v. Otter and M. Jansson. He has participated in The N. and L. Boulanger Int. Voice-Piano Competition, won a prize at the Gothenburg Int. Piano Competition and has recently played on SVT for a million people on Allsång på Skansen.

Veikko Vallinoja & Jussi Littunen

Veikko Vallinoja: Singer

A versatile singer with a broad interest in different aspects of classical song, Veikko Vallinoja is known mainly as a Lied singer, especially through his long collaboration with pianist Jussi Littunen. A childhood in a Boys' choir introduced him to baroque oratorio, which is his other focus as a singer. He is currently studying vocal arts at the Sibelius Academy under Hannu Niemelä.

He has been praised for his versatile and expressive voice and exceptional clarity of diction. In January 2023 he was the best of the male singer category in the Lappeenranta song competition, receiving 2nd prize.

Jussi Littunen: Pianist

Jussi Littunen began his musical journey at the Turku conservatory, and his passion for Lied was born during vocational studies at the Helsinki conservatory of Music. Currently, Littunen is finishing his Master’s degree at the Sibelius Academy, where he majored in piano performance under Ilmo Ranta and gave his Master’s recital in April 2023.

Littunen collaborates actively with singers, playing both Lied and opera repertoire, and his duo history with Veikko Vallinoja dates back to year 2014. Besides vocal music, he enjoys ensemble playing and is fascinated by music of the early 20th century.

Katrin Helena Kuslap &
Hazel Friedman

Katrin Helena Kuslap: Singer

Estonian soprano Katrin Helena Kuslap is currently enrolled in the soloist program at The Royal Danish Academy of Music (Prof. Helene Gjerris).

She has taken part in masterclasses led by Linda Watson, Malcolm Martineau, Audrey Hyland, Anne Sofie von Otter and Bo Skovhus, to name a few. As of recently, Katrin Helena has performed with Concerto Copenhagen, and sang the role of Suor Osmina at the Copenhagen Opera Festival.

She was a semi-finalist at the 13th Klaudia Taev Competition in 2023, and together with Hazel Friedman, she won 2nd Prize at the 2022 Rued Langgaard Competition.

HAZEL FRIEDMAN: Pianist

Born in California, USA, pianist Hazel Friedman made her orchestral debut at age 17 with the San Diego Symphony. Hazel has won first prize in numerous competitions, including the 2020 Frank Huntington Beebe Fund to pursue graduate studies in Denmark.

In 2023, she completed her master’s degree at The Royal Danish Academy of Music (DKDM). Now residing in Copenhagen, Hazel is an accompanist for DKDM and a freelance pianist. She also teaches privately and for Byens Musikskole.

Domas Saulevičius & Lina Žutautaitė

Domas Saulevičius: Singer

Domas Saulevičius, a 2nd-year MA student of singing at Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, embarked on his musical journey through childhood by playing piano, singing in choir, and studying jazz singing. Inspired by an opera recording, his passion for performing ignited. He joined Vilnius City Opera in 2020, performing in Gounod's “Faust”.

His love for chamber music blossomed during studies at Klaipėda Stasys Šimkus Conservatory. He is now an active member of 'Gijos' ensemble, passionately interpreting both Lithuanian and foreign chamber music pieces and arias.

Lina Žutautaitė: Pianist

Lina Žutautaitė is a versatile musician, who performs as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician. In the 2022-2023 season, she excelled in international projects as “Crossing Keyboards”, Nord Opera, Chamber music Festival "Les Clés du Classique", European Opera Academy, and Riga’s International Chamber Music Festival. Lina holds a Master‘s degree in Music Performance from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. Additionally, she pursued further studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as an Erasmus student.

Helena Donie & Yeon Seo Ra

Helena Donie: Singer

Helena Donie first studied her Bachelor's and Master’s degree with Prof. Ingrid Haubold at the Musikhochschule Karlsruhe University. In October 2021 she joined the Liedklasse with Prof. Mitsuko Shirai/ Hartmut Höll.

She received important impulses from masterclasses such as the Zeist Lieder Festival 2021, the Leeds Lieder Festival 2022 and the Udo Reinemann Academy 2021/2022. She was greatly influenced by Julia Varady, Barbara Frittoli, Elly Ameling, Stefan Herheim and Prof. h. c. Daniel Fueter. Her repertoire is very versatile and stretches from oratorio to opera, chanson and further.

Yeon Seo Ra: Pianist

Yeon Seo Ra first studied her Bachelor's with Prof. Oliver Kern and Prof. Bernhard Wetz at the MfDK Frankfurt am Main and Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano at the MfDK Mannheim. Her second Master’s degree in Liedgestaltung she obtained at HfM Karlsruhe with Prof. Hartmut Höll/ Mitsuko Shirai in April 2021 She is currently continuing her studies as part of a Konzertexamen at the same School and same Professors.

She won won first prize in the International Music Competition “Brussels” Grand Prize Virtuoso 2019, first Prize by Wolfgang Rihm 2022.

Helen Lacey & Stella Lorenz

Helen Lacey: Singer

Helen Lacey is a lyric soprano with a particular interest in the art song repertoire and working with current composers.

Helen has recently performed the role of 1st Bridesmaid in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro with Glyndebourne. She is a SongEasel Young Artist for 2023 and previously, was a Young Artist for Leeds Lieder festival.

Helen is recent graduate from the Royal Academy of Music in London where she was a member of the prestigious Academy Song Circle. She is a featured soloist on Will Todd’s Passion Music recorded for Signum Classics and a BBC Introducing Artist for Radio 3's in-tune.

Stella Lorenz: Pianist

Pianist Stella Marie Lorenz’s performed recently at Wigmore Hall, Leeds Lieder Festival and Musikverein Wien. She is a prizewinner of the Help Musicians UK Postgraduate Award, the Historical Female Composer Award and the Elena Gerhard Lieder Prize.

She studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Malcolm Martineau, Michael Dussek and James Baillieu, and where she regularly coached singers. Before, she studied with Markus Hadulla at Mdw Vienna, and with Gerold Huber and Roger Vignoles. This year, Stella performs at La Monnaie/Brussels, Staatstheater Saarbrücken and Royal Opera House London.

Lyla Levy-Jordan & Yuriko Watanabe

Lyla Levy-Jordan: Singer

Australian-French Mezzo-Soprano Lyla Levy-Jordan is undertaking her final year of a Master’s degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Currently, Lyla is a member of the 2022/2023 Lied Akademie des Internationalen Liedzentrums Heidelberg under the artistic direction of Thomas Hampson.

Operatic roles include Annio in Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito with Pacific Opera, Marcellina in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra and the World Premiere as Fairy (cover) in Simon Bruckard’s The Selfish Giant with Victorian Opera.

Yuriko Watanabe: Pianist

Yuriko Watanabe had her musical education at the Purcell School of Music in London, the Tokyo Gakugei University, and Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar. She currently studies Liedgestaltung in HfM Karlsruhe in the class of Mitsuko Shirai and Hartmut Höll.

Her achievements include prizes at the International Robert Schumann Competition in Zwickau and at 13th International Art Song Competition Stuttgart. Yuriko is scholarship holder of the Liedakademie 2022/23 in Heidelberg and SongStudio in Carnegie Hall in 2023. She is currently working at the HfM Franz Liszt Weimar and in HfM Freiburg.

Mira Alkhovik & Alla Belova

Mira Alkhovik: Singer

Mira was born in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, and played violin for 12 years before she began her studies in vocal performance at St. Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory. She spent a year at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (Prof. Elena Pankratova).

In September 2021 she began her MA Opera performance studies at the Bern Academy of Arts (Swiss Opera Studio, Prof. Malin Hartelius).

Mira is a prize winner of numerous vocal competitions. In 2022 she won second prize of the Student LiedDuo Competition in Groningen (NL) and the 4th International Haydn Competition (Rohrau).

Alla Belova: Pianist

Alla Belova was born in Saint-Petersburg and had studied at Saint-Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory. Now she continues developing artistically with Prof. Benjamin Moser in Hochschule Luzern.

She is taking part in festivals: Schubert-Woche Festival (Berlin, 2023), Schaffhausen Klassik (Switzerland, 2022), Pulsion Winter Festival (Switzerland, 2022), Talent Music Summer Festival (Italy, 2021), Oltmar Schoeck Festival (Switzerland, 2021), Holland Music Sessions (Netherlands, 2017, 2018, 2019) and others.

Birita Poulsen & Mattias Kapnas

Birita Poulsen: Singer

The faroese soprano Birita Poulsen was a participant of Thomas Hampson’s Heidelberger Frühling Liedakademie 2022/23. She has taken part in masterclasses led by Brigitte Fassbaender, Graham Johnson, Susan Manoff, Hartmut Höll and Wolfram Rieger. Birita was a soloist at Händel-Festspiele Karlsruhe and Händel-Festspiele Halle and has sung with the DSO-Berlin with Robin Ticciati and the Konzerthausorchester Berlin with Christoph Eschenbach. She was awarded "faroese young artist of the year 2021" and is an alumna of the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler, Berlin in the class of Christine Schäfer.

Mattias Kapnas: Pianist

Mattias Kapnas is a pianist from the Faroe Islands. He holds a Master’s degree from the Royal Danish Academy of Music, where he studied with Bohumila Jedlickova and Amalie Malling. Mattias plays a wide range of music as well as arranging and composing for acoustic and electronic instruments. Mattias performs regularly as a soloist and with a variety of Faroese artists such the Faroese chamber ensemble "Aldubáran" and folk/rock vocalist Eivør. In addition to his work as a freelance musician, he works as an accompanist for the conservatory preparatory course at the Music School in Tórshavn.