GWENDOLYN ROBERTS 2022
YOUNG ARTIST OF THE YEAR
We are very proud to announce the winners of the 2022
Gwendolyn Roberts Young Artist Award.
"YAA Singer of the Year" - 1st place - Claire Pegram, Soprano (student of Elizabeth Hynes)
Los Angeles-based soprano Claire Pegram will next join the LA Opera Chorus for its production of Aida in May 2022, previously postponed due to the COVID-19 crises. Ms. Pegram also sings with the LA Master Chorale and was most recently seen performing Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Other recent Walt Disney Concert Hall engagements include The Weimar Republic Festival with Esa-Pekka Salonen and LA Master Chorale, the world premiere of Gabriela Ortiz's “Yanga,” and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel.
As a soloist, Ms. Pegram recently joined The Opera Buffs Inc. in Pasadena, CA in September 2021 for the “New Voices - Concert of Discovery” program, singing a selection of arias and duets. In 2019, Pegram joined as the title role in the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute’s production of G.F. Handel’s Rodelinda. Other engagements with the Institute included Sophie in Massenet’s Werther (2019), the Governess in The Turn of the Screw (2018), Mélisande in Impressiones de Pelléas (2018), and Tisbe in La Cenerentola (2018).
Claire Pegram received the Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute in North Carolina in 2019. She received her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the University of Michigan in 2016. Ms. Pegram currently lives in Los Angeles and teaches privately. More at https://clairepegram.com/
2nd place - David Ingram, Baritone
(student of Hugo Vera)
David Ingram is a graduate from the University of Arizona with a bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance. David has over 13 years of experience performing for audiences and has performed in China, Mexico, and all over the US in roles such as John Styx, Paris, and Dr. Caius.
David is excited to be continuing his education at Cal State University Northridge under Maestro Dr. Hugo Vera. David most recently performed the role of Don Alfonso in CSUN Opera’s production of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte in early April of this year and is currently working on the role of Dr. Austin Sloper for the premier of Washington Square by Felix Jarrar at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in June. David expects to graduate with his Masters in Vocal Performance in spring 2023.
3rd place - Niko Murakami, Soprano
(student of Shigemi Matsumoto)
Niko Murakami, soprano, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music - Vocal Performance from California State University Long Beach and earned her Master’s degree in Vocal Performance at California State University Northridge (CSUN).
Ms. Murakami’s roles include Rose Maurrant in Street Scene, La Princesse in L’enfant et les Sortiléges, Zelatrice in Suor Angelica, the First Child Spirit in Die Zauberflöte, Mercury in Dido and Aeneas, and Bennie in On Gold Mountain.
Niko is studying classical voice with Shigemi Matsumoto.