GWENDOLYN ROBERTS 2025

YOUNG ARTIST OF THE YEAR

WE ARE VERY PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF THE 2025

GWENDOLYN ROBERTS YOUNG ARTIST AWARD

On Saturday, May 10, NATS-LA sponsored the Gwendolyn Roberts Young Artist Auditions at St. Bede's Episcopal Church in Los Angeles.  Adjudicators were Melodee Fernandez, Anthony Moreno, and Mariné Ter-Kazaryan.  Raejin Lee served as chair of the NATS-LA Young Artist Program.

Out of ten auditions, the judges awarded three prizes and an honorable mention:

First Place, $1500 – Joanna Kim (student of Lynn Helding)

Joanna will present a recital in Fall 2025 as our “Young Artist of the Year,” sponsored by the NATS-LA Chapter.

Second Place, $500 – Faith Burnett (student of Michele Patzakis)

Third Place, $300  – Joo Won Chae (student of Elizabeth Hynes)

Honorable Mention – Yngwie Zamarippa (student of Kerry Jennings)

Congratulations to all involved!

first Place, Winner of $1500 Scholarship Award

Joanna Kim

(Student of lynn helding)

Korean-American lyric coloratura soprano Joanna Kim is praised for her "crystal clear" voice and compelling stage presence. She recently appeared as Sophie in Terrence McNally’s Master Class at the Sierra Madre Playhouse, directed by Tim Dang. She participated in the Verdi Marathon in Busseto, Italy, hosted by Mirko Matarazzo, a renowned vocal coach who studied under Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, and Franco Corelli. This summer, Joanna returns to Italy to perform Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Regium Lepidi Opera Company. She will also join the chorus of Pacific Opera Project’s upcoming production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore.

As a Resident Artist at Opera North (2024), she performed Diana (Orphée aux enfers), Cinderella (Into the Woods), and covered Gilda (Rigoletto). Other recent credits include Son in The Juniper Tree by Philip Glass and Robert Moran, Norina (Don Pasquale), Zerlina (Don Giovanni) at the Thornton School of Music, USC, and a concert performance of Star Singer in collaboration with Beth Morrison Project.

Her undergraduate highlights at NEC include Amore (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Amahl, and soprano soloist roles in Handel’s Messiah and Mendelssohn’s Hear My Prayer. Joanna has been a finalist in the Opera Guild Vocal Competition, the Carolyn Bailey and Dominick Argento Vocal Competition, and the Classical Singer Competition (Young Artist Division).

Joanna has also featured various video games' official soundtracks. She was featured in the multi-award-winning video game, Lies of P. She can be heard in her solo track, “Arche Abbey,” streaming on all online platforms. She also appears in the viral Korean YouTube variety show, UMAGAME, singing in the original television soundtrack.

Joanna received her Master’s Degree in Music in Vocal Arts from The Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California (USC), studying under the tutelage of Lynn Helding. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music with a Vocal Performance and Music Education Concentration from the New England Conservatory of Music. 

Second Place, Winner of $500 Scholarship Award

Faith Burnett

(Student of michele patzakis)

Faith Burnett is a classically trained soprano from Spearfish, South Dakota. She moved to California in 2019 to pursue a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at The Master’s University, and recently graduated with a Masters in Vocal Performance from Azusa Pacific University where she studied with Dr. Michele Patzakis.

Faith’s recent performances include starring as Madame Goldentrill in APU’s production of The Impresario by Mozart and appearing as a featured soloist in APU’s Puccini Anniversary Concert, where she performed Quando m’en vo and O mio babbino caro with orchestra. In spring of 2024, she delivered a vibrant portrayal of Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief.

In 2023, Faith expanded her operatic experience internationally at the Vienna Summer Music Festival, singing the roles of the Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte and the Nursing Sister in Suor Angelica. She has also performed numerous partial roles, including Adina (L’Elisir d’Amore), Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), L’Ensoleillad (Chérubin), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), and Cunegonde (Candide), among several more.

In addition to opera, Faith is a frequent soloist in concert settings. In spring of 2024, she was the soprano soloist in The Master’s University’s performance of the Süssmayr completion of Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor. Her other concert credits include being the soprano soloist in performances of Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and John Rutter’s Requiem and Gloria.

Faith has earned recognition for her vocal talent through various awards, including second place in the Advanced College Division of the 2024 NATS-LA Collegiate Competition. She has also participated in masterclasses with esteemed artists such as George Shirley and Reid Bruton.

In addition to being a performer, Faith loves to share the joy of singing through teaching voice and strives to inspire students in the same way her teachers have inspired her.

Third Place, Winner of $300 Scholarship Award

Joo Won Chae

(Student of elizabeth hynes)

honorable mention Winner

Yngwie Zamarippa

(student of Kerry Jennings)

Yngwie Slassh Zamarippa is a Mexican American tenor from San Juan Capistrano. He received his BM in 2022 and is currently in the process of completing his Artist Diploma at CSUF. Some of his recent performances include The Barber of Seville with Pacific Symphony: opera for everyone and Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with International Lyric Academy in Vicenza, Italy and once again at CSUF. When he is not performing opera, he teaches voice at Magnolia High school and sings with professional choirs, which include Pacific Chorale and Choral Arts Initiative. He recently got accepted into Prima Voce Emerging Artists for the 2025 season and will be performing later this Fall.