This message is being sent on behalf of Tracy Dahl, Instructor, Desautels Faculty of Music

Dear Voice Music students,

The applications are open for the Zita Bernstein German Lieder Competition 2025-26. The deadline to submit your application is Friday, November 7th - 4:30 p.m.

Any Full-time Music student in Undergraduate voice program are invited to apply. Attached you will find the application form. Application form must be signed by Major Practical Study instructor.

Our adjudicators for the preliminaries will be faculty members, Dr. Laura Loewen, and Katherine Twaddle who will be joined by Sara Schabas. We are so pleased that Sara Schabas can join us and lend her expertise in the field of German Lied with our students with her written comments. Please see Sara’s bio to learn more about this new member of our musical community.

The finals will take place on January 18th at 2 p.m. in DCH. Michael McMahon, C.M. will be our guest instructor and head panelist for the finals. We are just thrilled that Canada’s expert on Lied is going to be with us. As we have had in years past Michael will be doing masterclasses over two classes after the competition as well as adjudicating.

Joining Michael on the panel will be Andriana Chuchman and Rob Herriot. Rob Herriot, stage director, actor, and singer has been one of our panel for many years who will by flying back from Vancouver where he is directing Cosi Fan Tutti. Andriana Chuchman, who has in recent years adjudicated our preliminary rounds will be part of our panel for the finals. This is an exciting and diverse team for the students for the preliminaries and for the finals.

All guest bios are attached, please take a moment to read about our panelists.

Please note these important dates:

Preliminary Round

December 4th, in the VAR T2-266 at 4 p.m.

Final Round

January 18th, 2026 in DCH starting at 2 p.m.

Guest masterclasses

Masterclasses with Michael McMahon will happen on Monday and Tuesday, January 19th and 20th - 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Please read the form carefully. You are now required to include the timing of your Lieder set. You are allowed up to 15 minutes but your set may not be that long and for calculating the competition we need the timing of your set.

The preliminary round will take place during the masterclass slot and continue past the 5:30 p.m. class time. Attendance will be taken. You are encouraged to stay as long as you are able and listen and support your colleagues.

Finally, if you or your collaborative pianist have a conflict on the day of the preliminaries please let me know at Tracy.Dahl@umanitoba.camailto:Tracy.Dahl@umanitoba.ca . We understand that many of you have choir jobs in the evening on Thursday and will do our best to accommodate your request.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact music@umanitoba.camailto:music@umanitoba.ca.

Sincerely,

Tracy Dahl