Testimonials
Past Winners and Participants
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What winning the d'Angelo Competition meant to me? It was the first major competition I won. The financial boost provided by winning freed me to complete some of the professional requirements to further my early career i.e. have professional photographs taken, further study and coaching without financial concerns. As a young aspiring singer, it gave me recognition and the opportunity to perform with the Erie Philharmonic, an important first step on the road to a serious opera career. What was the importance of winning for my career? It was the springboard for my participation in the San Francisco Opera Merola program. While in San Francisco I won the regional Metropolitan Opera Competition leading directly to singing and winning the finals at which Pavorotti and Domingo were judges. While at the San Francisco regional Met auditions I won a grant to participate in international vocal competitions. This I did and as a result I won the silver medal in the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and the gold medal in the Munich Competition. Winning the Munich Competition led to a concert/audition for Maestro Sawallisch, singing on the same stage as some big opera names, Herman Prey, Reri Grist, James Morris, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Hildegard Behrens et al. Directly from that concert, I sang my first Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos in Munich and within three months I sang Zerbinetta in Vienna, the Met, Hamburg and later in Basel with Ann Sophie von Otter. Thereafter agents appeared and from then on I was seriously on my way to an international career. In fact my next performance will be as Konstanza in Abduction from the Seraglio with Emmanuel Music here in Boston on May 9. Abduction is an opera in which I have sung the role of Blonde fifty times in the world's major opera houses. Without that first crucial step in winning the d'Angelo Competition who knows what direction my career may have taken! On a personal note, I remember your parents coming to hear me sing at the Met. I kept in touch with your parents for many years at Christmas time and then lost sight of them, not realizing that they had moved to nearby Edgewood, literally fifteen minutes away from Andover where I have lived with my husband and two girls for the last seventeen years. What a pleasant surprise it was to find them in the audience when I sang a concert at Edgewood. Happily, I got to see your Dad before he passed, as bubbly and delightful as I remember him. Your Mom will get to hear me again at Edgewood on Sunday, March 8 at 2:00PM. I will sing some Debussy which I plan to dedicate to your Father's memory. These same songs I sang at the d'Angelo competition all those years ago. -
I remember meeting Dr. D'Angelo. He was so kind and excited about the event. I loved participating in the competition because it included opera, song and a wide range of music. Being able to sing in many styles is one of my strongest points and I knew I had a good chance of winning. I was also excited to be participating in a competition so near to Cleveland, OH, where I grew up. It was a pleasure to be there and to perform the full recital. The money I won helped me to continue my studies with my voice teacher, Fred Carama and my coach, at the time, Gabriel Guimaraes. I was also able to go on an audition tour in Europe, which was instrumental to my current success. Thank you so much! -
Winning the D'Angelo competition and performing with the Erie Philharmonic was a wonderful experience. I was a freshman at Juilliard at the time, and it gave me confidence in my future as a performer. After I graduated and moved to Italy, the experience of winning the D'Angelo and other competitions allowed me to have the confidence to perform on the great stages of Europe and the world. Now, as a Professor at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, I even more fully appreciate the opportunities the D'Angelo Competition offered generations of musicians. I remember him to be a kind and generous man and was blessed to be one of the many people he assisted. -
The 1989 D’Angelo Young Artists Competition provided an enormous boost to my musical career, as it was the first and largest international competition that I had won up to that point, and the substantial award provided me funds to purchase the Bechstein grand piano that I still play today. My prize-winner concerts with the Erie Philharmonic and Chautauqua Festival Orchestra remain landmarks in my performance career, and I remain deeply grateful for Dr. D’Angelo’s vision and support for the arts. His legacy will live on! -
I feel so fortunate to have had the pleasure to know Dr. D'Angelo. His kindness and generosity made a great impression on me. I am very proud to have been a winner of the competition that bears his name. Dr. D'Angelo's passion and commitment to the arts were inspiring. He has left a beautiful legacy. -
To this day I cannot teach or perform the Brahms Violin Concerto without remembering the thrill of the first time I performed it with orchestra, in Erie, Pennsylvania, with the Erie Philharmonic under the baton of Walter Hendl. And while a career in music is never an easy business, mine was aided immeasurably by the good fortune of winning the D’Angelo Young Artist Competition in 1986. Dr. D’Angelo’s love of music and extraordinary generosity will be gratefully remembered by the generations of musicians whose careers he helped to launch. -
I feel very honored to have known George D'Angelo and have always felt fortunate to have been named a winner of the D'Angelo Young Artist Competition. The award came at a crucial time in my career when this honor (and substantial monetary award), was a great help in establishing my credentials. In addition, the competition resulted in performances with the Erie Philharmonic and the Chautauqua Symphony. Years later I had the privilege of being on the jury of the competition with many distinguished judges. George and Mary always showed a great interest in my performances and I was very touched when they attended my New York recital debut at Lincoln Center. The D'Angelos and the D'Angelo Young Artist Competition will always have a special place in my heart. -
I’m a very grateful winner of the D’Angelo Competition. Please count me among those who have deep appreciation for the opportunities that Dr. D’Angelo made possible. -
B
efore winning the D'Angelo International Young Artist Competition in 1987, I had individuals from my hometown try to convince me that I wouldn't obtain any of my musical goals that I had set for myself. They told me that I should just stay home. I wanted to prove them wrong, so with full scholarship in hand I traveled to Boston, Massachusetts where I had earned a Master's Degree in Vocal Performance with distinction from the New England Conservatory of Music. After that, winning the D'Angelo International Young Artist Competition in 1987 validated my beliefs that I had the qualities needed to be successful in the classical/operatic world. The event was in it's 11th year when I had the opportunity to meet Phyllis Curtin, William Warfield, Jonathan Friend, Larry Sayre, Eugene Cohn, Sam Rotman and especially Dr. and Mrs George J. D'Angelo. The day after the event, the euphoria continued as I shared a wonderful lunch with the D'Angelo's along with their friends Dr. & Mrs. Peter Scibetta. Later they treated me to a fabulous boat ride on Lake Erie and even allowed me to steer their boat. I truly felt like "La Donna del Lago". I had received a phone call from Gina D'Angelo regarding a memorial tribute she was planning for her father and all those wonderful memories surfaced. That evening at the Tech Memorial Auditorium was the start of a wonderful year. I performed a vocal recital at the Mercyhurst University, was a featured soloist with the Erie Philharmonic directed by Walter Hendl in the Warner Auditorium, and was guest artist at the Chautauqua Institution with their music school's Festival Youth Symphony conducted by Nathan Gottschalk in the Amphitheatre. Many prestigious awards, events and performances have crossed my path since that glorious moment. I was a winner in the Luciano Pavarotti International Competition, the Baltimore International Opera Voice Competition, the Metropolitan Opera Eastern Regional Competition, Washington International Competition, Enrico Caruso International Voice Competition, New Jersey State Opera Competition, MacAllister Award, and the Gerda Lissner Competition. I also went on to perform repertoire including Flaminia in Haydn's Il Mondo della Luna, Fiordiligi in Cosi fan Tutte, Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, Celestial Voice in Don Carlo, Lucy in The Telephone, Norina in Don Pasquale. Currently the principal soloist with the Bel Canto Lyric Opera Company, and performed with orchestras that featured New Compositions. Featured artist for the Calvary Centennial Gala in Philadelphia, PA and also at the Marian Anderson Memorial Guild of New Jersey. I've worked with noted conductors and coaches such as Boris Goldovsky, Edoardo Muller, Wolfgang Sawallisch, John Moriarty, Christopher Macatoris, Cecelia Schieve, Rhoda Levine, Albert Takazauckas, Richard Getke and Danielle Orlando. I even released my first classical CD recording "Mosaics in Music". Becky Ames, the Mayor of the city of Beaumont, Texas presented me with the Key to the City. J.W. Pepper & Son Music Company and vocal performances in many cities in the United States round out my current status. The international portion of my career has not materialized at this moment, but I know that it will with the continued efforts on my part and the intervention of my heavenly angels like Dr. George J. D'Angelo. -
First Prize winner of D’Angelo Piano competition Natasha Snitkovsky has performed extensively in recitals, with orchestras, and in chamber appearances in the New England Area, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Louisiana, California, Indiana, and Ohio. In 1982 she performed in recital at Carnegie Hall, and has been a soloist with the American Wind Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she has been a featured soloist at the Bedford Springs Festival, and has appeared at the “Mostly Mozart Festival” at Heinz Hall. Media exposures have included performance appearances on the “Pittsburgh 2 Day” television program of CBS Group W, affiliate, KDKA, on WQED fine Arts radio station. She was also interviewed on Bloomberg Radio WBBR in New York City about importance of music education for children, and was included in “Who’s Who Among American Teachers” 2003. She has presented Master classes in Japan, Taiwan, Israel, Mexico, and Italy. Her students won many national and international competitions. Ms. Snitkovsky is on the faculty of Duquesne University. She is the co-founder of City Music Center of Duquesne University. She is an Artistic Director and a Chair of Piano Department at CMC. She is also Director of Duquesne Young Artist National Competition. -
My journey as a professional musician started in the former Soviet Union and in Israel. Throughout my childhood and into my college years, I studied with some of the greatest musicians and received tremendous knowledge from them. In Israel I had the good fortune to meet Sasha Korsantia, Prizewinner of the Rubinstein Piano Master Competition. Sasha encouraged me to come to the United States to become a member of the studio of Maestro Alexander Toradze. I found out about the D'Angelo Young Artist Competition from my friend who told me that it is one of the major piano competitions in the United States. I sent my application and I was chosen as one of the participants for this competition. The organization of this competition was outstanding. All competitors experienced an atmosphere of friendship because of the main ingredient of the competition was pure music. We had the opportunity to meet Dr. and Mrs. D'Angelo on one of the receptions right after the finals. They were very nice and welcoming. They definitely came to enjoy the music and not to be involved in the decisions of the judges and the whole competition procedure. The Jury of the 2001 D'Angelo Young Artist Competition consisted of imminent professors from Julliard, Curtis and other prestigious conservatories: Abbey Simon, György Sándor, Jacob Lateiner, Susan Starr. Competitors had to prepare a very challenging program for three solo rounds but at the end three finalists could enjoy performing with the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra. After the results we had an opportunity to talk to the members of the jury about our playing. We also had wonderful and cheerful conversations with George and Mary D'Angelo. As a result of this completion, I have performed on some of the biggest stages in the world. I am grateful and humble to have had this magical experience in my life. It gave me confidence and a completely new approach to musicianship. -
I first met Dr. George D’Angelo in the spring of 1981, when I was a participant in the D’Angelo Young Artist Competition. He and Mrs. D’Angelo were enthusiastic and gracious hosts for the competitors during the competition. I was fortunate enough to win first prize that year and had the opportunity to get to know the D'Angelo's a bit better over the next few years. The D’Angelo Young Artist Competition had a huge impact on my career. It came at a time when I was struggling for exposure and validation for my career. As a result of the competition, I received two performances in the following years with the Erie Philharmonic. One was in Erie and the other was at Chautauqua. I was privileged to work with Maestro Walter Hendl and received reviews for both of those concerts. Young artists are always in need of reviews at the beginning of a career, especially good ones, so that they can market themselves and get other jobs. The genius of the D’Angelo Young Artist Competition for me was that it recognized that young artists need financial help, but they also need assistance in getting up the ladder. A major way to help a young artist is to offer a performance opportunity. In the years following those performances in Erie and at Chautauqua, the D'Angelo's kept in touch. They were interested to hear of my career. When I made my Metropolitan Opera debut, they came to New York to be in the audience to support me. It meant a great deal to me that they were there and were so hospitable to me and my family. My father often spoke of Dr. D’Angelo and what a wonderful conversation they had at one of the events. I know that one of the things discussed was Dr. D’Angelo’s enthusiasm for the Mediterranean diet and its health benefits. That may seem a strange memory to have, but it sums up Dr. D’Angelo to me. He was generous, easy to talk to, interested in people and new ideas, he enjoyed music, and he shared himself, his talents and his gifts with others when it was most needed. When I think of Dr. D’Angelo, I remember his smile and his generous spirit. -
It is indeed my greatest privilege to have known Dr. D'Angelo for much of my adult life. Your dad and mom made such an indelible mark in my life with their generosity and passion for music and musician. I am so fortunate to have known your dad and your mom. His vast generosity came at most crucial time at the beginning of my career or for that matter of many other young musicians' career as well. Winning the D'Angelo International Competition was one of my proudest achievements - to be inducted to the family of George and Mary. George is the greatest, my wife and I will sorely miss him. -
I call this a reflection small world big heart! His competition was an impetus for my career. It was a proud moment for me as my Godmother traveled from Buffalo to hear me. He followed his winners and cheered them on not only financially, but also emotionally. In most competitions you win and that’s it. We stayed in touch. In 1995 he was going to come to my wedding in New York City. We had all the rooms in the Beacon hotel booked. I came down to the front desk to frequently check who had arrived to see if they needed anything. It was very late. The young man at the desk said everyone has check in except for Robert D'Angelo. I told him I was sure Dr. D'Angelo would be coming, unless he had an emergency surgery. The young man asked if he was a heart doctor? “I said yes.” Then he asked, "is he from Erie, PA?" I answered “yes,” the young man said,"He took care of my Mom and did her surgery, she lives in Erie." He is an incredible man. I will hold that room for as long as it takes. It would be an honor to see him again. Unfortunately your Dad was unable to get away. I am not sure who was more disappointed! In 1998, I went on for the role of Laura in La Gioconda at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Little did I know your Dad was in the audience. He sent a note backstage during intermission. I sent one back for him to be escorted to my dressing room. We all went out to Greektown and celebrated. Your father said, “When I first saw the man come out to make an announcement, I thought he was going to say Jane Eaglan was ill. Instead he announced the mezzo soprano was ill and Eleni Matos would be taking her place”. I have never been so pleased and surprised by a cancellation! Your father was a beautiful soul! May his memory be eternal and it will, as it lives on through all the people he made a difference in their lives. He made a difference in mine! -
I remember him fondly, despite the fact that it has already been twenty years. The 1995 D'Angelo Young Artist Competition became a cornerstone event in my musical career. When I came to Erie in 1995, I was still a student at the Moscow Conservatory, and winning the competition that your parents so generously sponsored over the years, meant that I was on my way from being a student to becoming an artist. Even after twenty years, I vividly remember every moment of the D'Angelo Competition, its superb organization and especially, the audience's exhilarating reception in the final round. Additionally, I was very happy and grateful to return to Erie a year later and perform two concerts on stage of the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center. Later in my career I became a laureate of some of the world's most important music competitions, in London, Zurich and Porto, but these victories would not have happened if it weren't for those three life-changing days in Erie, a true catalyst of my musical career. -
Thank you, Dr. D'Angelo and Mrs. D'Angelo for your selfless love of the Arts. As a recipient of your scholarship, I was able to pursue my vocal music career. It enabled me to take lessons, coachings, and pay for travel fees to and from various opera, concert and recital venues. Recently, I spoke with Gina and I looked over to a picture of a sketch of a piano and on the back was a hand written note thanking me for being a part of your 50th Wedding Anniversary. It hangs in my living room with great honor. Thank you and may Dr. D'Angelo rest in eternal peace surrounded by beautiful music!