The grant that I received in 1974 meant so much to me and to the development of my career and for the people that I studied with, as it allowed me to continue to work with them. You really have no idea. It is such an incredible pleasure today for me to be able to perform and give back a little, just a little, of what I received many years ago.
-Neil Shicoff, after singing a benefit recital for the George London Foundation

The George London Foundation Awards competition is one of the oldest vocal competitions in the United States and Canada, offering among the most substantial awards. Through the annual juried competition for outstanding young North American opera singers (U.S. or Canadian citizens 35 years of age and under), more than $70,000 is awarded to the most promising performers.

2008 Competition Winners!

2007 Competition Winners

2009 Competition Awards

• Four George London Awards of $10,000
• One George London/Kirsten Flagstad Award sponsored by the New York Community Trust in the amount of $10,000.
• Six Encouragement Grants of $1,000.

Some of the winners perform in the George London Foundation Recital Series. No fee is charged to the applicants or competitors, a pianist is provided for the competition rounds and the prizes are announced immediately.

Singers for the preliminary auditions are selected from a pool of close to 300 applicants and are chosen by a panel of advisers.

2009 Competition Information

Preliminaries, March 17 - March 19

Finals, March 20, 4 pm

The preliminaries will be at the Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67th Street. The finals will take place in the Gilder Lehrman Hall at the Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Avenue at 37th Street. Tickets to the event are $20 (free for series subscribers)