Many young singers have not yet reached the level required to win a prize at the NEUE STIMMEN singing competition. Perhaps their stage presence or vocal interpretation has not yet matured, or their choice of repertory is not well suited to their vocal development. Nevertheless, many of these talented young singers are particularly deserving of encouragement and support.

“It is the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s goal to continue, even after the competition has ended, to provide support for the careers and personal development of highly talented young singers. We want to prepare them in a very concrete way for the demands of a career in today’s world of opera,” declares Liz Mohn, president of the NEUE STIMMEN competition and vice-chair of the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Executive Board.

With this goal in mind, since February of 1997 the Bertelsmann Stiftung has offered an international master class for up to 15 former participants in the biennial NEUE STIMMEN competition, with the master class being held in the years between competitions. This is an opportunity for these young singers to spend a week working on their vocal skills and expression as well as their musical interpretation and stage presence, free of the pressure of competition. In addition, experts give talks on topics such as auditions, agency referrals and contract and tax law, offering the young singers additional practical information for their professional careers.

It has become traditional for the participants in the master class to conclude their week by presenting a final concert for approximately 300 guests at the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

Since 2010, the International Master Class has put on a gala concert in the Gütersloh theater. The concert given by the 14 young and highly talented Master Class participants was received enthusiastically by the audience in the sold out theater, who applauded for several minutes. For the singers, the concert was another opportunity to perform on stage in real conditions in front of a large audience - an opportunity they appreciated greatly and very much enjoyed, despite their busy schedule during the Master Class.