Welcome, WIC Voice 2026 Semifinalists! This page includes all the shared information you need for your weekend in Washington, DC. Please see your email for specifics on rehearsal and performance times, your assigned pianist, and housing information, if relevant. Questions? Please contact Trudi Benford or Yuri Chayama at WICVoice@fmmc.org or the phone numbers listed at the bottom of this page.

 

Semifinals – Saturday, May 23, all day
When: Venue opens to semifinalists at 8:30 AM, first performance is at 10:05AM
Where: Phillips Hall (Lower Level), George Washington University, 801 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC
Details: You should have received a personalized email with your specific times for a guaranteed rehearsal room, your rehearsal with pianist, and your performance. There may be other open rooms and spaces for you to rehearse outside of the time offered on a first come, first-served basis. All auditions are open to the public and you are welcome to sit in and listen during the day.

The semifinal round will function similarly to a standard audition format. You get to select and begin with your first piece, and from there, the judges will choose additional selections from your submitted repertoire. They may stop you during a piece and move on to another selection in order to hear as much as possible within the allotted 20 minutes.

While you should be fully prepared to perform all submitted repertoire, please note that not all pieces will be heard due to time constraints. Reminder that all repertoire, even oratorio, must be memorized for all events.

 

Finalist Announcement and Feedback Session – Saturday, May 23, ~6:30PM
Important: Please return to the semifinals venue by 6:15PM to be ready to hear the announcement of finalists and meet with the judges for feedback. We expect the finalists to be announced around 6:30PM. Those advancing to the finals will be told the approximately 15 minutes of repertoire selected for them by the jury, in addition to the piece they have chosen for themselves.

 

Semifinalist Happy Hour – Saturday, May 23
When: 7:30PM–9:30 PM
Where: Duke’s Grocery – Foggy Bottom, 2000 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite #122, Washington, DC 20006
Details: After the semifinals on Saturday, we are hosting a social gathering for you and your fellow semifinalists. This will be a chance to unwind, enjoy a drink and appetizers on us, and meet other talented singers in a fun setting within walking distance of the semifinals venue.

 

Finals Rehearsals – Sunday, May 24
When: Beginning 9:45AM
Where: The Harris Theatre, George Mason University, 4471 Aquia Creek Lane, Fairfax, VA
Details: Finalists will have 30 minutes to rehearse on Sunday morning and 20 minutes to perform during the Finals performance.

 

Finals & Awards Ceremony – Sunday, May 24
When: 2:00 PM
Where: The Harris Theatre, George Mason University, 4471 Aquia Creek Lane, Fairfax, VA
Details: Finalists have the opportunity to choose one piece of no more than 5 minutes to open their finals program; all were asked for this selection in the email sent with personalized information. Judges will select the balance of repertoire to be performed. All 20 minutes of music will be performed in a concert setting without interruption for the finals. All semifinalists are welcome to attend; even if you don’t advance, please come support your fellow artists!

 

Housing
For those who requested housing, you should have received an email with details and contact information for your host. If you haven’t yet connected, please contact your host to arrange the details of your arrival. They have also been given your name and contact information. A reminder that you are responsible for your own transportation in Washington, DC, though some hosts may choose to offer assistance.

 

Pianist Contact
You will have only 20 minutes to rehearse with your pianist on May 23. Therefore, we encourage you to reach out to your pianist to coordinate tempos, cuts, and other musical details. They welcome your input and will be happy to hear from you. Your pianist contact info was provided via email, and you were assigned to one of the below:

Please note: contestants may not arrange or pay for additional rehearsal time outside of the competition unless you already have an established working relationship with the pianist.

 

WIC Contacts for the Weekend
Feel free to text or call any of us if you need help or have questions leading up to the competition or during the weekend. We are here to ensure you have the information you need!
Trudi Benford, WIC Voice Chair: (301) 758-9306
Yuri Chayama, WIC Voice Co-Chair: (505) 803-0758
Eunju Kwak, Onsite Coordination: (571) 392-1399
Daryl Yoder, Director, FMMC Foundation: (740) 972-1987