Adjunct Professor
Voice
Contact Information
Courses
Applied Voice
Vocal Repertoire Ensemble
Degrees
BM Instituto Domingo Zpoli
Tecnicatura - Vocal Performance in Opera from Institute of Art of Teatro Coln - Buenos Aires, Argentina
AD Duquesne University
Biography
Hailed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as a "beautifully voiced singer-actor" and by Pittsburgh Magazine as "a mezzo-soprano/actress of striking voice," Raquel Winnica Young is equally comfortable performing early music, new music, and chamber music. With deep roots in the folklore of her native Argentina, and particular interest in Spanish, Latin American, and South American concert music, Winnica Young's career has taken her to concert halls throughout the Americas and Europe.
Recent performances in the United States include two world premiere operas (Looking for Violeta with Quantum Theatre and the English language version of The Mother of Fishes with Alia Musica Pittsburgh) and tours with two renowned early music ensembles: the Grammy-winning group Apollo's Fire, in their program "O Jerusalem," and Minnesota's Rose Ensemble in their final touring program, "Voices of Angels." Recent international performances include the title role of Gluck's Orfeo and Euridice in Crdoba, Argentina, and the closing performance of the musicological conference IV Jornada Internacional Patrimonio Historico in Puebla, Mexico. Other recent Spanish-language collaborations include a recital of Mexican, Bolivian, Chilean, and Argentinean folk music for City of Asylum with guitar player Dieter Hennings-Yeomans, and as a guest soloist with Chatham Baroque in their program Alegria.
Raquel Winnica Young was a finalist of the Vocal Art Song Discovery Series DC 2016, a two-time winner of the Pittsburgh Concert Society Major Artist Competition, a finalist in 2017 and 2018 for the American Prize in Art Song and Oratorio, and a 2018 finalist and 2016 semifinalist of the American Prize in Chamber Music with the Bell'Art Ensemble.
Other performances include as an alto soloist with the early music group Il Sonar Parlante in Ferrara, Italy; solo performances with theorbist Scott Pauley at the International Baroque festival "Camino de las Estancias" in Crdoba, Argentina; alto soloist in The Armed Man Mass by Karl Jenkins with the Blair Concert Chorale; the role of Hermione in the world premiere of the opera Winter's Tale with Quantum Theatre, Chatham Baroque, and Attack Theater; the role of Pi in the world premiere of the opera Constellations by Efrain Amaya in Philadelphia; and the title role in Frida by Xavier Rodriguez with Microscopic Opera Company and as cover with Michigan Opera Theater.
Past international performances include C.P.E. Bach's Die Israeliten in der Wste and the title role of Orfeo ed Euridice in Argentina; Handel's La Resurrezione at the Bach Festival in Lausanne, Switzerland; the world premiere opera Marianita Limenia by Valdo Sciamarella in Buenos Aires; and the European tour of the opera Medeamaterial by Pascal Dusapin with Remix Ensemble. Closer to home, she sang Messiah with Chatham Baroque and Pittsburgh concert Chorale; recitals with the Newberry Consort in Chicago, Illinois, and Durango, Mexico, as part of the Festival Musica del Virreynato; Vivaldi's Gloria at the Strings Music Festival (Colorado); Die Zauberflte (Third Lady) with Apollo's Fire in Cleveland; Artemisia (Alindo) with Helios Early Opera in Boston; and Durufle's Requiem with the Altoona Symphony.
With Quantum Theatre, she also performed the principal role in Astor Piazzolla's Maria de Buenos Aires and Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar, where her portrayal of Federico Garca Lorca earned her a spot on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's "Best of 2012" lists. Winnica Young has performed as soloist with the Pittsburgh Camerata, Chatham Baroque, Pittsburgh Baroque Ensemble, Alia Musica of Pittsburgh, Steel City Men's Chorale, and the Johnstown (Pa.) Symphony.
She is a founding member of the Bell'Art Ensemble and the Living Room Chamber Music Project concert series, producing over 12 performances a year around the Pittsburgh region with creative and interdisciplinary chamber music projects. In 2015, she founded the Pittsburgh-based early music ensemble Musica Mundana with harpsichordist Justin Wallace.
Winnica Young has given recitals in the most prestigious concert halls and music festivals in Argentina: Llao Llao Music Festival, Martha Argerich Music Festival, Sans Souci Palace Series, Ciclo de Conciertos El Rincon, Manuel de Falla, and Virrey Liniers Museums Concert Series. In Pittsburgh, she was a featured artist on the 2014 and 2016 Rodef Shalom Concert Series.
Born in Cordoba, Argentina, Young holds a degree from the prestigious Instituto de Arte del Teatro Colon and an artist diploma from Duquesne University. She participated in the EPCASO summer music program (Oderzo, Italy), Interharmony Music Festival (San Francisco), Oberlin Baroque Summer Institute, Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute, Vancouver Early Music Festival, and American Bach Soloists Academy.
Winnica Young is adjunct faculty in the voice department of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches applied voice. She also directs the opera workshop for Carnegie Mellon University's Summer Pre-College Music program. She has given masterclasses at Universidad Provincial de Crdoba, Pittsburgh's Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) High School, and Point Park University.
Links
Raquel Winnica Young's website
Bell'Art Ensemble