Solene Le Van

• Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, 2nd Place Winner of the Midwestern Region 2021
• Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions, 1st Place Winner (Joyce Castle Award Recipient, Kansas City), 2021
• Léopold Bellan International Music Competition, France, 1st Place Winner (Professional Division, Chant Soliste). 2021
• Ise-Shima International Singing Competition, Japan, 1st Place Winner, 2021
• Classical Singer National Competition, 2nd Place Winner (Professional Division), 2021
• American Prize Competition, 1st Place Winner of the Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award (Art Song), 2021
• Music International Grand Prix, 2nd Place Winner (USA/Europe/Australia/Japan), 2021
• Concours International de Musique "Nouvelles Étoiles", France, 1st Place Winner (Chant, 23-26 yrs), 2021
• Pasadena Vocal Competition, Winner (Special Encouragement Award), 2021
• South Coast Symphony’s Young STARS of the Future Competition, Grand Finalist, 2021
• Music International Grand Prix, 1st Place Winner of the Los Angeles Region (98/100 jury score), 2021
• Orpheus Vocal Competition, Special Prize Winner, 2021
• Camille Coloratura Competition, Encouragement Award Winner, 2020
• Classical Singer Competition, Certified Artist Award (4.8/5 jury score), 2020
• Hennings-Fischer Young Artists Competition, Grand Prize Winner, 2020
• Opera Buffs Incorporation, Grant Recipient for “demonstrated talent and outstanding achievements in opera”, 2020, 2019
• American Prize Competition Ernst Bacon Memorial Award, 1st Place Winner, 2019
• Cultural Services of the French Embassy, Award Recipient, 2018
• Royal College of Music, London, Recipient of First Class Honors with Distinction, 2016
• Princeton University Concerto Competition, Two-Time Winner, 2018, 2016
• David W. Scott Memorial Competition, 1st place and Audience Favorite Winner, 2016
• Young Musicians Foundation Debut Concerto Competition Winner, 2016
• David Weiss Foundation, Scholarship Recipient, 2016
• Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, José Serebrier, Solène Le Van, Sara Cutler, “Last Tango Before Sunset.” Reference Recordings. 2021
• Solène Le Van & Eric Le Van, “Paysages: mélodies by Reynaldo Hahn and Émile Paladilhe.” Sheva Collection. 2021
• Solène Le Van & Eric Le Van, “EXIL: Lieder by Eric Zeisl.” Zeisl Music Catalogue. 2021

Solène Le Van -- Short Biography - 2021

“Never mind how! [Le Van] is nothing short of amazing.”

— Norman Lebrecht, Slipped Disc

A winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council (Midwest), Solène Le Van has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall, the Grimani Palazzo (Italy), the New National Theater Studio (Japan), the Munster International Festival (France), and the Vianden Festival (Luxembourg) under the patronage of the US Embassy.

Following her solo engagement in the American premiere of Handel’s 1741 “Messiah”, she has been selected to sing roles and concert repertoire with the Teatro Nuovo Bel Canto Festival Orchestra, the Young Musicians Foundation Orchestra, the Hollywood Chamber Orchestra, and the Malaga Philharmonic (Spain). This season, she will sing the role of the Shepherd in Festival Theater Hudson’s production of Tannhäuser and perform solo repertoire with the South Coast Symphony and the Burbank Philharmonic.

Le Van has been recognized for outstanding singing ability by organizations such as the Metropolitan Opera (Joyce Castle Award) and the French Embassy (Cultural Services Award). She recently won the “Premier Prix” of the Concours International Léopold Bellan in Paris (Chant Soliste). A recent laureate of the Ise-Shima International Singing Competition in Japan (1st place) and the Classical Singer’s National Competition (2nd place), she is a 1st place winner of the American Prize Competition in Art Song, the Hennings-Fischer Competition, the Ernst Bacon Competition, and the David W. Scott Competition. She has also won top awards from the Music International Grand Prix Competition (2nd place), the Camille Coloratura Awards (Special Prize), and the Pasadena Competition (Special Prize).

“An artist with a clear understanding of the text and situation, gifted with the ability to build a real sense of scena on a bare stage, taking care always — beyond the considerable technical demands of her repertoire — with projecting emotion in a text. Definitely not usual.”

— Mo. David Katz, American Symphony / Assistant to Leopold Stokowski

Le Van will soon release her debut recording of previously unrecorded French mélodies with the internationally distributed label Sheva Collection. An artist with Reference Records, she was selected to sing the soprano solo for the premiere recording of “Colores Magicos”, a symphonic work by legendary conductor José Serebrier. The disc under the maestro’s baton was released this year to positive acclaim.

Le Van received a B.A. from Princeton and first class honors with distinction from the Royal College of Music, London in voice and violin. Le Van currently holds the title of Associate Instructor at the Jacobs School, where she will receive an M.M. in Voice Performance. She co-founded the Jon Fredric West Vocal Academy with her mentor Jon West and also serves as a faculty member. www.solenelevan.net