Laura Kosar of Plainsboro will participate in the CoOPERAtive Program, an opera training program at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton in July. She is one of 19 singers selected from hundreds from around the world who auditioned to be a CoOPERAtive Young Artist.
A 2011 graduate of High School North, she is a rising senior at the University of Delaware, where she studies music education. She is active in UD Opera Theater, having performed Musetta in “La Boheme” and Suor Genovieffa in “Suor Angelica.” She is also a member of the University of Delaware Chorale, having toured in Provence, France, and Dallas, Texas; and the Collegium Musicum, recently performing as Filia in Carissimi’s oratorio, “Historie di Jephte.”
Kosar is also active in the Wilmington music scene. She frequently solos with the Mastersingers of Wilmington, with whom she will sing the soprano solo of Poulenc’s Gloria in the fall. She also participates in Opera Delaware, where she will sing the role of Despina-Pig in a child outreach production of “The Three Little Pigs,” with music by Mozart. She plans to student teach next spring and audition for master’s programs in voice performance.
Kosar was born in Plainsboro. Her parents, Diane and Anthony Kosar, both studied music in college. Anthony is a professor of music theory at Westminster, and Diane teaches special education preschool at Millstone River School.
“I’ve always loved singing, but my first formal singing experience was the summer before middle school, when I attended the middle school vocal institute at Westminster,” she says.
At Community Middle School, she sang with “Gal’s Group,” the female a capella group, and did the school musicals. In high school she sang in “Out of the Blue,” the mixed a capella group, “Silver Lining,” the female a capella group, and the school musicals. She joined the choir in her junior year of high school. Her summers during high school included programs at Westminster and a summer program at Oberlin Conservatory for solo voice.
“All my music teachers at the WW-P schools encouraged me to continue singing and making music,” she says. “In high school my private teachers encouraged me to become more serious about singing and recognized that it was not just a hobby for me.” She took private voice lessons with various teachers at Westminster Conservatory including Tracey Chebra.
Her private teachers also introduced her to different competitions and summer programs for serious singers her age. “I remember how surprised I was when I attended my first solo vocal summer program, about how seriously the faculty talked to us about pursuing singing careers,” she says. “That was the first time I felt like I had a chance at singing for a living.”
Her three older brothers are Tony, 26, who is working on his master’s degree in philosophy in Freiburg, Germany; Chris, 25, received a master’s degree in jazz saxophone and is playing on cruise ships; and Nick, 23, who is working on his doctorate in math at the University of Illinois.
“I’ve always been serious about music, and going into high school I knew that I at least wanted to study music in college — either singing or violin and viola,” she says. “All I know now is that I love opera and I want to continue to study singing for as long as I can.”
“I’m still not sure what kind of career I want; I imagine being a teacher of some sort — either in a public school music program or for private voice lessons,” she says.
“I’ve known about CoOPERAtive since high school, when I became interested in opera,” she says. “I never thought I would get accepted into such a program because the singers are all near-professional sounding.” She chose to audition in person and prepared a few songs and one operatic aria.
“Opera is not the most popular art form in America today, and it may seem silly that so many singers dedicate years of their life to master operatic singing. Being able to sing over an orchestra, without any sort of microphones or amplification, while portraying a character on stage and following a conductor is extremely challenging and takes years and years of training,” she says. “As a junior in college, I just had my first opera role, and having to meet these demands, even though I was nowhere near the level of professionals, was one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever faced as a musician, and at the same time one of the most thrilling experiences I’ve had in my life.”
Presented by professionals in the field of opera, the CoOPERAtive Program helps young singers prepare for acceptance into an advanced young artist or summer apprentice program. It is distinguished by its personal approach to developing a customized program for each singer. The faculty assesses the strengths of each participant, nurtures each singer’s talents, and assists in their skill development.
The three-week program includes private coaching focusing on operatic style, performance techniques, dramatic presentation, language and diction, body awareness, and resume and application advice. Kosar’s schedule will include sessions with some of the country’s leading conductors, stage directors, and pianists.
“I’ve learned so much about myself, my work ethic and personal expression, through singing,” she says. “Opera is such a meaningful art form to me.”
Throughout the three weeks, emerging artists will perform in recitals, concerts, and master classes that will be open to the public, free of charge. Area opera lovers are invited to attend these events and watch these talented singers perform as they take the next step in their operatic careers.
Students will perform in both operatic aria concerts and art song recitals at Bristol Chapel. Master classes led by leaders in the operatic field will be held in Princeton High School.
CoOPERAtive Program, Westminster Choir College, Bristol Chapel, 101 Walnut Lane, Princeton. Free. All programs at 7:30 p.m. 609-924-7416. www.rider.edu.
Wednesdays, July 2, 9, and 16; Friday, July 11; Saturday, July 19; and Sunday, July 6. “Operatic Arias” concert presented by program participants.
Saturdays, July 5 and 12; and Thursday, July 17. “Art Song” recital presented by program participants.
Tuesday, July 15, 7:30 p.m. “Dear March, Come In, American Women Poets in Song” recital presented by program participants.
CoOPERAtive Program, Westminster Choir College, Princeton High School, Princeton. Free. All programs at 7:30 p.m. 609-924-7416. www.rider.edu.
Thursday, July 3. Pierre Vallet master class.
Monday, July 7. Eric Weimer master class.
Monday, July 14. Susan Ashbaker master class.
