Someone to Watch: Martha Banks

Martha Banks

By Geri Jeter

Wednesday, June 9, 2010 | 5:36 p.m.

Elite vocal competitions are to singers what the College World Series is to baseball players. Opera companies and symphony orchestras send their scouts to these contests to check out the up-and-coming players.

This past spring in New York, soprano and UNLV doctoral candidate Martha Banks took top honors at one of these events — the Classical Singer magazine competition, held as part of its annual conference. She competed against more than 1,100 singers from more than 60 universities and conservatories.

"I decided to enter the contest somewhat on a whim," Banks says. "The American Institute of Musical Studies in Austria awards a scholarship to winners. I wanted to go to Europe, so I signed up, prepared three arias from different composers and in diverse styles (Wagner, Gershwin, and my favorite Puccini) and headed to New York City."

During the three-day competition, Banks performed five times — a real vocal marathon. "I have a lot of family and friends in New York," Banks says, "but I kept visiting to a minimum until the competition's end."

In addition to the scholarship, Banks won recording studio time in New York with an orchestra, and a cash prize. "It was such a wonderful opportunity and privilege to be there," Banks says. "Plus, it was so much fun!"