Seraphic Fire’s Ensemble Artist Program is one of the premier professional training opportunities for emerging vocalists in the United States. Designed for exceptional undergraduate and graduate voice students, the program provides direct experience performing alongside one of the country's best vocal ensembles and Florida’s only GRAMMY-nominated professional choir.
Through partnerships with the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and the University of Miami Frost School of Music, the Ensemble Artist Program gives talented singers the opportunity to rehearse and perform at the highest professional level. Students gain invaluable real-world experience working with internationally recognized conductors, professional singers, and period instrumentalists.
For university choral programs seeking meaningful professional pathways for their students, the Ensemble Artist Program represents a national model for collaboration between higher education and professional performing arts organizations.
Real World Professional Experience with a Professional Choir
Participants in the Ensemble Artist Program perform in mainstage subscription concerts alongside Seraphic Fire’s professional artists and the Seraphic Fire Period Orchestra. Singers experience the artistic expectations, rehearsal standards, and musical preparation required for careers in professional vocal ensembles, chamber choirs, and opera companies.
In the recent Surround Sound season finale, sixteen Ensemble Artist Program singers joined Seraphic Fire’s professional ensemble, performing repertoire spanning Renaissance masterworks through contemporary compositions in acoustically rich venues across South Florida.
Eight singers represented the University of Miami Frost School of Music:
Victor Bento
Michael Colavita
Brandon Flores
Austin Guidone
Giovanna Maropo
Grace Mineo
Lauren Richards
Braden Rymer
Eight singers represented the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music:
Yani Araujo
Chloe Chiang
Natalie Fishman
Sadie Habas
Dustin Peng
Olivia Salazar
James Scott
Kyle Xu
Each singer was selected through a competitive process and received mentorship from leading professional musicians. By working within a fully professional rehearsal and performance environment, Ensemble Artist Program participants develop advanced skills in vocal blend, stylistic interpretation, ensemble precision, and collaborative musicianship.
Michael Colavita of the Frost School of Music shared:
"At a certain point, no amount of preparation can fully teach you what it takes to perform at such a high level. The only way to learn is by doing it. Performing with Seraphic Fire strengthened my stylistic flexibility, my precision, and my technical ensemble singing ability, while also giving me the chance to work alongside singers who are becoming my professional peers. It also gave me confidence that I can hold my own musically in a professional environment and contribute to that level of artistry."
Preparing University Voice Students for Professional Careers
The Ensemble Artist Program helps bridge the gap between academic study and professional performance careers. Students gain firsthand insight into historically informed performance practice, advanced ensemble techniques, and the artistic discipline required to succeed in professional vocal music.
Universities benefit from a strong partnership model that expands opportunities for their students while strengthening connections between academic programs and the professional music field.
Yani Araujo of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music reflected:
"Being part of the Ensemble Artist Program showed me what it looks like when some of today’s greatest minds in music work with some of today’s greatest voices. By being directly involved in such splendid artistry, I have a clearer idea of how to live up to my potential as a singer, as well as what it takes to inspire others to a higher level of music making as a teacher."
By working alongside one of the top professional vocal ensembles in the United States, singers develop confidence, artistry, and experience that prepare them for careers in professional choirs, opera companies, chamber ensembles, and university music programs.
A National Model for Professional Choral Training
Since launching the Ensemble Artist Program, Seraphic Fire has continued to invest in the future of professional choral music by mentoring outstanding young artists and providing meaningful performance opportunities.
For university voice programs, conductors, and students seeking advanced professional choral training, the Ensemble Artist Program offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with world-class musicians and gain experience at the highest level of ensemble singing.
Universities interested in partnering with Seraphic Fire or students seeking professional ensemble experience are encouraged to learn more about the Ensemble Artist Program.
