The International Institute of Vocal Arts (IIVA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to help young singers realize their talents. It provides training in the performing vocal arts on the advanced level. IIVA has helped over 400 singers, many of whom have gone on to sing in major operas houses, such as the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, New York City Opera, Washington Opera, Madrid Teatro , Rome Opera, La Fenice and the Wexford Festival. IIVA has an international student body; We have had students who hail from America, Australia, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, France, Germany, China, Korea, Japan, Croatia, Italy, Finland, Russia, Bulgeria, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Israel, and England. IIVA strives to offer the highest level of operatic resources for each student It is our vision to provide guidance for the next generation of singers throughout the world, thus preserving and passing on the traditions of opera.
IIVA was founded in 1990 in Tampa, Florida by William Woodruff who at that time was on the faculty at the University of South Florida. Mr. Woodruff recognized that young opera singers need study, guidance and collaboration with working opera professionals during and after their college degree studies. Since then, IIVA has relocated its home to New York City and has established an intensive month long study/ performance session for singers in Chiari, Italy, which is part of the province of Brescia in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy. Italy was chosen as the ideal place for study because it is the birthplace of opera, and an idiomatic knowledge of the Italian language and culture is essential in an operatic career.
From 1992 to 2008 IIVA has held its study/performance program in Chiari. In 2008, the Chiari concert audiences included some music-loving Swiss citizens who approached William Woodruff about holding a similiar program in Switzerland. In 2009 IIVA was invited to hold its 2010 study session in Weggis on Lake Luzerne, Switzerland . IIVA has accepted this invitation, inspired by the beauty of the location and the enthusiasm of the community. The focus and goals of IIVA remain the same; helping talented young singers to realize their musical potential .
Distinguished Alumni include:
Beth Clayton (NYCO, Houston Grand Opera, Washington Opera, New York Philharmonic); Kathryn Day (MET, Seattle Opera); Fernando del Valle (Rome, La Fenice, Wexford, New Israeli Opera); Michelle de Young (MET, Paris, London); Jennifer Dudley (MET, NYCO, Chicago Lyric Opera, Opera Theater of St. Louis); Rachelle Durkin (MET); Branch Fields (NYCO); Amy Fuller (MET, Opera Colorado); Peter Furlong (Opera Colorado, Orlando Opera, Dortmund, Wexford); Riki Guy (Leipzig, New Israeli Opera); Sarah Heltzel (Seattle Opera); Georgia Jarman (NYCO); Christopher Job (Minnesota, Opera Colorado, Opera Pacific, Glimmerglass); Eric Jordan (NYCO, San Francisco Opera, Boston Lyric Opera); Maria Kanyova (Chicago Lyric Opera, NYCO, Los Angeles Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Utah Opera, Opera Colorado); Jorge Lagunes (NYCO, Madrid, Washington, Los Angeles); Yunah Lee ( NYCO, Minnesota Opera, Cleveland Opera); David Lomeli (San Francisco, Basel, Los Angeles, winner Operalia 2007); Sandra Lopez (MET); Olga Makarina (MET, NYCO); Kerri Marcinko (Boston Lyric Opera, Houston Grand Opera, NYCO); John Matz (Paris Chatelet, Washington, Los Angeles, Israeli Philharmonic, Palm Beach); Megan Miller (1st Prize Joy in Singing, Wolf Trap); Daniel Okulitch (Paris, La Scala, Los Angeles,Vancouver, Dallas, Michigan, Washington); Joel Prieto (Berlin, Paris Chatelet, (winner Operalia 2008); Chen Reis (La Scala, Munich, New Israeli Opera); Rebecca Skaar (San Diego); Krysty Swann (NYCO, winner Opera Index 2008); Asako Tamura (Sarasota Opera, Hungarian State Opera); Mauricio Trejo (Zurich Opera, Sarasota Opera ); German Villar (Giesen, Opera North, Virginia Opera, La scala); Maria Zouves (Carnegie Hall, Memphis, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Prague, Director VOICE EXPERIENCE)