Lauren Jelencovich is an American singer. While in high school, Jelencovich won the grand prize on

Ed McMahon Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. (March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009) was an American announcer, game show host, comedian, actor, singer, and combat aviator. McMahon and Johnny Carson began their association in their first TV series, the ABC game sh ...

's ''Next Big Star,'' McMahon's successor program to ''

Star Search ''Star Search'' was an American television show that was produced by T.P.E./Rysher Entertainment from 1983 to 1995, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Al Masini. A relaunch was produced by 2929 Productions from 2003 to 2004. On both versio ...

.'' A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, Jelencovich has performed stage roles in several operas. Since 2010 she has been a lead vocalist on

Yanni Yiannis Chryssomallis ( el, Γιάννης Χρυσομάλλης; born November 14, 1954), known professionally as Yanni ( ), is a Greek-American composer, keyboardist, pianist, and music producer. Yanni continues to use the musical shorthan ...

's international tours and in his CD/DVD/PBS Special, ''

Yanni Live at El Morro, Puerto Rico ''Live at El Morro, Puerto Rico'' is the fourth live album by Yanni, released on the Yanni/Wake label in 2012. The two concerts were performed outdoors on the grounds of El Morro castle in San Juan, Puerto Rico in December 2011. The CD peake ...

,'' and was the primary artist (soprano vocalist) for a track in Yanni's ''

Inspirato ''Inspirato'' is the fifteenth studio album by Yanni, released in 2014. To create the album, Yanni collaborated with opera tenor Plácido Domingo and producer Ric Wake to select distinguished vocalists to perform songs that Yanni had previously ...

'' album.

Music career

While still attending high school at The King's Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida, Jelencovich won the grand prize on Ed McMahon's ''Next Big Star,'' McMahon's successor program to ''

.'' She released her first album, ''Lauren Jelencovich,'' in 2003. Jelencovich, a soprano, majored in vocal performance at New York's Manhattan School of Music, focusing on opera and musical theater, also singing light pop. While at that institution, she was the first undergraduate to be selected as part of the school's Educational Outreach Program. By age 20, Jelencovich had performed at Carnegie Hall in New York and at the

MGM Grand Las Vegas The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with 6,852 rooms. It is also the third-largest hotel complex in the world by number of roo ...

. After being awarded the National Italian Federation's

Andrea Bocelli Andrea Bocelli (; born 22 September 1958) is an Italian tenor and multi-instrumentalist. He was born visually impaired, with congenital glaucoma, and at the age of 12, Bocelli became completely blind, following a brain hemorrhage resulting fr ...

Scholarship, Jelencovich sang " The Prayer" for Bocelli at a private event. In May 2005, Jelencovich was included in ''

People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...

'' magazine's "Beauties on Your Block," part of the magazine's annual "50 Most Beautiful People" issue. She also appeared in ''

Teen Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the te ...

'' magazine. In 2006, Jelencovich made her off-Broadway debut in Wallace and Allen Shawn's play/opera, ''The Music Teacher.'' Jelencovich was a finalist and received a Lys Symonette Award in the 2008

Lotte Lenya Lotte Lenya (born Karoline Wilhelmine Charlotte Blamauer; 18 October 1898 – 27 November 1981) was an Austrian-American singer, diseuse, and actress, long based in the United States. In the German-speaking and classical music world, she is best ...

Competition administered by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music. Finalists were judged based on regional competitions, video submissions, and a live program required to include an opera/operetta aria, an American musical theater number, and two contrasting Kurt Weill selections. Jelencovich won Second Prize in the 2009 Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition in New York. LaurenJelencovichYanni1320px2012

Also in 2009, Jelencovich made her mainstage opera debut at

Opera Tampa Opera Tampa is an American opera company located in Tampa, Florida, where it is resident company at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. History Opera Tampa debuted in 1996 with its first production, ''Madama Butterfly''. Since then, the co ...

(Florida, U.S.) in the lead roles of Lauretta in ''

Gianni Schicchi () is a comic opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, composed in 1917–18. The libretto is based on an incident mentioned in Dante's ''Divine Comedy''. The work is the third and final part of Pucci ...

'' and Suor Genovieffa in ''

Suor Angelica ''Suor Angelica'' (''Sister Angelica'') is an opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an original Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano. It is the second opera of the trio of operas known as ''Il trittico'' (''The Triptych''). It received its wo ...

.'' Jelencovich played Mrs. Nordstrom in the 2010

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) is an American summer opera festival held in St. Louis, Missouri. Typically four operas, all sung in English, are presented each season, which runs from late May to late June. Performances are accompanied by th ...

(OTSL) production of ''

A Little Night Music ''A Little Night Music'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman film ''Smiles of a Summer Night'', it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a ...

,'' which was directed by fashion designer

Isaac Mizrahi Isaac Mizrahi (born October 14, 1961) is an American fashion designer, television presenter and chief designer of the Isaac Mizrahi brand for Xcel Brands. Based in New York City, he is best known for his eponymous fashion lines. Mizrahi was prev ...

and starred Amy Irving. A member of OTSL's Gerdine Young Artist program, Jelencovich also

covered Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of co ...

for the part of Violet Beauregard in the world premier of '' The Golden Ticket,'' an opera based on Roald Dahl’s book ''

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' is a 1964 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. The story features the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka. The story was originall ...

.'' Also in 2010, Jelencovich performed at Carnegie Hall in the New York premiere of the orchestral version of

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

’s ''

Te Deum in C The ''Te Deum in C'' is a sacred choral composition by Benjamin Britten, a setting of the Te Deum on the English text from the Book of Common Prayer. Britten wrote it in 1934 between 11 July and 17 September, scored for treble solo, four-part ch ...

'', performing with the

Oratorio Society of New York The Oratorio Society of New York is a not-for-profit membership organization that performs choral music in the oratorio style. Founded in 1873 by conductor Leopold Damrosch and is the third oldest musical organization in New York City. The Society h ...

led by Kent Tritle. Since November 2010, Jelencovich has performed as a lead vocalist on

's international tours, which included performances in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Jelencovich's vocals were included in three tracks from Yanni's live-concert CD and DVD ''

'' (released April 2012), which was also broadcast in PBS television specials beginning in March 2012. She also was the primary artist (soprano vocalist) for the "Nightingale" track to Yanni's 2014

Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French ...

Ric Wake Ric Wake is an American record producer who has won four Grammy Awards and two Oscar Awards. During his tenure as staff producer with Sony Music Entertainment he has worked with vocalists such as Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Lucero, Taylor ...

collaboration album, ''

,'' and performed in Yanni's 2015 '' The Dream Concert: Live from the Great Pyramids of Egypt'' and in the resulting 2016 CD/DVD and PBS special. On November 30, 2017, Jelencovich performed "Nightingale" in

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Jeddah ( ), also spelled Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; ar, , Jidda, ), is a city in the Hejaz region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the country's commercial center. Established in the 6th century BC as a fishing village, Jeddah's promi ...

, Yanni later saying that Jelencovich was the first woman allowed to perform onstage in that nation without wearing the traditional

veil A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies. The practice has been prominent ...

, and was the first woman in recent history to sing on stage for a mixed audience of men and women in that country.

Influences

Jelencovich related that she had always had music around her, singing in choruses starting in elementary school, soloing in the fourth grade, and thinking about singing seriously while in high school. She also expressed a love for "princess songs" from

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

movies. Jelencovich said that she has been influenced by different genres of music, specifically, studying opera and "dabbling" in musical theatre while attending the Manhattan School of Music and remarking that she tries to combine musical theatre, pop and opera into one. Particular artist influences include

Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...

and

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed " The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston i ...

in pop music; as well as

Diana Damrau Diana Damrau (; born 31 May 1971) is a German soprano who achieved international fame for her performances, primarily in opera, but also in concert and lieder. She has been successful in coloratura soprano roles since her early career, and gradua ...

Natalie Dessay Natalie Dessay (; born 19 April 1965) is a French singer, known for her former career as an operatic soprano. She gained wide recognition after her portrayal of Olympia in ''The Tales of Hoffmann'' in 1992, and then performing at leading stages, ...

and Joan Sutherland in opera.

Awards, honors and distinctions

*2002: Grand Prize winner,

's ''Next Big Star'' *2008: Lys Symonette Award,

Competition of the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music *2009: Second Prize, Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition, New York

Discography

''Lauren Jelencovich''
Clover Records (CD: July 18, 2003, ASIN: B000CAEETQ) #Hopelessly Falling — 3:40 #Secret Love — 3:54 #Are You Gonna Kiss Me — 3:19 #I Though You Did — 3:02 #Together — 4:02 #The Truth About Cats and Dogs — 3:29 #When It's Love — 3:27 #I Will Remember You — 3:33 #Wish I May — 4:46 ''

''
Yanni-Wake Entertainment (CD, DVD: April 17, 2012, ASIN: B00786XVOG) :7. Nightingale — 5:17 :8. Ode to Humanity ("Aria") — 4:05 :9. Niki Nana ("We Are One") — 7:49 ''Wildest Dreams''
Independent (CD: December 11, 2013, ASIN: B00H38OZZI) #In Your Wildest Dreams — 3:55 # The Prayer — (

David Foster David Walter Foster (born November 1, 1949) is a Canadian musician, composer, arranger, record producer and music executive who chaired Verve Records from 2012 to 2016. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. His music career spans mor ...

;

Carole Bayer Sager Carole Bayer Sager (born Carol Bayer on March 8, 1947) is an American lyricist, singer, and songwriter. Early life and career Bayer Sager was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Anita Nathan Bayer and Eli Bayer. Her family was Jewish. She grad ...

; Alberto Testa;

Tony Renis Tony Renis (born 13 May 1938), stage name of Elio Cesari, is an Italian singer, composer, music producer and film actor. Life and career Renis was born in Milan. In the mid-1950s he met with Adriano Celentano, and the two started performing an i ...

) — 4:25 #Home to Stay — (Amy Foster-Skylark; Jeremy Lubbock) — 4:38 # Danny Boy — (

Frederick Edward Weatherly Frederic Edward Weatherly, KC (4 October 1848 – 7 September 1929) was an English lawyer, author, lyricist and broadcaster. He was christened and brought up using the name Frederick Edward Weatherly, and appears to have adopted the spelling 'F ...

) — 3:51 # Autumn Leaves — ( József "Joseph" Kosma;

Jacques Prévert Jacques Prévert (; 4 February 1900 – 11 April 1977) was a French poet and screenwriter. His poems became and remain popular in the French-speaking world, particularly in schools. His best-regarded films formed part of the poetic realist moveme ...

; John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer) — 4:46 # Without You — ( Tom Evans; Peter Ham) — 3:14 #You're Still You — (Linda Diane Thompson; Ennio Morricone) — 3:40 #

Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again ''The Phantom of the Opera'' is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart, and a libretto by Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe. Based on the 1910 French novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux, it tells the story of ...

— ( Andrew Lloyd Webber; Charles Hart;

Richard Stilgoe Sir Richard Henry Simpson Stilgoe (born 28 March 1943) is a British songwriter, lyricist and musician, and broadcaster who is best known for his humorous songs and frequent television appearances. His output includes collaborations with Andrew ...

) — 3:32 #

You'll Never Walk Alone "You'll Never Walk Alone" is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ''Carousel''. In the second act of the musical, Nettie Fowler, the cousin of the protagonist Julie Jordan, sings "You'll Never Walk Alone" to comfort and enco ...

— ( Richard Charles Rodgers; Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein, II) — 3:29 # Time to Say Goodbye — (

Francesco Sartori Francesco Sartori (born 1957) is an Italian composer and piano and trumpet player. Works Sartori composed "Con te partirò" ("With you, I will leave") with Lucio Quarantotto for Andrea Bocelli. ''Con te partirò'' was also recorded by Jonas Kau ...

;

Lucio Quarantotto Lucio Quarantotto (29 April 1957 – 31 July 2012) was an Italian songwriter best known for writing the lyrics for "Con te partirò" ("With you, I will leave"), to music composed by Francesco Sartori for Andrea Bocelli. The song was also recor ...

) — 4:05 #Without a Song — ( Vincent Millie Youmans; William "Billy" Rose) — 2:23 ''

''
Yanni Wake Entertainment (CD: March 2014, ASIN B00I17OA8W)
:10. Usignolo (Nightingale) — 5:14 '' The Dream Concert: Live from the Great Pyramids of Egypt''
Sony Masterworks (CD: June 2016, ASIN: B01BZGFXXG) :11. Niki Nana — 6:41 ''

With a Little Help from My Friends "With a Little Help from My Friends" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, from their 1967 album ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. It was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and sung by drummer Ringo Starr (as Sgt. Pep ...

'' (group collaboration; single)
Broadway Records; Artists for the Arts (Digital download: March 21, 2017, ASIN: B06XQ7GHYC) :1. With a Little Help from My Friends — 4:43

References

External links

* * Olsen, John P.
"Concert Review: Yanni-Live at El Morro, Puerto Rico"archive
, ''New Age Music World,'' April 12, 2012. * Grapek, Howie
"Yanni makes classic rock fan appreciate new-age style"archive
, ''

The Palm Beach Post ''The Palm Beach Post'' is an American daily newspaper serving Palm Beach County in South Florida, and parts of the Treasure Coast. On March 18, 2018, in a deal worth US$42.35 million, ''The Palm Beach Post'' and ''The Palm Beach Daily News'' ...

,'' April 18, 2012. * Miller, Melinda
"Yanni provides a night to remember"archive
, ''

The Buffalo News ''The Buffalo News'' is the daily newspaper of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, located in downtown Buffalo, New York. It recently sold its headquarters to Uniland Development Corp. It was for decades the only paper fully owned by W ...