The Houston Grand Opera has announced the winners of its 2021 Concert of Arias.

The first-place prize of $10,000 went to Key’mon W. Murrah with Eric Taylor taking home the second place prize for $5,000. Emily Treigle rounded out the top three, winning the third-place prize for $3,000.

Winning the Ana María Martínez Encouragement Award of $2,000 was Ángel Vargas.

The winners were selected by a jury featuring  HGO Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers, HGO Artistic Advisor Ana María Martínez, and guest judge OPERA San Antonio General Director E. Loren Meeker.

“The past year has been completely devastating for the artistic community. Because of that, it was so important to us to keep our commitment to these young artists. Each year, I am in awe of the talent they display. While the 2021 competition took on a very different form, it is an honor to continue the treasured tradition that is Concert of Arias,” HGO Studio Director Brian Speck in a press release. “So much work has gone into preparing this year’s unique virtual event, from safety procedures for the competition to back-up plans for when arrangements inevitably fell through. I am proud of the way the HGO community came together to make this event happen.”

The company noted that due to a technical glitch, it was unable to award an Audience Choice Award. However, voting reopened on Friday, Feb. 5, 2021 and would remain open to audiences until Feb. 7, 2021. Audiences can vote directly through the company’s official website.