Lincoln, Neb.--Justin Payne, a second-year DMA student in voice performance in the Glenn Korff School of Music from Omaha, Nebraska, won first prize in the George Shirley Vocal Competition held at the University of Michigan May 15-17, 2026.
In addition to first prize, Payne was also awarded the George Shirley Tenor Prize, the Patterson Art Song Prize and the Miller Aria Prize.
“I was in shock and, to be frank, I still am,” Payne said of his win.
The competition, now in its 15th year, is named for Shirley, who is the Emeritus Professor of Music at the University of Michigan and the first African American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera. He has dedicated his life’s work to giving voice to the African American vocal repertoire. The annual competition offers singers and composers the opportunity to work with and receive feedback from world-renowned judges, including Shirley. This year’s competition included 110 singers from around the world. Payne competed against approximately 25 vocalists in his division.
Payne’s appearance at the competition was supported by the Liana Sandin Summer Vocal Scholarship in the Glenn Korff School of Music.
His vocal professor, Jamie Reimer Seaman, the Richard H. Larson Professor of Music and Voice Area Head, said Payne was deserving of this recognition.
“’Proud’ isn’t a big enough word to encompass the joy I feel for my student Justin Payne, the 2026 winner of the George Shirley Vocal Competition,” Reimer Seaman said. “Justin works harder than just about anyone I know. On top of his tremendous talent, he is humble, God-driven and makes music from his soul. He truly deserves the recognition he received in Ann Arbor this weekend.”
Payne was inspired to enter the vocal competition after receiving feedback at the Robert Owens Festival, held at Nebraska last fall.
“Dr. Louise Toppin [Professor of Music at the University of Michigan] approached me at the Robert Owens Festival by Dr. Jamie Reimer and said that I should consider coming,” he said.
He performed “I Believe” by Dave Ragland.
“Dave Ragland is a Tennessee-based composer who writes beautiful, accessible music, and he took words from a concentration camp and composed the piece ‘I Believe,’” Payne said. “It resonates with me because it allows for space for all belief systems, and the simplicity of the music, coupled with the profundity of the text, is a work of art.”
Payne enjoyed the overall experience of attending the competition, which included masterclasses and other events.
“It was amazing being surrounded by so many other artists and singers especially many of them being African American or Black,” he said. “I got to sing in a masterclass for George Shirley, first Black tenor in a lead role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. It was a life-changing experience.”
The experience was important to Payne.
“These competitions are important for artist feedback and just to see how vast your performance area is,” he said.
Payne is a classically trained tenor, composer and playwright. In addition to collaborating with Dani Cleveland on “Heaven Comes Home” and “Little Brown Boy,” Payne composed music for “The Draft” with playwright Lisa Harrison. One of his newest creations is “Belle Terre the Musical,” a whimsical story that sends an adolescent young woman on a journey to self-discovery with music inspired by the New Orleans brass band style.
He currently performs as the tenor soloist/artistic director for Handel’s “Messiah” with the Voices of Omaha, in addition to having sung on stages in Austria, Italy and China. He has sung the roles of Ruggero Lastouc in “La Rondine” and Sam Kaplan in “Street Scene.” He has also sung the role of Paul Andal in the concert version of Robert Owens’ “Culture! Culture!”
Payne praised Reimer Seaman’s mentorship as his vocal professor.
“She’s a wealth of knowledge and encourages these types of activities to give her students broad diverse experiences,” Payne said.
This was one experience Payne will not soon forget.
“Getting to sing for George Shirley—I will take that experience with me for life,” he said.
