One sentence bio

Dika Philosoph is a New York-based singer and conductor who is passionate about new music, choral singing, opera, musical theatre, and expanding access to music education for all students.

Full Bio

I am an opera and pop opera singer, with a singing experience of nineteen years. I have studied piano and violin, Pedagogy and Music Education.

Throughout the years, I sang in many concerts in Israel, Romania, Japan and Switzerland and I have worked with great orchestras and conductors like David Stern, George Pahlivanian or Nir Kabaretti. As a member of the Meitar Opera Studio of New Israeli Opera, I performed numerous opera roles like Pamina in “Die Zauberflote” (Mozart), Countess in “Le nozze di Figaro” (Mozart), Kupava in “The Snow Maiden” (Rimsky-Korsakov), Gretel in “Hansel and Gretel” (Humperdinck). In Romania I performed the roles of Musetta in La Boheme (Puccini), the Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart) and, at the New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, the role of Barena in “Jenufa” (Janacek).

While performing for over eight years as the lead soprano on the “Sopranos” pop opera show organized by Nansi Brandes (composer, conductor, piano player and stand up comedy), I participated and sang live on TV and radio shows in Romania and Israel.

Many teachers from different countries were my mentors in different stages of my career: Olimpia Urs the Vocal Chairman of Bucharest Music University, Olga Makarina from Metropolitan Opera, Trish MCafree Manhattan School of Music, International singer Larisa Tetuev from New Israeli Opera and other renowned artists and directors. Sonia Mazar, who is the Artistic Director of the Jerusalem Lyric Opera Studio & Festival and piano vocal coach, has been a very close collaborator for me on many projects, concerts and recitals: in 2012, I was recommended by her for the Opera “Porgy and Bess” and I interpreted the role of Bess in a series of concerts in Jerusalem; in 2013, we performed a recital at the Romanian Embassy in Tel-Aviv, in 2014 we performed at the Weiss Hall in Jerusalem and in 2015 at the Museum of Italian Jewish Art.

While still in college, I started developing my teaching as a vocal teacher assistant at ”Dinu Lipatti“ Music high school in Bucharest. There, I worked with students to improve their vocal abilities and breathing technic, to develop their voice for an accurate, precise voice with minimum effort. I worked with them to choose the repertoire that will fit the vocal range and ability of singing. More recently, I have coached singers for studio recording, tutored them for competitions, concerts and academic exams: twice Grand Prix winner Steinway vocal competition and performed at Carnegie Hall.