NATS finalists pictured, from left, Ally Jackson, Elisabeth Schrock, and Carly Wingfield. (photo taken by Hannah Morgan)
Three students from the Lee University School of Music placed as finalists in the National Association of Teachers of Singing regional auditions held at the University of Kentucky.
There are three levels of competition over the course of two days: Preliminary, Semi-final, and Final Rounds. About 50 regional voice professors attended to hear an estimated 350 voice students. This year, six members of Lee’s voice faculty (Lenena Brezna, Tony Deaton, Andrea Dismukes, James Frost, Virginia Horton and Debbie Sheeks) brought 26 of their students to the auditions. Seventeen students progressed to the semi-finals and three on to the final round, performing in a three-hour concert for the entire delegation.
Elisabeth Schrock won first place for Sophomore Women. Ally Jackson, freshman, placed second in Musical Theater—Underclass, which includes all freshmen and sophomores. Carly Wingfield placed third for Senior Women. Schrock, Jackson, and Wingfield are from the voice studios of Andrea Dismukes and Virginia Horton. In addition, James Hoskins, a high school student of Tony Deaton’s, won first place for High School Men. The students were accompanied by pianists Mary Beth Wickes and Rachel Appleton.
Lee students participating were Joseph Allen, Abigail Blackmon, Sydnee Cobb, *Audra Daniel, *Melissa Dishner, *Nicolette Findlay, Kenneth Foster, *Tiffany Howard, *Ally Jackson, *Julian Jant, *Landon Jones, *Tricia Logsdon, *Brittany Martin, *D'Metri Mattocks, Catherine Montero, *Aaron Murphy, Lindsay Peterson, *Danae Pick, *Tyler Plemons, *Elisabeth Schrock, *Naomi Shady, McKenzie Stephens, Alex Ubiera, *Rachel Walls, *Carly Wingfield, and Julie York. (*indicates semi-finalists)
NATS is the largest professional association of teachers of singing in the world with more than 7,000 members in the United States, Canada, and nearly 30 other countries. Its mission is to encourage the highest standards of the vocal art and ethical principles in the teaching of singing and to promote vocal education and research at all levels.
For more information about NATS, visit www.nats.org. For more information about Lee University’s School of Music, visit http://leeuniversity.edu/academics/music/.