Shorter University students win big at the Southeastern Regional National Association of Teachers of Singing competition

April 7, 2011 - Shorter University students won 21 awards including seven first-place finishes over the course of two days at the annual auditions held by the Southeastern Region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (SER-NATS).  The competition was held at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro and included students from many of the major vocal music programs in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.

“These results represent the most awards and the most first place finishes that Shorter voice students have won at any SER-NATS competition in recent memory,” said vocal coordinator Dr. Matthew Hoch. “The sheer number of Shorter University students who were on stage during the winners’ ceremony spoke volumes about the quality of Shorter University’s vocal music program, voice faculty, and students. We are very proud of Shorter’s eminence in the Southeastern Region of NATS.”

First-place winners included Trey Smagur of Clarkesville (junior classical men), Cody Bowers of Newnan (sophomore classical men), Siobhan Gale of Lakeland, Fla. (freshman classical women), Elizabeth Telford of Duluth (senior musical theatre women), Chris Lewis of Carrollton (senior musical theatre men), Koby Parker of Marietta (sophomore musical theatre men), and Sophie Decker of Conyers (freshmen musical theatre women). Gale also won fourth place in the freshman musical theatre category.

CLASSICAL WINNERS (L to R): Anne Marie Kelly, Matthew Queen, Siobhan Gale, Trey Smagur, Kayla Harriott, Cody Bowers, Anthony Chu, Mary Diesch, Joseph Sokohl, Evan Meisser.

MUSICAL THEATRE WINNERS (L to R): Siobhan Gale, Evan Meisser, Elizabeth Telford, Maranda Rossi, Koby Parker, Kristina Kennedy, Sarah Justus, Chris Lewis, Vandi Enzor, Elizabeth MacDonell, Sophie Decker.

Other award winners included Evan Meisser of Woodstock (second place in both senior classical men and senior musical theatre men), Matthew Queen of Calhoun (second place, sophomore classical men), Anthony Chu of Columbia, S.C. (third place, junior classical men), Joseph Sokohl of Lawrenceville (third place, sophomore classical men), Kayla Harriott of Locust Grove (third place, freshman classical women), Elizabeth MacDonell of St. Simons Island (third place, senior musical theatre women), Maranda Rossi of Bellbrook, OH (third place, freshman musical theatre women), Anne Marie Kelly of Rome (fourth place, sophomore classical women), Vandi Enzor of Carmel, Ind. (fourth place, senior musical theatre women), Mary Diesch of Jefferson (fifth place, junior classical women), Kristina Kennedy of Missouri City, Texas (fifth place, sophomore musical theatre women), and Sarah Justus of Cartersville (fifth place, freshmen musical theatre women).

Telford, Lewis, Meisser, Enzor, Kennedy, Rossi, and Justus are from the voice studio of Dr. Matthew Hoch; Smagur, Bowers, Parker, Queen, Sokohl, and MacDonell are from the studio of Mr. Chuck Chandler; Gale, Decker, and Harriott are from the studio of Dr. Rebecca Salter; Chu and Kelly are from the studio of Dr. Deborah Popham; and Diesch is from the studio of Dr. Sherri Weiler. All five of Shorter University’s full-time voice professors attended the event and served as judges. Coach-accompanists Ben Harris and Julie Bearden also contributed significantly to the weekend’s success.

The National Association of Teachers of Singing, Inc. (NATS) was founded in 1944 and is now the largest association of teachers of singing in the world. Today NATS boasts more than 6,500 members in the United States, Canada, and over twenty-five other countries around the world. The purpose of the organization is to encourage the highest standards of the vocal art and of ethical principles in the teaching of singing; and to promote vocal education and research at all levels, both for the enrichment of the general public and for the professional advancement of the talented.

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christian University committed to excellence in education. Since 2003, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Shorter among the South’s best baccalaureate colleges. The University offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 48 major areas as well as undergraduate degree programs for working adults, the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Arts in Leadership and the Master of Accountancy.  Online courses and degree programs are also available. For more information, visit www.shorter.edu.

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