NDSU students from the School of Music and Department of Theatre Arts had an exceptional showing at the North Dakota Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singers annual auditions, Saturday, April 13, in Fargo.
NDSU singers won 11 of the 12 divisions, and a total of 20 NDSU students placed in the competition.
More than 130 students from throughout North Dakota and Minnesota were invited to participate in the annual event, which gives students a chance to perform for and receive feedback from vocal instructors, in addition to receiving cash prizes. Participating students came from NDSU, Minot State University, University of North Dakota, Concordia College and Minnesota State University Moorhead.
“We are very proud of our students and their accomplishments,” said Virginia Sublett, professor of music and president of the North Dakota chapter. “Undergraduate students performed three selections – one English, one foreign language and one from prior to the 19th century. Graduate students sang two foreign language art songs, one English song and an aria from an opera or oratorio.”
The NDSU students who placed are included in the following list, which also includes their majors and hometowns.
Freshman Women
First Place: Anna Tescher, vocal music education, Dickinson, N.D.
Second Place: Briana Moynihan, vocal performance, Red Wing, Minn.
Freshman Men
First Place: Robert Kringler, vocal performance and history, Fargo, N.D.
Second Place: Joseph Brauer, vocal performance, The Pas, Manitoba, Canada
Sophomore Women
First Place: Tylen Bultema, vocal performance, Eagan, Minn.
Third Place: Chelsey Schmitz, vocal music education, Fargo
Sophomore Men
First Place: Richard Schrom, vocal music education, Little Canada, Minn.
Junior Women
First Place: Samantha Pyle, vocal music education, West Fargo
Junior Men
First Place: Michael Petyo III, vocal music education, Coon Rapids, Minn.
Second Place: Alexander Hovey, vocal music education, Grand Forks, N.D.
Senior Women
Second Place: Beth Hoselton, music, Fargo
Senior Men
First Place: Travis Bregier, vocal performance, West Fargo
Lower Graduate Division
First Place: Ben Van Moer, graduate student in vocal performance, Tracy, Minn.
Upper Graduate Division
First Place: Zhanna Ricks, graduate student in vocal performance, Fergus Falls, Minn.
Music Theater Women
First Place (tie): Katharine Strom, musical theatre, Fergus Falls, Minn., and Lori Boucher, musical theatre, Fargo
Third Place: Shaina Hovrud, musical theatre, Bismarck, N.D.
Music Theater Men
First Place: Justin Heim, musical theatre, Bismarck, N.D.
Second Place: Cody Olson, musical theatre, Anoka, Minn.
Third Place: Christopher Yanish-Taylor, musical theatre, West Fargo
Founded in 1944, the National Association of Teachers of Singing Inc. is the largest professional association of teachers of singing in the world with more than 7,000 members in the United States, Canada and more than 25 other countries.
The association offers a variety of lifelong learning experiences to members, including workshops, intern programs, master classes and conferences that all begin at the chapter level and progress to national events.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.
