Korff School vocalists win nearly a fourth of awards at West Central NATS

Lincoln, Neb.--Thirty-four singers from the Glenn Korff School of Music performed at the West Central National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Auditions and took home 24 percent of all awards presented.

“Our students showcased exceptional musical artistry at the West Central regional NATS auditions,” said Jamie Reimer Seaman, the Richard H. Larson Professor of Music and Voice Area Head. “We are delighted to see their dedication and talent earning recognition on both a regional and, soon, national level.”

A total of 270 singers from Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming performed 291 auditions at the regional competition. All students earning first through fifth place at the regional auditions qualify for the national round of student auditions in the spring.

Fourteen students from the Glenn Korff School of Music qualified to move on to the national video adjudication round of the competition (including three students in multiple categories).

Following a video adjudication round, the in-person national semifinals and finals will be held July 3-6 in San Antonio, Texas.

Julia Lewis, a junior music education student from Gretna, Nebraska, placed third in the 2^nd Year Classical Treble Voices category and 2^nd in the Lower College Music Theatre Treble Voices category.

“My initial reaction to learning how I placed in finals was pure shock,” she said. “Even advancing to the final round in both categories was something I had not prepared myself for. After the shock wore off, my reaction changed to feeling proud of myself. Realizing that the journey isn’t over, and I do get to audition at a national level is so exciting.”

For the classical category, she performed “Laurie’s Song” from “The Tender Land” by Aaron Copland, “Weep you no more” by Roger Quilter and “Minnelied” by Felix Mendelssohn. Her musical theatre pieces included “Watch What Happens” from “Newsies” by Alan Menken, “Some to Watch Over Me” from “Oh, Kay!” by George and Ira Gershwin and “My New Philosophy” from “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” by Clark Gesner. She will perform the same programs for the national auditions.

“The significance of these auditions, in a general sense, is to allow auditionees to experience what it’s like to perform for a panel,” Lewis said. “In personal experience, these auditions alloed me to showcase my hard work and feel more confident in my abilities. As a future music educator, these auditions prepared me to have a flexible mindset, allowing me to take critique and learn from each performance. This is such an important aspect of teaching, as no day will ever be the same. Working to apply and adjust each performance allows me to take it step by step to the next level, which is definitely something I will carry into my teaching.”

Lewis recommends the NATS auditions for future vocal students. 

“I could not recommend NATS enough,” she said. “It was such a great experience to become comfortable with performing for others and grow as a musician. Everyone around you is there for their love of performing, and it is such a unique thing. I am so grateful to have received the awards I did, but my experience was enjoyable for so many other factors.”

Mariana Hernandez-Moreno, a junior music education student from Omaha, Nebraska, placed 2^nd in the Upper College Music Theatre Treble Voices category.

“With my category having been filled with so many talented singers, I was incredibly grateful to have received 2^ndplace,” she said. “It felt like all my work over the past semester had finally paid off. I was able to reflect on the beginning of this process, from picking my repertoire to memorizing and refining, and now I was standing on that stage, proud of all my efforts. I will be moving on to the national auditions, and although I am a bit nervous, I am excited to be a part of a new competition.”

Hernandez-Moreno performed “Burn” by Lin Manuel Miranda from “Hamilton,” “Spark of Creation” from “Children of Eden,” “Alone” from “Young Frankenstein” and “A Part of That” from “The Last Five Years.” For the semifinals and finals, she only performed “Burn” from “Hamilton,” and will perform that same piece for the national auditions.

“Apart from the valuable feedback we receive from judges with great experience and knowledge, it’s also a great form of building community and creating long-lasting connections,” she said of the experience. “As a music educator, these connections do wonders as you start to find jobs and build rapport. This is a great place to build those connections.”

Hernandez-Moreno said the annual audition process offers far more than just a chance to compete. 

“There are so many great things you get to take away from these auditions, from valuable feedback to long-lasting connections, even just opportunities to perform in front of people, and I encourage anyone who is able to take up this offer and participate in NATS in the years to come,” she said. “This is my third year participating, and I have learned so much through this experience that I don’t think I would have received elsewhere.”

The individual awards won by UNL students included (their vocal professor is listed in parenthesis; *=Those students moving on to the national video adjudication round):

• 1^st/2^nd Year Classical Tenor, Baritone or Bass Voices
* 3^rd: Reece Riewerts (Reimer Seaman)
Semifinalists: William Henry Anderson (Kevin Hanrahan), Christopher Dickson (Hanrahan), Tyson Johnson (Reimer Seaman), Keaghan Kumpula (Rachel Green), Ryan Roberts (Hanrahan) and Tha Dah Si (Green).

• 2^nd Year Classical Treble Voices
* 1^st: Kathryn Watry (Green)
* 2^nd: Elly Cheatle (Reimer Seaman)
* 3^rd: Julia Lewis (Reimer Seaman)

• 3^rd Year Classical Tenor, Baritone or Bass Voices
* 3^rd: James Rasser (Reimer Seaman)

• 4^th/5^th Year Classical Treble Voices
* 3^rd: Rose McClelland (Reimer Seaman)
Semifinalist: Rachel Kovar (Amy Guevara)

• 4^th/5^th Year Classical Tenor, Baritone or Bass Voices
Semifinalists:  Kriby Le (Jared Hiscock) and James Rasser (Reimer Seaman).

• Advanced/Graduate Classical Treble Voices
* 3^rd: Yizhou Zhao (Suna Gunther)
* 4^th: Kayelynn Lawson (Gunther)
Semifinalist: Molly Wanless (Reimer Seaman)

• Advanced/Graduate Classical Tenor, Baritone or Bass Voices
* 2^nd: Tianning Ma (Kevin Hanrahan)

• Non-Traditional/Adult Classical
1^st: Xiaotian Hu (Reimer Seaman)
3^rd: Ramiel Christensen (William Shomos)

• Lower College (1^st/2^nd Year) Music Theatre Treble Voices
* 2^nd: Julia Lewis (Reimer Seaman)

• Lower College Music Theatre Tenor, Baritone or Bass
* 1^st: Reece Riewerts (Reimer Seaman)
* 1^st: Ryan Roberts (Kevin Hanrahan)
* 3^rd: Chris Dickson (Kevin Hanrahan)
* 4^th: William Henry Anderson (Kevin Hanrahan)

• Upper College (3^rd/4^th Year) Music Theatre Treble Voices
* 2^nd: Mariana Hernandez (Reimer Seaman)
Semifinalist: Rachel Kovar (Amy Guevara)

• Upper College Music Theatre Tenor, Baritone or Bass Voices
* 3^rd: James Rasser (Reimer Seaman)
* 5^th: Kirby Le (Jared Hiscock)

• Non-Traditional/Adult Musical Theatre
2^nd: Xiaotian Hu (Reimer Seaman)

Collaborative pianists: 
Luke Eckles (UNL B.M. Piano)
Stacie Haneline, UNO Faculty
Graham House (UNL D.M.A. 2012)
Denis Plutalov (UNL D.M.A. 2010)