By Christi Mays
Five music performance majors brought home some exceptional wins from the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) TEXOMA Regional Conference this past semester, including first- and third-place titles.
Competing against approximately 550 singers in various categories according to their age and level of study, five out of the seven UMHB students at the event advanced to the semi-finals and two students won.
Sophomore Joshua McMiller was the overall winner of the Hall Johnson Spirituals Competition, which is a separate category of competition from the age-group competitions. The purpose of this competition is to restore authenticity to the performance of the classically-arranged spiritual, one of America’s unique contributions to world culture. Joshua not only won first place in this category, but he also received a scholarship to study this summer at the AIMS (American Institute of Musical Studies) in Graz, Austria. AIMS is one of the leading summer music programs in Europe. The program is designed to prepare students for a career as a professional musician. Joshua was also a semi-finalist in the Sophomore Men category.
Junior Kenneth McCall took third place in the finals Graduate Men category.
The three other students who made it to the semi-finals were Natalie Crayton - Sophomore Women; Benjamin Perkinson - Senior Men; and Marissa Sanchez - Freshman Women.
“NATS is a wonderful opportunity for our voice majors to not only compete at a high level, but to watch professional recitals, attend masterclasses and clinics, and network with colleagues and university professors in the Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico region,” said Dr. Samantha Balboa, assistant professor of music. “The UMHB music department is incredibly proud of their success. They work hard, support one another and leave with a wealth of knowledge and experience.”
