Nine Catawba Valley Community College music students who competed in the North Carolina National Association of Teachers of Singing competition at Meredith College in Raleigh will advance to the regional competition this spring.
The National Association of Teachers of Singing, Inc. (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 more than 35 other countries.
Ishmael Parson placed second in the state in the College First Year Men’s Music Theater category.
Cesar Cruz-Rodriguez placed third in the state in the College First Year Men’s Music Theater category.
Annie Walshak placed second in the state in the Women’s College Second Year category and second in the Contemporary Commercial Music category.
Cristina Pereira placed third in the state for the Adult Music Theater category.
These four students plus Ashley Hood, Madison Saunders, Hennah Kevitt, Bethany Spears, and Caroline Hendron all received scores of over 90. All nine will advance to the NATS Regional Competition to be held at the University of South Carolina in Columbia this spring.
CVCC’s students competed among more than 350 singers from the top universities in North Carolina to compete at the state level under the direction of faculty members David Clark, Kim Ray, and Caroline Simyon and accompanied by Freda Herrell and Jennifer McNeely.