APPLETON, WIS. — Sophomore Lacy Benter, one of eight Lawrence University students awarded first-place honors, won her second straight state singing title at the 2006 Wisconsin chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition held Nov. 3-4 at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Benter of Southport, Fla., earned first-place honors in the women’s lower college women’s musical theatre division after winning the freshman women division in 2005. Just as they have in recent years, Lawrence students again dominated the annual state competition, winning eight of 11 divisions, including four divisions in which they earned first- and second-place honors. A total of 18 Lawrence students advanced to the competition’s finals.
Other Lawrence first-place finishers included Derrell Acon of St. Louis, Mo., in the freshman men division; Molly Wilson of Richmond, Va., in the freshman women division; Garth Neustadter of Manitowoc, in the sophomore men division; Sarah Botsford of Waukesha, in the senior women division; Cami Bowers of Storm Lake, Iowa, in the continuing senior women division; Megan Flod of Stillwater, Minn., in the upper college women’s musical theatre division; and Mike Axtell of Galesburg, Ill., in the upper college men’s musical theatre division. Flod’s first-place finish was her second NATS title, having previously won the lower college women’s musical theatre division title in 2004.
Bender and Bowers are students in the voice studio of Joanne Bozeman. Acon and Flod study in the studio of Patrice Michaels. Neustadter and Botsford are students of Ken Bozeman. Wilson is a student in the studio of John Gates and Axtell studies under Karen Leigh-Post.
All first-place finishers received $150 for their winning efforts, while second- and third-place finishers received $125 and $100, respectively.
A total of 60 Lawrence students and two students from the Lawrence Academy of Music participated in this year’s NATS competition, which attracted more than 400 singers from colleges and high schools throughout Wisconsin.
In addition to the eight winners, six Lawrence students and both Academy of Music students earned second-place honors: Cassie Glaeser (high school girls), Natalie Beck (freshman women), Andrew Penning, (sophomore men) Katie Hawkinson (women’s lower college music theatre), Keely Borland (junior women), Andrew Lovato (junior men), Becca Young (contiuing senior women), and James Dedering (adult avocational).
Depending upon the category, NATS competitors are required to sing two, three or four classical pieces from different time periods with at least one selection sung in a foreign language. James McDonald, professor of voice at the New England Conservatory of Music and Shari Rhoads, opera coach at the University of Iowa, served as guest judges for the competition.
