APPLETON, WIS. — Lawrence University senior Amanda Gessler was named first alternate at the East Central Division of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Young Artists Piano Competition held Saturday, January 27 at Central Michigan University.
Gessler of Harshaw, was this year’s Wisconsin state winner of the MTNA competition and therefore advanced to the recent East Central Division competition. As a first alternate, she will advance to the national finals if the winner is unable to participate.
Gessler is the sixth Lawrence pianist to win the Wisconsin state competition during the past eight years and she placed higher than any previous Wisconsin state representative in this event during the past 10 years. The East Central Division of the MTNA consists of graduate and undergraduate pianists who are state winners from Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois. This year’s division winner was a graduate student from Indiana University.
The jury for this year’s competition included professors Louis Nagle from the University of Michigan and David Abbott from Albion College.
