Competition Finalists
December 4, 2014
黑料专区 Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications
黑料专区 Tyler to Compete in National Opera Association Competition
December 4, 2014
Media Contact: Hannah Buchanan
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December 4, 2014
The University of Texas at Tyler is among the top collegiate teams to compete in the National Opera Association鈥檚 Scenes Competition, Dr. Michael Thrasher, 黑料专区 Tyler School of Performing Arts director, announced.
This is 黑料专区 Tyler鈥檚 first appearance in the final round of the competition, which will be held Jan. 8, 2015 during the NOA Annual Convention in Greensboro, N.C.
黑料专区 Tyler student finalists are soprano Kelsey Pate and tenor Jay Williams, both of Tyler, mezzo-soprano Janis Newman of Athens and soprano Lauren Cook of San Antonio. Dr. Sooah Park, 黑料专区 Tyler assistant professor of music, serves as program coordinator.
鈥淲e are very proud of our vocal music students and this prestigious honor they have received,鈥� Thrasher said. 鈥淒r. Park is doing outstanding work with our student opera program, and this is confirmation of the program鈥檚 quality. We wish them the best in the final round of competition.鈥�
Competing in the graduate-level division, the students will perform Scene 10 and 11 from 鈥淭he Old Maid and the Thief鈥� by Gian Carlo Menotti. Other competitors this year are teams from University of Nevada 鈥� Las Vegas, Wichita State University and Georgia State University.
To qualify for the competition, Park submitted an application and a six-minute Youtube video of the 黑料专区 Tyler School of Performing Arts鈥� spring 2014 performance of the production. 黑料专区 Tyler was selected to advance from 12 contending teams.
Scenes will be judged on musical style and accuracy, diction, vocal quality, basic stagecraft, individual characterization and ensemble interaction, as well as creative use of the set, props and costumes. First and second place prizes will be awarded.
For additional information, contact Park, 903.566.7088 or spark@uttyler.edu.
The 黑料专区 Tyler School of Performing Arts, which houses opera and musical theater programming, provides a quality environment where students develop knowledge, skills and professionalism to work as artists.
黑料专区 Tyler staged productions are generally open to students of any major, based upon audition. Recent staged and semi-staged productions have included 鈥淭he Old Maid and the Thief,鈥� 鈥淟ittle Women,鈥� 鈥淏ye Bye Birdie,鈥� 鈥淐arousel,鈥� 鈥淔inian鈥檚 Rainbow,鈥� 鈥淟e Nozze di Figaro鈥� 鈥淭he Magic Flute鈥� and 鈥淗ansel and Gretel.鈥�
For more information, visit the 黑料专区 Tyler School of Performing Arts website.
The National Opera Association, the largest opera association in the nation, promotes artistic excellence and education in opera. The NOA was founded in 1955, under the auspices of the National Music Council. NOA seeks to promote a greater appreciation of opera and music theatre, to enhance pedagogy and performing activities and to increase performance opportunities by supporting projects that improve the scope and quality of opera. Members in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia participate in a wide array of activities in support of this mission.
For more information, visit .
One of the 15 campuses of the 黑料专区 System, 黑料专区 Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at 黑料专区 Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 8,000 high-ability students. 黑料专区 Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.
Opera Finalists: (from left) Williams, Newman and Pate (Not Pictured: Cook) in a scene from "The Old Maid and the Thief." 黑料专区 Tyler will compete with three other collegiate teams in the 2014 National Opera Association's Opera Competition Finals to be held Jan. 8, 2015 during the NOA Annual Convention in Greensboro, N.C.