West Virginia University students took top honors in eight categories at a recent round of auditions hosted by the Tri-States Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Fourteen WVU students won or placed in their divisions at the event, held at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania.

“We were so proud of all of the singers who participated,” said Hope Koehler, associate professor of voice in WVU’s School of Music. “It takes a lot of courage to stand up and sing in front of judges who are taking notes and scoring your performance.”

In the competition, each singer performs a repertoire based on their academic level.

“Freshmen have to prepare three contrasting pieces from the classical literature,” Koehler explained. “At least one should be in English, and at least one should be in a foreign language.”

Advanced students have to prepare five contrasting selections from the classical literature, including one operatic aria, one oratorio or cantata aria, one art song in a foreign language, one art song in English, and one additional piece. There are also categories for Musical Theatre, which include increasingly difficult repertoire.

“The requirements get more rigorous as the categories become more advanced,” Koehler said.

Challenges aside, Koehler said he auditions “are a really great way for singers from different universities to get to know each other. It’s also a good way for a young singer to assess his or her own progress.”

Hannah Friend, of Morgantown, won first place in the Junior Women category.

“Going to the competition this year was a bit intimidating for me,” Friend said. “I’d never participated in a singing competition before. I went to have fun and get a different perspective about my voice through the judges’ comments.”

Happily, she came out with a win. “That has become a bit of validation that I’ve been needing recently, that I’m doing the right thing with my life. It has given me inspiration and reminded me of how much I love what I do.”

Madilyn Carothers of Bethel Park, Pa., excelled in the Musical Theatre category for Upper College Women, which is “truly where my heart lies, and it was such an honor being able to perform beautiful music with a room full of great people who share the same interests,” she said. “It was a wonderful day with truly wonderful people, and I can’t wait until the next competition.”

Winning WVU students and their categories were:

Freshman Women
First Place – Jamilah Barnes, Washington, D.C.
Second Place – Catherine Clements, Frankfort, Ky.

Sophomore Men
First Place – Trey Harris, Dunbar, W.Va.
Second Place – Joe Browning, Barboursville, W.Va.
Third Place – Trey Floyd, Charles Town, W.Va.

Sophomore Women
First Place – Sydney Stahl, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Junior Men
First Place – Robert Rowley, Sturgis, Ky.

Junior Women
First Place – Hannah Friend, Morgantown

Senior Men
Second Place – Steven Michael Patrick, Morgantown

Senior Women
First Place – Faith Snyderman, Washington, D.C.
Second Place – Janine Ernsting, Kearneysville, W.Va.

Upper College Women – Musical Theatre
First Place – Madilyn Carothers, Bethel Park, Pa.

Advanced Women
First Place – Rachel Taylor, Wilmore, Ky.
Second Place – Jenna Weaver, Knoxville, Tn.

-WVU-

dw/11/30/15

CONTACT: David Welsh, WVU College of Creative Arts
304.293.3397; David.Welsh@mail.wvu.edu

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.