PR 2006 Feb U1

Shelton State Voice Students Shine at State Auditions

Tuscaloosa - Students from the Department of Music at Shelton State Community College gathered on February 24-25 at Huntingdon University in Montgomery for the state auditions of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

Of over 250 students from colleges and voice studios from all over the state, Shelton State Community College was the only two-year college represented.

Thirteen singers participated in the competition and 11 were selected for the semi-finals. In the category for musical theatre women, of the 8 semi-finalists, 5 were from Shelton State. Four singers advanced to the finals where Shelton State had a third place winner, a second place winner, and 2 first place winners.

"I am very excited about our students! I would love to claim that I taught them everything they know, but they deserve all the credit for their hard work and talent," said Glinda Blackshear, director of the Shelton State Singers and voice instructor at the college.

Classifications are based on the students' time of voice study, with classifications 21 and 22 being for musical theatre, with the other classifications representing classical repertoire.  Students participating in the auditions were:

KAYLA BEAMS - Classification 1 semi-finalist

JARED SANDERS - Classification 2 semi-finalist

JAKE BOYD - Classification 2 third place winner

MARLIN WARD - Classification 6

JOHN LYONS - Classification 6 semi-finalist

SARAH HUNNICUTT - Classification 7; Classification 21 semi-finalist

MICKLYNN KANNAPEL - Classification 7; Classification 21 semi-finalist

BRITTANY NORRIS - Classification 21 semi-finalist

NATALIE SANDERS - Classification 7; Classification 21

MEGAN SKELTON - Classification 7; Classification 21 semi-finalist

ERYN DAVIS - Classification 7 semi-finalist; Classification 21 first place winner

BARRY BONNER - Classification 8; Classification 22 second place winner

KEVIN BECK - Classification 12 first place winner