School of Music has 30 finalists, singer of year at West Central Regional

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Music had 30 finalists and Singer of the Year honors at the 2010 West Central Regional National Association of Teachers of Singing Vocal Auditions Nov. 4-6 at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.

Cami Philgreen, a bachelor of music senior from Manchester, Iowa, received 2010 Singer of the Year special honors. She was selected from the 29 upper-level finalists. Philgreen is a student of Alisa Belflower, senior lecturer in the School of Music and the coordinator of musical theater studies.

"Cami is a phenomenally talented young woman," Belflower said. "She lights up the stage with her sparkling personality and charismatic energy. She employs a unique brand of fearlessness in creating an art that audiences devour. There is every reason to believe Cami has a bright future."

In total, UNL had 30 finalists at the auditions, the most of any other participating school, along with 27 semifinalists. More than 429 students representing 25 colleges and universities in the region competed in the auditions.

Other accolades for UNL included:

* 18 of the 40 undergraduate awards presented for classical vocal performance.
* four of eight first-place awards for undergraduate classical singing.
* 12 of 20 musical theater awards presented.
* all five first-place awards presented for musical theater performance.

"These students have enhanced UNL's reputation and given us all reasons to be proud of what they have accomplished," Belflower said.

The National Association of Teachers of Singing was founded in 1944 and is the largest association of teachers of singing in the world. The West Central Region includes Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Wyoming.

UNL's finalists and semifinalists were as follows, listed by hometown:

NEBRASKA

Bellevue: Brian Jeffers, tied fourth place Sophomore Men, semifinalist Lower College Musical Theatre Men; Elizabeth Nicholson, semifinalist Senior Women.

Eagle: Jennifer Smith, semifinalist First-Year Women.

Grand Island: Alex Brown, semifinalist Sophomore Men, semifinalist Lower College Musical Theatre Men; Patrick Brown, semifinalist Lower College Musical Theatre Men; Kevin Palu, semifinalist Lower College Musical Theatre Men; and Megan Pattison, fourth place Lower College Musical Theatre Women.

Hallam: Dustin Paugh, semifinalist Senior Men.

Lincoln: Carey Brant, second place Sophomore Men; Arica Coleman, first place Junior Women, semifinalist Upper College Musical Theatre Women; Jay Colwell, first place First-Year Men; Madeline Hafner, semifinalist Lower College Musical Theatre Women; Sam Hartley, first place Upper College Musical Theatre Men; Natalie Manner, semifinalist First-Year Women, semifinalist Lower College Musical Theatre Women; Rachael Washington, semifinalist Lower College Musical Theatre Women; Wyn Wiley, third place Lower College Musical Theatre Men; Kellyn Wooten, third place Senior Women, semifinalist Upper College Musical Theatre Women.

Omaha: Karina Brazas, semifinalist Graduate Women; Tyler Gruttemeyer, semifinalist First-Year Men, tied first place Lower College Musical Theatre Men; Marjorie Huntley, semifinalist Sophomore Women; David Rubio, semifinalist Sophomore Men, tied first place Lower College Musical Theatre Men.

Papillion: Tyler Buglewicz, semifinalist First-Year Men; Sara Warner, third place Sophomore Women, second place Lower College Musical Theatre Women.

ELSEWHERE

Aberdeen, S.D.: Robert Klein, tied fourth place Sophomore Men.

Ankeny, Iowa: Kamerin Churchman, semifinalist Sophomore Women, third place Lower College Musical Theatre Women; Dani Cisna, third place Upper College Musical Theatre Women; and Nolan Henkle, semifinalist First-Year Men.

Bettendorf, Iowa: Hannah Kurth, semifinalist Sophomore Women; Nathan Sullivan, fourth place First-Year Men, semifinalist Lower College Musical Theatre Men.

Carrollton, Mo.: Kendall Reimer, first place Sophomore Women; Jackson Thomas, third place First-Year Men.

Clive, Iowa: Allison Harvey, second place Junior Women, second place Upper College Musical Theatre Women; Emily Solo, fourth place First-Year Women.

Excelsior Springs, Mo.: Timothy Madden, third place Sophomore Men.

Leawood, Kan.: John Guastello, semifinalist First-Year Men.

Manchester, Iowa: Cami Philgreen, 2010 Singer of the Year, second place Senior Women, first place Upper College Musical Theatre Women; Jon Sill, third place Junior Men, semifinalist Upper College Musical Theatre Men.

Manhattan, Kan.: Luke Messmer, fifth place First-Year Men.

Mitchellville, Iowa: Jake Skarin, semifinalist Sophomore Men, and second place Lower College Musical Theatre Men.

San Antonio, Texas: Adria Caffaro, first place Senior Women.

Stilwell, Kan.: Alexandra Tiller, semifinalist First-Year Women.

Tucson, Ariz.: Jaimie Pruden, fifth place Sophomore Women, first place Lower College Musical Theatre Women.

WRITER: Kathe Andersen, Publications Coordinator, Fine and Performing Arts, (402) 472-9355