Four University of Nebraska–Lincoln vocalists earned recognition at the 8th annual Hal Leonard Vocal Competition, announced May 10. All four vocalists competed in the College/University Musical Theatre Division.
Abby Kurth, a junior voice major in the Glenn Korff School of Music, is a North American honorable mention. Kurth will be performing this summer at the Ohio Light Opera at the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio.
Dakota Mathew, a sophomore music education and voice major in the Glenn Korff School of Music, is a North American finalist. This summer he will be working as a New Student Enrollment orientation leader at the university.
Susan Twiehaus, a junior voice major in the Glenn Korff School of Music, is a North American finalist. This summer she will attend Circle in the Square’s summer musical theatre workshop in New York City.
Michelle Ingle, a senior theatre performance major in the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film and a musical theatre minor, is a North American semi-finalist. This summer, she is performing professionally with Crane River Theater Company in Kearney, Nebraska.
All four students study voice with Alisa Belflower, the coordinator of musical theatre studies at Nebraska.
“Students from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln have won awards in this North American vocal competition for the past seven consecutive years, which speaks to the internationally competitive level of training and opportunities offered to our students,” Belflower said. “These are gifted students with magnificent potentials. We will hear more from them.”
Hal Leonard is the world leader in publishing vocal music. There were more than 1,000 entries in the 2018 competition, which is comprised entirely of video entries.