During the week of November 4-7, 2009, several faculty members and students of the University’s Department of Music traveled to Texas Tech University to attend the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Texoma Regional Conference and Student Auditions.  The Texoma region of NATS, formerly called the Southwestern Region, spans five regions and includes the states of Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.

UTSA’s own Diana Allan, Gary Mabry, William McCrary, John Nix, Susan Olson, April Hufty, and Linda Poetschke served as UTSA Music Department faculty representatives and as regional judges. Diana Allan and Linda Poetschke, former Region governors, served on the conference’s Board of Control.  Linda Poetschke also served as a member of a panel discussion about choosing repertoire (songs and other performance materials) for young singers.

Twenty-eight UTSA singers accompanied by three pianists—Christine Debus, Anna Hakobyan, and Aaron Carter-Cohn—competed against about 500 other students for several high honors and awards.  Among them, 8 singers advanced to the NATS Finals, to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah in the summer of 2010.  The finalists were: Freshman Valerie Serna, Juniors Bronwyn White, Christina Taylor, and Jacob Valdez; and Seniors Michelle Lange, Megan Radowick, Rafael Moras, and Lorenzo Garcia. 

Jordanna Torrez was a 3^rd place finalist in the Singer of the Year competition, a contest in which advanced singing students prepare a complete recital of 14 songs and arias.  Rafael Moras brought great recognition to himself and to the University by receiving the Grady Harlan Award, an honor bestowed upon the singer whom the judges believe to possess the most potential to pursue a performing career. 

Congratulations to all of the professors, accompanists, and students for their participation and recognition in this event!

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