University of South Dakota Music Students to Advance to National Voice Competition
Students from North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Manitoba and Saskatchewan submitted performance videos that were evaluated by a panel of judges. The USD students will next compete in the national competition, beginning with an online preliminary round, followed by live semifinals and finals in Chicago in July.
The USD students advancing to nationals include the following:
Advanced Collegiate Classical:
- Kelsey Huxman, a graduate student from Wichita, Kansas, majoring in vocal performance
- Kelsey Paul, a graduate student from Evansville, Wisconsin, majoring in vocal performance
Third-Year Classical Treble:
- Denisse Balandran, a junior from Storm Lake, Iowa, majoring in vocal performance
Second-Year Classical Treble:
- Elisabeth Peirce, a sophomore from Elk Point, South Dakota, majoring in vocal performance and music education
- Katelyn Privett, a sophomore from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, majoring in music education
Second-Year Classical TBB (tenor/baritone/bass):
- Brian Shirley, a sophomore from Rapid City, South Dakota, majoring in musical arts and business
Upper College Musical Theatre Treble:
- Denisse Balandran
Lower College Musical Theatre TBB:
- Brian Shirley
The students study voice with Tracelyn Gesteland, D.M.A., professor of voice/opera and the Walter A. and Lucy Yoshioka Buhler Endowed Chair. "I am so proud of these young artists for representing themselves and USD so well, particularly with all of the challenges that the pandemic has brought over the past couple of years,” Gesteland said. “These students are resilient as well as talented and dedicated to their art, and I look forward to seeing them compete on the national stage."
The singers' pianists were staff accompanists Deanna Wehrspann and Diane Van Den Oever, along with Deanne Ekstrand, a sophomore piano performance and music education major from Pocahontas, Iowa.
You May Also Like
College of Fine Arts Students Win Top Awards at South Dakota District, Regional NATS Auditions
University of South Dakota College of Fine Arts voice students won several top awards at the South Dakota District National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Auditions held in Sioux Falls on April 6.
Several USD Music Students Win Top Prizes at State Competitions
Music students in the University of South Dakota College of Fine Arts were among the top prizewinners at two competitions hosted by the South Dakota Music Teachers Association (SDMTA) at South Dakota State University (SDSU) earlier this month.
College of Fine Arts Student Selected as National Finalist in Vocal Competition
Earlier this summer, University of South Dakota College of Fine Arts student Jacob Olson was selected as a national finalist in the Glenn Miller Music Scholarship Competition, which is hosted by the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society.
