USD Music Students Win Top Prizes at Two South Dakota Music Teachers Association Competitions
“It is wonderful to see our students' hard work and musical achievements recognized through these competitions,” said Tracelyn Gesteland, DMA, professor of voice and opera in the USD Department of Music and the Walter A. and Lucy Yoshioka Buhler Endowed Chair. “These successes are the result of tremendous dedication on the part of the students and the faculty who work closely with them. I am proud of the talent and commitment represented across our department and grateful to be part of a faculty community that supports and inspires such outstanding young musicians.”
The two competitions included the Music Teachers National Association and the South Dakota Music Teachers Association. The MTNA competitions are among the most successful and prestigious student competitions in the country, providing educational experiences for students and teachers while recognizing talented young artists and their teachers in their pursuit of musical excellence. The South Dakota Music Teachers Association, an affiliate of MTNA, offers competitions that provide opportunities for musical growth for member teachers and their students through recognition of high-performance standards.
Participating universities included Black Hills State University, Augustana University, South Dakota State University and USD.
The following USD students won prizes in their respective divisions:
MTNA Young Artist Strings
First place:
Abby Stevens (studio of Sonja Kraus, D.M., associate professor of cello/bass in the USD Department of Music)
Junior in cello performance
Hometown: Rapid City, South Dakota
First-place winners at the state level of the Music Teachers National Association competition—held for piano, strings, woodwinds and composition—will advance to the West Central regional level competition, to be held virtually in early 2027.
Alternate:
Dalton Morris (studio of Kraus)
Graduate student in cello performance
Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island
Honorable mention:
Grace Goeller (studio of Kraus)
Graduate student in cello performance
Hometown: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
MTNA Young Artist Woodwinds
Alternate:
Masyn Schutter (studio of C.J. Kocher, D.A., professor of saxophone and jazz studies in the USD Department of Music)
Senior in saxophone performance and music education
Hometown: Aberdeen, South Dakota
Honorable mention:
Anna Peterson (studio of Beverly Gibson, DMA, adjunct clarinet instructor in the USD Department of Music)
Senior in musical arts
Hometown: Okoboji, Iowa
MTNA Young Artist Composition
First place:
Cesar Hernandez (studio of Paul Lombardi, Ph.D., professor of music theory and composition
USD music alum in cello performance, Class of 2026
Hometown: Sioux City, Iowa
Honorable mention:
Dalton Morris (studio of Lombardi)
Graduate student in cello performance
Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island
SDMTA Young Artist Voice
First place:
Cadie Logston (studio of Gesteland)
Graduate student in vocal performance
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri
SDMTA Collegiate Voice – Junior/Senior
First place:
Michael Arriaza (studio of Gesteland)
Senior in vocal performance and music education
Hometown: Schuyler, Nebraska
Arriaza also won a Distinguished Performance Award for the best performance of repertoire from the African diaspora.
SDMTA Collegiate Piano
Second place:
Ella Nelson (studio of Eun-Hee Park, DMA, assistant professor of piano in the USD Department of Music)
Sophomore in piano performance
Hometown: Yankton, South Dakota
SDMTA Collegiate Strings
First place:
Henry Jones (studio of Kraus)
Junior in cello performance
Hometown: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Second place:
Michael A. Johnson (studio of Kelly Coslet, M.M., adjunct professor in double bass in the USD Department of Music)
Senior in double bass performance and music education
Hometown: Rapid City, South Dakota
Honorable mention:
Connor Stuck (studio of Evie Chen, DMA, assistant professor of violin and viola in the USD Department of Music)
Freshman in violin performance and music education
Hometown: Rapid City, South Dakota
SDMTA Collegiate Brass
Honorable mention:
Carter Van Steenwyk (studio of Bethany Amundson, DMA, assistant professor and director of symphonic bands in the USD Department of Music)
Junior in trumpet performance and music education
Hometown: Aberdeen, South Dakota
Honorable mention:
Natalie Wells (studio of Amundson)
Sophomore in musical arts
Hometown: Elk Point, South Dakota
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