University of South Dakota Music Students 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, which has been moved from a live format to online as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The USD students advancing to nationals include the following:
Fourth-Year Classical Treble:
- Bailey Quade, a senior from Rapid City, South Dakota, majoring in vocal performance
- Mikayla Trenhaile, a senior from Yankton, South Dakota, majoring in vocal performance
Upper Musical Theatre Treble:
- Abby Beach, a senior from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, majoring in music education
First-Year Classical Treble:
- Margaret Meierhenry, a freshman from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, majoring in music education
- Denisse Balandran, a freshman from Storm Lake, Iowa, majoring in vocal performance
The students study voice with Tracelyn Gesteland, D.M.A., associate professor of voice/opera and the Walter A. and Lucy Yoshioka Buhler Endowed Chair.
“It is so wonderful that every singer who competed at regionals advanced to the nationals,” said Gesteland. “We have a great deal of talent in the voice area, and it is very rewarding to see that talent recognized by others in the region. I am so proud of these young artists."
