Kansas State University

K-State vocal music students win top honors at regional competition

Submitted by Bryan Pinkall

Fifty Kansas State University vocal music students competed in the West Central National Association of Teachers of Singing Regional Auditions at the University of Nebraska at Kearney Oct. 30-31. These students represent the studios of Janie Brokenicky, Bryan Pinkall, Reginald Pittman, Cheryl Richt, Amy Rosine and Patricia Thompson.

This year, K-State emerged as the most successful school in the 2015 competition, with students winning six major titles. To top all honors, Ivy Calvert, senior in vocal performance, was selected as the Singer of the Year — the most prestigious award of the competition.

The regional auditions featured hundreds of student performers from universities and colleges within Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Wyoming, and is considered the region's most significant collegiate vocal performance competition.

The winning performers from K-State are Cooper McGuire, freshman, men classical; Kage Edgar, sophomore, men classical; Michael Fibelkorn, junior, men classical; Ivy Calvert, senior, women classical and singer of the year; and Noah Lindquist, sophomore, lower division musical theatre.

As finalists in their individual divisions, a record number of K-State students have now qualified to compete in the association's national auditions, with the competition finals in Chicago next summer. The complete list of K-State finalists are:

First Place Freshman Men — Cooper McGuire
Third Place Freshman Men — Elijah Clark
Third Place Freshman Women — Morgan Higgins

First Place Sophomore Men — Kage Edgar
Second Place Sophomore Men — Sam Wilson
Third Place Sophomore Women — Kelly Urschel

First Place Junior Men - Michael Fibelkorn
Fourth Place Junior Women - Madison Boyer

First Place Senior Women — Ivy Calvert, Singer of the Year
Second Place Senior Women — Rachel Hunt
Honorable Mention Senior Men — Paul Meissbach

First Place Lower Division Musical Theatre Men — Noah Lindquist
Second Place Lower Division Musical Theatre Women — Kelly Urschel
Third Place Lower Division Musical Theatre Men — Sam Wilson
Fourth Place Lower Division Musical Theatre Women- Deanna Richard

Second Place Upper Division Musical Theatre Men — Sam Massey
Third Place Upper Division Musical Theatre Men — Christian Blackburn
Third Place Upper Division Musical Theatre Women — Rachel Hunt

Several K-State students emerged as semifinalists in the regional competition. The students who advanced to the semifinal rounds are —

Freshman Classical: Justice Bishop, Grace Volker, Ashleigh Tysick, Garrett Prall, Lucero Padilla
Sophomore Classical: Nick Overbey
Junior Classical: Madison Moore, Karis Dolenz, Mary Higgins
Lower Division Music Theatre: Catie Mallory
Upper Division Music Theatre: Jackie Newland, Michael Fibelkorn