Five Taylor Students Win at Singing Competition

On November 4, a group of students from the Taylor University Music, Theatre & Dance Department competed in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Indiana District Auditions, hosted this year at Butler University. This annual singing competition attracts students from universities across Indiana, in which they compete for monetary awards and receive feedback from judges.

Five Taylor students won awards, an outstanding accomplishment in their competitive field:

• Karis Bland, first place in Indiana third year Musical Theatre
• Anna Jones, first place in Indiana second year Classical
• Marcus Haynes, second place in Indiana second year Classical
• Cameron Damesworth, second place in Indiana first- and second-year Musical Theatre
• Gavin Kastner, third place in Indiana first- and second-year Musical Theatre

“We are proud of our students for their success on the NATS stage,” said Dr. Conor Angell, Co-Chair of the Music, Theatre, & Dance Department. “It is a tremendous blessing for our faculty to be entrusted with mentoring these students to develop their gifts. Each of these students invested a great deal of work and preparation in their performance, and that work will benefit them in years to come.”

Participating universities at NATS included Indiana University, Ball State University, Indiana State University, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana Wesleyan University, Anderson University, Huntington University, St. Mary’s College, and Butler University, among others.