Record Number of Students Awarded at National Association of Teachers of Singing District Auditions

group of award winners

On October 22, nine students from the Music, Theatre, & Dance Department won awards at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Indiana District Auditions, hosted at Indiana Wesleyan University. This annual singing competition brings together students from Ball State University, Notre Dame University, Marian University, DePauw University, Indiana State University, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana Wesleyan University, Anderson University, Huntington University, St. Mary’s College, Butler University, and Indiana University, among others.

 “Having been personally connected with Taylor’s Music, Theatre, & Dance Department since 2002, I cannot recall a year in which so many Taylor students won awards at NATS,” said Dr. Conor Angell, Professor of Music and Department Co-Chair. “We are immensely proud of our students’ dedicated work refining their artistic skills in pursuit of their vocational calling, as an offering of worship.”

Below is a list of the award winners from Taylor, who are voice students of Dr. Mary Kathryn Brewer, Dr. Conor Angell, or Dr. Loralee Songer.

  • Josh Benson (BA, Music), first place in Indiana second year Classical
  • Ris Bland (BFA, Musical Theatre), first place in Indiana fourth year Musical Theatre
  • Grace Bradshaw (BFA, Musical Theatre), second place in Indiana second year Musical Theatre
  • Mark Cosgrove (BM, Vocal Performance), first place in Indiana first year Classical 
  • TJ Fausnight (BFA, Musical Theatre), third place in Indiana second year Musical Theatre
  • Anna Jones (BA, Public Relations; minor in Applied Music), first place in Indiana third year Classical
  • Gavin Kastner (BFA, Musical Theatre), third place in Indiana third year Musical Theatre
  • Lisa Pinsenschaum (BFA, Musical Theatre), first place in Indiana first year Musical Theatre
  • Gaby Valdez (BM, Music Education), first place in Indiana second year Musical Theatre