Anderson’s Jazz Fusion Ensemble was formed by Commercial Music students at the South Carolina School of the Arts. According to Music Professor Dr. Derick Cordoba, the AU Jazz Fusion Ensemble was the only group from the U.S. invited to perform at the prestigious conference. JAM LAB offers the only accredited commercial music program in Europe. ��

“We got to perform on Friday night at a concert… They did an amazing job,” said Cordoba, who led the trip. “Not only did we get all these master classes and get to play in their facilities, we got to tour their music production facilities for movie recording and video game composing. We have a memorandum of understanding with the school, so students in the future will be able to take summer classes there for credit.” 

“This is something I definitely wanted to do, and it’s even better that I got to go with my friends and my peers that I work with closely to make music,” said Kate Strickland, who plays electric violin in the group.����

Kate Strickland and Nathan Freeman on stage.

Ensemble member Dalvin Gray got to play for an Italian band attending the conference, filling in for their drummer. Gray recalls he fit right into the group, citing music as a universal language. ��

“The way that we can all come in together and just mesh as one and have that uniform sound is just incredible,” Gray said. “My favorite memory is getting to meet a lot of the students over there who have played with or are on projects with big inspirations of mine. This one guy over there, Adrian Varday, was signed to Quincy Jones at 11 and played in his band for a while. Getting to meet him and hear his backstory and just getting to hang out with him—we connected instantly as soon as we met.” ��

Dalvin Gray, right, playing drums with a group from Italy.

“I do not speak German. I do not speak Italian… but I knew if we reached a solo section and I looked at somebody and they nodded at me, it was my turn. It’s a really coolcollaborative experience,” Strickland said. “I view music and cultural exchange as a mission opportunity of going, this is how I see the world, and I hope that you see Jesus in me to the point where you ask me why I am the way that I am.”

Gray will never forget interacting with musicians in Vienna who had a natural ability to play as if they’ve been jamming together for many years.��

“That was literally my biggest memory, having that connection with everyone, knowing that we can make great music and also just be connected through music, because that is the universal language,” Gray said.��

The AU Fusion Ensemble also got to perform at two of Vienna’s top jazz venues. ��

“That was a really unique experience for the students because it was something only a local jazz musician would really be able to do,” said Cordoba. ��

Olivia Burdette on keyboard with Duncan Stone on guitar in the background.

“The jazz scene there is absolutely phenomenal,” Strickland continued. “There are so many people there playing jazz and teaching jazz and just speaking that language to each other. I saw people when we were playing at jazz clubs coming up to me and being like, ‘wow, you sound great. This is awesome. Will you be back tomorrow?’”��

Cordoba said, “We had a great time and the schools really enjoyed working with American jazz students. They were very excited for that since the U.S. is where jazz was basically born.” He added that Professor Greg Alewine played a key role in preparation for the trip, rehearsing the ensemble, guiding them in selecting their repertoire and leading in fundraising concerts.��

Music Professor Derick Cordoba speaking on the microphone. At left is Braden Anderson on bass and at right is Nathan Freeman on trumpet.

If you’re interested in hearing the AU Jazz Fusion Ensemble play, they will be in concert April 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Daniel Recital Hall of the Rainey Fine Arts Center on the 91������ campus. ��

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“I knew that my mother loved that instrument so much,” Littlejohn said, “I really wanted to make her happy at the time.”��

Littlejohn��has grown significantly in his trumpet playing skills��and now��is��one of a select few who advanced to the live��round of��the National Trumpet Competition, one of the premier musical competitions for trumpet players in the U.S.����

Littlejohn is one of just 60 undergraduate students from various colleges,��universities��and conservatories across the nation to advance to the competition’s live performance round.��He’s��the��first ever from 91������.����

Littlejohn��will perform��Alexandra��Pakhmutova’s��Trumpet Concerto��in the competition��taking place March 19-22 at the University of Iowa.��The concerto��was written early in��the Russian composer’s��career and reflects the bold, optimistic spirit of post-war Soviet music.��

“When I read about the piece, something just clicked,” Littlejohn said. “I’m not sure what it was, but there was a lot that I could find from that story, from the adversity��I’ve had to deal��with in my life, just looking back on that and where I’m at now, even just with keeping in mind my current struggles and how I’m still putting my best��foot forward and trying to obtain my degree, and��just��to��do right by my mother, though she’s no longer here physically.”��

In dealing with his mother’s passing during his childhood and the deaths of other family members over the years, Littlejohn finds solace in music.��

“When I play music, what I notice is that I’m enabling myself to feel the way that I need to feel to get through the moment,” he said.��

Littlejohn, who has played in Anderson’s wind symphony, jazz fusion combo, jazz big band, and pep band, feels that if it��weren’t��for his professors and the many opportunities and resources 91��������has offered him, he would not have gotten as far as he has.����

“I’m grateful to 91������ for providing these��top-notch��quality experiences for me and my colleagues,” said Littlejohn, whose goal is to��consistently improve his musicianship.��

“The music that we read—it’s not only just about hitting every single note, or being very articulate—but it’s more so about what do you think this piece is about by sitting here and playing it,” Littlejohn said, adding “And can you draw something into your life that can make this musical moment near and dear to your heart?”��

Trumpet Professor Chris Imhoff of the South Carolina School of the Arts at 91������, said, “This is Marqual’s first year here at 91������ and he has embraced the attitude and culture of our trumpet studio. He is surrounded by a group of hard-working, dedicated students who are there to support each other in times of hardship and push each other to become their best, in music but also in life. ��Marqual is a gifted trumpet player who is growing in the positive, Christ-centered environment of AU. This is a wonderful accomplishment for this young man and the start of an exciting time in his musical journey.” ��

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Current 91������ students Madison Church, Sydney Loop, Hollis Williams and AU Alum Olivia Stepp Darling joined students from universities and conservatories around the world this past summer, establishing an international connection with world-class music professionals, stretching their vocal and performing skills while immersing themselves in the language and culture of Italy. Bel Canto students came from the United States, China, Australia, the United Kingdom and Finland.����

Welborn co-directs Bel Canto with Kathleen McKellar-Ferguson of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. When Welborn and McKellar-Ferguson were teaching together in Italy a year ago for a different program, they realized they worked well together and had similar teaching styles.����

Welborn said, “Kath and I wanted to create a new school with expectations of excellence in performance but also wanted to include some interest sessions such as Body Mapping, Performance Anxiety, and Singers Health. We wanted our school to be challenging but fun, as well as create a welcoming and encouraging environment.”

With McKellar-Ferguson’s European connections, they were able to assemble an international faculty from Italy, France and Finland—each bringing their own gifts and expertise into the process.

Bel Canto consisted of morning classes in Italian language and afternoons spent developing vocal skills and extending students’ repertoire with one-on-one singing lessons. The program also took a holistic approach to all facets of singers’ wellness, exploring body mapping, performance anxiety and vocal health. Also included were masterclasses and discussion forums. Welborn noted that during Bel Canto the days are long—often starting at 9 a.m. and running as late as 7 p.m.��

“They gave us a wide range of repertoire and pushed us out of our comfort zones in order for us to grow,” Williams said. “The performances also allowed us to share our accomplishments and expand our confidence in these new ideas.”��

The students performed in three concerts—each tailored to a different aspect of classical music—at venues across Todi. Since Todi is a small town, Welborn said that the residents came out to the performances and also got to know the students. Church recalls how Todi residents would be drawn by the sounds of opera they would hear through the open windows and echoing through the streets on warm evenings.��

“The street was filled with opera singers. I went into the butcher shop one day, the oldest store in Todi. The owner was in there, and he was telling me how thankful he was that we were all there bringing music to their streets, and he cried,” Church recalls. “I think that was probably my favorite moment of the whole trip.”��

The Bel Canto students lived with host families, immersing themselves further into the Italian culture while enjoying Italian hospitality. Welborn feels students are getting a wonderful experience being around other students from different countries, learning from each other and growing as musicians in the process. Church feels enriched from her interactions with peers from all over the world, including an Australian student who shared the same host home. Williams has happy memories of staying with Maria, her host “mom,” enjoying meals together on the porch each day. She said the food was amazing; also, students also enjoyed the best gelatos they’ve ever tasted.��

“I had a phone call with my friends in Scotland to talk about their opera gigs they have coming up,” Church said, noting that she forged strong friendships with others as they all went through a challenging but rewarding time of learning.��

While in Italy, the students took side trips, including whitewater rafting at Tern and visiting the nearby Orvieto’s historic cathedral. They also experienced the history and culture of Rome.��

“Our students stepped up and improved. They learned from each other,” Welborn said.��

One of the concerts was held in the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Annunziata.

“Personally, I think I grew the most in my performance skills and being able to perform in front of groups of people,” Church said. “Going into it, I was more focused on the education aspect and wasn’t really planning to perform or anything like that. But I think it definitely improved my ability to perform in front of people.”����

“The experience in Todi allowed me to grow in many ways,” WIlliams said. “I was surrounded by experienced performers, teachers, and coaches. Most of these young singers were beginning their master’s degree in the arts, so they had many years of experience ahead of me. This challenged me to be better, and it showed me where I could be in a few years in my singing career. This also reminded me that I am on my own journey, and I will learn all these concepts at my own pace.”��

Welborn and her international colleagues are working to make more connections as they plan for next summer.����

Details about Bel Canto in Todi can be found .
��

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The NATS NSA Semi-Finalists have been through many rounds of adjudication. Students from all over the U.S. and some international students competed at the state, regional, national preliminary and quarter final rounds to be among the final 15 in each category. More than 1,100 students were involved in the competition.����

The following students were selected as top 3 finalists and earned honors: ��

• Nathan Fowler 
  First Place, Commercial Music Upper College Tenor, Baritone, and Bass Voices 
  Student of Seth Killen ��

• D’Andre Hicks 
  Second Place, Commercial Music Lower College Tenor, Baritone, and Bass Voices 
  Student of Seth Killen ��

• Harper Krimm 
  First Place, Commercial Music Upper College Treble Voices 
  Third Place, Musical Theater Upper College, Treble Voices 
  Student of Deirdre Welborn ��

  The following students competed in this event as semi-finalists (top 15 semi-finalists) in the nation: ��

• D’Andre Hicks
  Musical Theater Upper College Tenor, Baritone and Bass Voices
  Student of Seth Killen ��

• D’Andre Hicks 
  Spirituals Lower College All Voices
  Student of Seth Killen ��

• Harper Krimm 
  Spirituals Lower College All Voices
  Student of Deirdre Welborn ��

• Rebecca Menoni ��
  Spirituals Advanced All Voices
  Student of Deirdre Welborn ��

• Jacob Sabella 
  Musical Theater Lower College Tenor, Baritone and Bass Voices
  Student of Seth Killen ��

• Sydney Wells��
  Commercial Music Upper College Treble Voices
  Student of Deirdre Welborn ��

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All of these students will move on to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Competition in March 2025 to compete against winners and qualifiers from South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.

Congratulations to the students, their teachers, and to staff pianist Janice Wright, along with guest pianists Steve Griner and Sarah Wannamaker.

First Place Winners

Hunter Ballard, First��Place
Third Year College Musical Theater, Tenor, Bass, Baritone
Student of Seth Killen

Nathan Fowler, First��place
Fourth Year College Commercial Music, Tenor, Bass, Baritone
Student of Seth Killen

D’Andre Hicks, First��Place
Second Year College Musical Theater, Tenor, Bass, Baritone
Student of Seth Killen

Abigail Knight, First��Place
First Year Commercial Music, Treble
Student of Seth Killen

Harper Krimm, First��Place
Third Year College Commercial Music, Treble
Student of Deirdre Welborn

Harper Krimm, First Place
Third Year College Musical Theater, Treble
Student of Deirdre Welborn

Isabella Murrell, First��Place
Fourth Year College, Musical Theater, Treble
Student of Joel Dupont

Gabe Patterson, First��Place
First Year College Commercial Music, Tenor, Bass, Baritone
Student of Seth Killen

Sydney Wells, First��Place
Fourth Year College Commercial Music, Treble
Student of Deirdre Welborn

Sydney Wells, songwriter “No Regrets”
Original Composition Award Winner
Student of Deirdre Welborn

Additional Place Winners

Hannah Grace Attaway, Third Place, Third Year College Commercial Music, Treble, student of Eranga Goonetilleke

Zane Beyerl,��Third��Place, Third Year College Musical Theater, Tenor, Bass, Baritone, student of Seth Killen

Jude Collins, Second Place, Second Year College Musical Theater, Tenor, Bass, Baritone, student of Seth Killen

D’Andre Hicks, Second Place, Second Year College Commercial Music, Tenor, Bass, Baritone, student of Seth Killen

Anderson Moore, Second Place, Third Year College Commercial Music, Treble, student of Seth Killen

Anderson Moore, Second Place, Third Year College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Seth Killen

Evelyn Ruff, Second Place, Fourth Year, College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Deirdre Welborn

Sarah Rhoton, Second��Place, Second Year College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Eranga Goonetilleke

Jacob Sabella, Second Place, Second Year College Musical Theater, Tenor, Bass, Baritone, student of Seth Killen

Additional Regional Qualifers

Mady Church, Regional Qualifier, Second Year College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Deirdre Welborn

Katelyn Cohee, Regional Qualifier, First Year College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Deirdre Welborn

Jordan Duncan, Regional Qualifier, Fourth Year College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Seth Killen

Paola Gonzalez, Regional Qualifier, First Year, College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Deirdre Welborn

Joseph Grant, Regional Qualifier, Second Year College Musical Theater, Tenor, Bass, Baritone, student of Joel Dupont

Isabella Gunter,��Regional Qualifier, First Year, College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Deirdre Welborn

Connor Jones, Regional Qualifier, Third Year College Musical Theater, Tenor, Bass, Baritone, student of Joel Dupont

Sydney Loop, Regional Qualifier, Second Year, College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Deirdre Welborn

Sydney McCoy, Regional Qualifier, Third Year College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Deirdre Welborn

Rebecca Menoni, Regional Qualifier, Fourth Year College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Deirdre Welborn

Jenna Ritchey, Regional Qualifier, Fourth Year College Commercial Music, Treble, student of Eranga Goonetilleke

Jenna Ritchey, Regional Qualifier, Fourth Year College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Eranga Goonetilleke

Rachel Thornhill, Regional Qualifier, Fourth Year College Commercial Music, Treble, student of Seth Killen

Delisia Welborn, Regional Qualifier, First Year College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Deirdre Welborn

Hollis Williams, Regional Qualifier, First Year College Musical Theater, Treble, student of Seth Killen

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Growing up in a small town in Upstate New York, Dr. Allan immersed herself in music through piano lessons, playing in her school band and singing in choir.

“I was the substitute pipe organist in my town and I was in musicals and marching band,” she recalls. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do music teaching or performance, but then God opened the doors. I believe that music education and research is what He wants me to do.”

Dr. Allan, who is entering her third year on the 91������ faculty, desires to help current and future music educators effectively teach students of all ages and abilities.

Dr. Allan is an elementary specialist who has taught music to children of varied abilities in both public and private school settings, including at a school for children with sensory processing disorders and an autism center. She has done extensive research on teaching children with diverse abilities and music teacher preparation for the inclusion of these students.

Dr. Allan has also directed award-winning elementary choirs and has given private piano lessons to people of all ages and abilities.

To students in the Master of Music in Music Education degree program, Dr. Allan teaches courses for music education and research, music teaching and learning, psychology of music and current issues in music education. Additionally, she guides graduate students individually in their research projects to attain their degree.

To undergraduate students, Dr. Allan teaches an elementary music methods class, drawing from her experience and credentials as an elementary specialist.

Whether teaching both graduate and undergraduate students, Dr. Allan wants all her students to experience a personalized approach both online and in the classroom.

“With online students, since they are adults, they want that personal face-to-face because that’s what they’re used to. That’s how they grew up, like me,” she said. “I’m always open to meeting via Zoom because some of them are across the country. We try to meet as often as needed.”

“Dr. Amalia Allan is an accomplished, dedicated, superb member of the Master of Music in Music Education faculty,” said Dr. David Perry, director of the Department of Music. “Dr. Allan is a passionate researcher whose research focuses on teaching music to people with diverse abilities, multiculturalism in music education, and music teacher preparation for inclusion.”

Details about the Master of Music in Music Education course from the South Carolina School of the Arts at 91������ can be found online here.

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Krimm was accompanied in the Finals by Nathan Fowler, a Worship Leadership major at AU and an extraordinary guitar player. Molly Tripp accompanied on piano Krimm and��all of the students in the Semi-final round. ��

According to Associate Professor of Music Deirdre Welborn, these students have been through many rounds of adjudication to get to this point.����

Placing second in the Commercial Music category is special for Krimm, since this is the first year for the category to appear in NATS competition.��

“I love performing live, and getting to perform for people that don’t usually watch me was extra special as well,” said Krimm. “To create connections in a different area of the country was really great. I got to meet musicians from Seattle and Hawaii and all sorts of places.”��

Krimm, whose parents are 91������ alumni, looks forward to returning to AU for her junior year.��

“This year I get to be the band leader for AUthenticity. We’re currently up in the studios recording an album to be released,” she said. “We’re excited about that, too.”��

The students below are the top 14 from across the United States and including several international qualifiers as well. They sang in the Semi-Final Round at the National Student Auditions Semi-Finals at the NATS National Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, June 27-30.������

��

Semi-Finalists����

(Top 14 students in each category from across the US and some international chapters)��

����

Nathaneal Browne – Musical Theater, Lower College, Tenor, Baritone, Bass – student of Seth Killen��

D’Andre Hicks – Hall Johnson Spirituals – student of Seth Killen��

D’Andre Hicks – Musical Theater, Lower College Tenor, Baritone, Bass – student of Seth Killen��

Harper Krimm – Commercial Music, Lower College Treble – student of Deirdre Welborn��

Harper Krimm – Musical Theater, Lower College Treble – student of Deirdre Welborn��

Gabe Pattersonn* – Commercial Music Lower College Tenor, Baritone, Bass – student of Seth Killen��

Evelyn Ruff – Musical Theater, Upper College, Treble – student of Deirdre Welborn����

Jacob Sabella – Musical Theater, Lower College, Tenor, Baritone, Bass – student of Seth Killen��

Sydney Wells – Commercial Music, Upper College Treble – student of Deirdre Welborn��

����

Other students advanced to the Preliminary round and Quarter Final round but were not selected for the Semi-Final Round:��

Scarlett Freeman – CM Lower College, Treble, Preliminary Round – student of Seth Killen��

Sydney Loop – Classical, First Year College, Treble, Preliminary Round – student of Deirdre Welborn��

Rebecca Menoni – MT Upper College, Treble, Preliminary Round and Quarter Final Rounds – student of Deirdre Welborn��

Isabella Murrell – MT Upper College, Treble, Preliminary Round and Quarter Final Rounds – student of Joel Dupont��

Mattie Murdock – CM Lower College, Treble, Preliminary Round – student of Alex Birch��

����

��*Gabe Patterson was selected as a Semi-Finalist but was unable to participate due to an injury just before the NSA Semi-Finals��

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Rev. Maurice Huggins, better known to his congregation as Pastor Mo, feels blessed to be in the doctoral program at the Clamp Divinity School of the 91������ College of Christian Studies as he shepherds , a diverse and growing congregation in the Atlanta area. Mountain West Church is currently up to three services on a typical Sunday.

“We like to say we’re a place that looks like hope and feels like home, and that we’re a church that looks like heaven,” Huggins said. “Every tribe, every nation and tongue gather here where we lay down our preferences and gather around the gospel of Jesus… The coolest part is to just see people who are bank presidents and other individuals who don’t know where their next meal is coming from worshiping together. Immigrants as well as citizens worshiping—just the beauty of that. We’re solidly biblical and centered around the gospel and we help to inspire hope in life through the life of Jesus Christ.”

According to Huggins, Mountain West is in a prime location for reaching out to the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“We’ve got a vision called Hope 2030… God has called us to make a local imprint and a global impact,” Huggins said. “I don’t think it’s an accident that we are placed 25 minutes from the busiest airport in the world. We can get anywhere in the world from Atlanta, Georgia. We’re going to launch a Hope Center to be our local missions initiative. We have expanded our mission footprint already but we’re going to expand it even further and we’ll have a presence on six out of seven continents. Right now we’re on two and we’re going to expand that to six.”

Born to Jamaican parents and himself a third generation pastor, Huggins initially didn’t feel a calling into ministry. He interned at a law firm in high school and enrolled in college as a political science major with a goal of law school, but during his junior year, God used a Bible class to communicate His calling. 

“I felt I was called to this and one way or another I was going to do it,” Huggins said.

When Huggins was seeking a doctoral program, he found that at the 91������ College of Christian Studies was exactly what he needed. He’s experienced colleges that run the gamut from liberal to ultraconservative, and was refreshed by what he found at Anderson.

“I describe Anderson as biblical. The lens is not filtered through a man-made structure before it’s given to you. Anderson and Clamp are just solidly biblical and focused on showing what the Bible says before you get to your own proclivities and preferences,” Huggins said.

The day-to-day of pastoral ministry can be challenging—all the more reason Huggins appreciates his faculty as he works on his doctoral program at Anderson.

“I’ve been introduced to people doing what I’m doing in the field right now and not just those who are theoretical but putting it into practice… I have put into practice what I’ve been learning. I had a class that taught on planning your preaching for a year. If I had never had that class, I don’t know how I would survive the first year here,” Huggins said. “We grew by 700 people in the first year, and so not having preparation I would have been overwhelmed but to have that all ready and know what I’m doing, I learned that in a class at Anderson.”

Joining Mountain West’s staff as Communications Director was Angelina Chisholm, who graduated from 91������ a couple of years ago after studying Communication and Worship Leadership. Huggins met Chisholm when she was leading worship for 91������’s Clamp Divinity school at the 2021 National Conference on Preaching in Nashville. He invited Chisholm to visit his church, which at the time was at Stevens Creek Church in Augusta, Georgia. 

“It’s a pretty cool story, that two AU students meet at an AU sponsored event and then begin serving in a growing, multi-ethnic church together,” said Dr. Kris Barnett of Clamp Divinity School, who supervises Huggins’ doctoral program and has also spoken at Mountain West. 

Chisholm recalls a text she got after returning to Anderson for fall after the conference.

“I got a text from Dr. Chuck Fuller of Clamp Divinity School. He was one of my professors and it turns out that he was also one of Pastor Mo’s professors. Chuck texted me and said, ‘Hey, there’s someone from the National Conference on Preaching who remembers you and wants to talk to you’ and it was Mo. At that point he had come to Mountain West… I didn’t think I made that big of an impression. He didn’t even know what I majored in and when I told him I was double majoring in Communications and Music Worship he was like, ‘that’s perfect. We’re looking for someone for communication.’”

Since joining the staff of Mountain West, Chisholm has seen how God uses skills she learned studying Communications and also Worship Leadership at 91������. She initially chose to major only in Worship Leadership. Later, seeking out additional programs of study, she decided to also major in Communication. 

“I chose communications, and I really didn’t think much of it, but the more I did it the more I liked it, and then the more I was talking to people at Anderson, professors and administrators about my majors, they were saying, those two actually go so well together—worship leadership and communications—because when you work in ministry, you end up doing a lot more than you thought. So it became clear to me that communications could be useful in ministry as well. But I always felt like, well, I’m just supposed to do worship, because I’ve always done worship, and I’ve always loved music,” Chisholm said. “I think that the Lord calls people to ministry, not skill sets. You can be really good at something, and you might feel the Lord call you into ministry, and then when you get there, He has you doing something completely different. 

In addition to leading Mountain West’s communications team, Chisholm also leads musical worship in services.

Information about the 91������ College of Christian Studies and Clamp Divinity School can be found online here. Information about the South Carolina School of the Arts at 91������ can be found online here.

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Two students from the South Carolina School of the Arts at 91������ received top honors at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) National Student Auditions (NSA) Finals, July 7-8 in San Diego.��

According to Associate Professor of Music Deirdre Welborn, this year’s NATS NSA Competition began with district auditions last fall, followed by regional auditions from which students qualified to audition for the quarter final first round of the National NSA.

“From 13,000 singers at the district level, it finally came down to three singers from each category to sing in the finals this weekend. This year’s NSA also included some international students from NATS Chapters abroad,” said Welborn, who is a NATS member and vocal coordinator at the South Carolina School of the Arts. “It is a great achievement to make it to the finals.”

In the final round for her competition, Mabry Boyle, a 2023 Music Education graduate, performed “Rosa’s Confession” from The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Boyle was awarded second place for her category.

Welborn said of Boyle, “She sang beautifully with poise and presence and great character.”

Harper Krimm, who is pursuing a BM in Vocal Performance and Commercial Music, performed “In Bright Mansions Above,” arranged by Jacqueline B. Hairston. Krimm was awarded third place for her category.

“Harper sang beautifully and presented the song with sincere and authentic emotion and connection,” Welborn said. “I am very proud of these two singers. I am privileged and honored to teach them. The Voice Department of the South Carolina School of the Arts is proud to once again be well presented on this National stage.”

Krimm said, “Traveling to San Diego for the NATS National Student Auditions this summer was nothing short of an honor… Being on the youngest side of my category, I was definitely somewhat intimidated by the maturity and poise of my competitors; so, I chose to observe their professionalism for my own personal growth. It was a blessing to have had the opportunity to share my story with the judges and audience through the avenue of music. I am extremely grateful to Professor Welborn for her guidance and her belief in cross training her voice students in multiple genres of music. After my time at AU, I aspire to spend a number of years touring as a jazz vocalist. Many thanks to God for His wonderful blessings and for the gift of music.”

Boyle said, “I am so very thankful for the opportunities AU gave me to pursue both my love for teaching music and performing. I was constantly encouraged by my professors to love both teaching and performing. Being able to perform has made me a better musician, especially because of opportunities like the NATS competition. Performing for NATS helped me to always have something I was working towards. If it were not for my voice teacher, Ms. Deedy Welborn, I would not have made it this far in the competition. I am delighted to say that she was my voice teacher for all four years of college. She was my constant support, encourager and mentor throughout my time at AU. She always challenged me to do my very best and pushed me to become the musician I am today.”

The South Carolina School of the Arts

The South Carolina School of the Arts at 91������ offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music Education degrees with majors and concentrations in graphic design, painting and drawing, ceramics, art education, musical theatre, acting, theatrical design, theatre, acting and directing, dance, worship leadership, music education, and vocal, keyboard and instrumental performance. Visit them online here.

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Six 91������ students combined with choirs from across Europe and the United States as part of a mass international choir of 800 voices backed up by a full orchestra, performing in a concert June 25 at the Philharmonie Berlin, part of the Brahms Project of . 

They performed Brahms’ A German Requiem on a unique stage that is literally surrounded by audience seating. In this concert, however, the performers took up not only the stage, but also half of the audience space.  Dr. Richard Williamson, Professor of Music, Theory and Composition and Director of Choral Activities, was joined by students Luke Smith, Emily Jones, Kara Bragg, Carlie Frederiksen, Rebekah Menoni and Joey Carlisle. 

Each student went through an audition process, followed by individual practice using resources provided by Choral Space and Dr. Williamson. 

Of the audition process itself, Dr. Williamson said, “I gave them printed music for one of the most challenging passages in the piece and a rehearsal recording. And I said, ‘you’re on your own.’ They didn’t get the job unless they could make the recording of the hardest part of the piece and be pretty successful.” 

Upon arriving in Germany, everything was a whirlwind. In all there were six days devoted to travel and four of them actually spent in Berlin. According to Dr. Williamson, they landed in Berlin around Noon and the first rehearsal was at 4 p.m. 

“It was a fast-paced trip and we hit the ground running,” said Kara Joy Bragg, a rising senior from Atlanta majoring in Music Education. “It was a lot of people’s first time out of the country, so it was just really exciting getting to experience that with your friends and your classmates and see what they thought about it.”

“It was taxing, but it was a lot of fun,” said Joey Carlisle, a rising senior from Summerton, South Carolina majoring in Choral Music Education. “We dove into rehearsal singing the piece. We barely got there on time for the rehearsal to start and then were so exhausted from flying and all of a sudden you hear 800 plus voices singing German, Brahms Requiem, and it was incredible. At just the first rehearsal I was blown away by that sound. That’s the biggest ensemble I’ve ever sung in.”

“The first rehearsals were at the Haus des Rundfunks, which literally means ‘the radio house.’ It’s a concert and broadcast venue designed for an orchestra and professional choir. We’re sitting in the audience for that and had rehearsals with two pianists to begin with,” Dr. Williamson said, adding that there was a native German speaker present to demonstrate correct pronunciation. “There were people there from English speaking countries, people from Greece, people from Italy, people from Finland, he had a German person who was one of his students, the conductor was English, but one of his students was there to actually model the German for us and it is a little different than what you might learn in basic classes.” 

“We’re singing in German, but it’s all biblical text, the Brahms Requiem is, and so I just kept thinking like, ‘oh my gosh, this is what heaven is going to be like,’ like we’re all here from different parts of the world, but we’re all singing in the same language,” Bragg said. “It gave me chills once we all just started singing, and once we got the orchestra especially it was just goosebumps.”

“I’m continually blown away by the skills of our peers and also how our professors are invested in us. It was so rewarding to be able to make this music at this caliber, with my friends and with the support of my professors, and I’m very grateful for that,” Carlisle said. “I’m so grateful to Dr. Williamson for making this opportunity happen and giving us this experience that we’ll be able to remember for the rest of our lives.”

The group also saw the Brandenburg Gate and toured Charlottenburg Palace, as well as Museum Island.

The South Carolina School of the Arts

The South Carolina School of the Arts at 91������ offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music Education degrees with majors and concentrations in graphic design, painting and drawing, ceramics, art education, musical theatre, acting, theatrical design, theatre, acting and directing, dance, worship leadership, music education, and vocal, keyboard and instrumental performance. Visit them online here.

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