Music Competition Winners Announced
Posted on Friday, April 3, 2009
Westminster College's Department of Music sponsored its annual concerto and aria competition March 30.
The winner of the vocal category was Karen Biddle, a music performance major. She is a daughter of Richard and Cheryl Biddle of Silver Spring, Md., and a graduate of Montgomery Blair High School. Biddle is from the studio of Dr. Anne Hagan Bentz, Westminster associate professor of music.
The winner in the instrumental category was Jennie Smith, a music and Christian education major. She is a daughter of Kendall and Julia Smith of Trophy Club, Texas, and a graduate of Western Hills High School. Smith studies oboe with Shawn Reynolds, Westminster adjunct music faculty.
Earning honorable mention was soprano Claudia Brown, a sacred music and music education major. She is a daughter of Ronald Brown of Pittsburgh and Gaynelle Shepherd of Sierra Vista, Ariz., and a graduate of North Hills High School. Brown is from the studio of Janet Kane, Westminster adjunct music faculty.
The winners will perform with the Westminster College Orchestra at the May 3 concert.
Additional Westminster students who participated are:
- Patrick Dolan, a music and French major, is a son of Gerard and Christine Dolan of North Wales and a graduate of Roman Catholic High School.
- Amy Martin, a music education major, is a daughter of John and Bonnie Martin of Ambridge and a graduate of Ambridge Area High School.
- Steven Sankey, an English major, is a son of James and Joyce Sankey of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School.
- Courtney Saracena, a music education major, is a daughter of Renee and Paul Saracena and a graduate of West Allegheny High School.
- Stephanie Witzorreck, a music education major, is a daughter of Kathy Witzorreck of Jamestown and the late Arnold Witzorreck and a graduate of Jamestown Area High School.
- Christin Zolkiewicz, a music performance major, is a daughter of Samuel and Leslieann Harris of Monaca and a graduate of Center High School.
Judges were Dr. Stephen Barr, professor of theory and choir at Slippery Rock University and a 1998 Westminster graduate, and Dr. Alice Wang, professor of clarinet at Youngstown State University.
The competition was organized by its founder, Dr. Nancy DeSalvo, Westminster associate professor and chair of the Music Department.
"I established the concerto and aria competition about seven years ago," De Salvo said. "As the adviser to the music fraternity, Mu Phi Epsilon, I felt the competition was an appropriate event for them to sponsor."
Contact DeSalvo at (724) 946-7023 or e-mail desalvnj@westminster.edu for additional information.
More Stories
