Old Dominion Singers Earn Honors at National Association’s Southeast Regional Conference

April 02, 2015

Assistant music professor Brian Nedvin, Old Dominion's coordinator of vocal studies, heard especially sweet music from his vocalists last weekend.

All 12 singers from the University who auditioned at the southeast regional conference of the National Association of Teachers of Singing placed or won honors. Four ODU performers were place-winners who earned the right to sing at the national conference in July at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Old Dominion's place-winners were:

Cailin Gwaltney, second place finish among freshmen women;

Logan Kenison, runner-up in the sophomore men category;

Karen "Beth" Bayer, third in graduate continuing education women;

Jennifer Woods, third place in avocational continuing education women.

The regional was held at the University of Maryland and featured approximately 500 vocalists who advanced through state competitions. The southeast region includes schools from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

"To say I'm proud of our students and grateful to the entire faculty is an understatement," Nedvin said. "The past several years, we have started to become a presence at the state and now the regional level."

Those from ODU awarded "honors" were: Michelle Bjork, Erin DuBose, Christian Harward, Karen Lee, Gabriela Lopez-Cruz, Tony Lu, Monique Melchor and Olivia Rominiyi.

More information about Old Dominion's music program can be found at the department website and on Facebook.