SRU vocalists to compete for Chad Williamson Scholarship
Nov. 2, 2016
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Fourteen Slippery Rock University student vocalists will demonstrate their range at 7 p.m., Nov. 5 at Swope Music Hall when they compete for the Chad Williamson Memorial Vocal Scholarship as part of the 24th annual competition.
Each student will present two selections.
The scholarship, which provides tuition support to three SRU students, honors the late Chad Williamson. Williamson, a Slippery Rock Area High School graduate, planned to study music at SRU but was killed in a traffic accident prior to his freshman year.
Karen Legato, a 1991 SRU communication graduate and former SRU employee, and the late Fred Williamson, started the scholarship in 1992.
Colleen Gray, professor of music, and Timothy Oldakowski, assistant professor of English and assistant to the dean of the College of Liberal Arts, will offer remarks.
Hilerie Klein Rensi, founder of the Higher Voice Studio in Pittsburgh, will serve as judge. Rensi has performed in more than 50 opera, operetta and oratorio works.
Student performers and their selections are:
- Samantha Christou, soprano and music major from Slippery Rock, will present "Quando m'en vo" by Giacomo Puccini and "Joy" by Ricky Ian Gordon;
- Mara Flannery, mezzo-soprano and music therapy major from Butler, will present "Non so piu cosa son" by Mozart and "Allerseelen" by Richard Strauss;
- Haylee Jayne Goodenough, soprano and music therapy major from Honesdale, will present "Chanson d' Amour" by Gabriel Faure and "Moon River" by Henry Mancini;
- Marie Helstrom, soprano and music education major from Pittsburgh, will present "La Partenza" by Gioachino Rossini and "Waterbird" by Richard Hundley;
- Mizuho Ishiguro, soprano and music therapy major, will present "If Music Be the Food of Love" by Henry Purcell and "o del mio amato ben" by Stefano Donaudy;
- Danielle Jeung, soprano and music therapy major from Monroeville, will present "V'adoro, pupille" by George Frederic Handel and "There Will Be Stars" by John Duke;
- Emma Martin, soprano and music therapy major from Mineral Point, will present "Jabberwocky" by Lee Hoiby and "Song to the Moon" by Antonin Dvorak;
- Ruby Shearer, soprano and music therapy major from Cabot, will present "Non posso disperar" by Giovannin Bononcini and "I Attempt Love's Sickness" by Henry Purcell;
- Logan Smith, tenor and music major from Plum, will present "Standchen" by Franz Schubert and "Brother Will, Brother John" by John Charles Sacco;
- Katherine Steele, mezzo-soprano and music major from Slippery Rock, will present "Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer" by Brahms and "Je te veux" by Erik Satie;
- Alaina Stroud, mezzo-soprano and music therapy major from Hopewell, will present "Le Violette" by Alessandro Scarlatti and "I Get a Kick Out of You" by Cole Porter;
- Chase Alexander Upchurch, tenor and music education major from Butler, will present "L'ora del ritrovo" by Gaetano Donizetti and "Giants in the Sky" by Stephen Sondheim;
- Maria Veltri, soprano and music therapy major from Pittsburgh, will present "Vergin Tutt' Amor" by Francisco Durante and "Sure on This Shinning Light" by Samuel Barber; and
- Michelle Weller, mezzo-soprano and music therapy major from Transfer, will present "Faites-lui aveux" by Charles Gounod and "When Frederick was a little lad" by Arthur Sullivan.
The competition is free and open to the public.
MEDIA CONTACT: Gordon Ovenshine | 724.738.4854 | gordon.ovenshine@sru.edu