Southeastern vocalists claim awards at Louisiana competition
Friday, March 17, 2017 
by: Rene Abadie
SOUTHEASTERN STUDENTS WIN ACCOLADES AT COMPETITION – Southeastern students who were honored at the recent Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition included, from left, William Dopp, Independence; Cody Sires, Chalmette; Sara Cage, Baton Rouge; Michelle Guillot, Slidell; Lauren Gibson, Walker; and Alfred Harper, New Orleans.
HAMMOND – Six Southeastern Louisiana University vocal performance students were finalists
– including four first place winners – at the recent Louisiana Chapter of the National
Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition held recently at Northwestern
State University in Natchitoches.
Receiving first place nods were Sara Cage of Baton Rouge, sophomore in the women’s
division; Lauren Gibson of Walker, senior women’s division; Alfred Harper of New Orleans,
freshmen men’s division; and Cody Sires of Chalmette, older student adult women and
men’s division.
Other students recognized were William Dopp of Indpenenence, a student in Southeastern’s
Community Music School, second in high school men’s division; and Michelle Guillot
of Slidell, second in younger advanced women’s division.
Vivian McCalman of Mandeville and Rachel Denton of Jena also advanced to the
final round, both competing in the senior women’s division. In all 17 Southeastern
music students competed in the competition.
The auditions were judged by voice teachers from the NATS Louisiana Chapter.
Students participated in lectures and master classes as part of the one-day conference.
Members of the Southeastern voice faculty who contributed to conference events
included Kristen Marchiafava, Joy Ratliff, Alissa Rowe, and Stephen Rushing.
