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Top students to perform concert recital
MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (October 28, 2008) – Over 225 students will showcase their musical talents at The Appalachian Classical Music Association’s Sonata/Sonatina Festival on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Milligan College.
The Sonata Festival is a musical experience where students of all ages and levels of proficiency perform a musical piece in their field of expertise before a panel of judges. This year student participation will include all instruments as well as vocal. Students will compete for awards and monetary scholarships in the categories of senior high competition, outstanding performance awards and merit scholarship awards.
Students who win the senior high competition or an outstanding performance award also will have an opportunity to perform at the concert recital that follows the competition at 4 p.m. The recital will be held at Milligan’s Gregory Center for the Liberal Arts and is free and open to the public.
Karen E. Smith, director of the opera theatre at East Tennessee State University, will serve as guest artist for the festival as well as a voice judge. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree from the Cincinnati-Conservatory of Music. She has sung with the Cincinnati and Baton Rouge Operas as well as Opera Theatre di Lucca in Lucca, Italy. In addition to her role with ETSU’s opera theatre, Smith also serves as an adjunct instructor of voice at both ETSU and Milligan College.
Joining Smith as judges for the competition are noted musical professionals Dr. Andrew Adams, Dr. Terri Armfield and Dr. Christina Reitz, music professors at Western Carolina University (N.C.); Donna Crawford, Faye Lopez, Lorri Turcios and Tom Grimble, music professors at Bob Jones University in Greeneville, S.C.; Dr. Bair Shagdaron and Dr. Nancy Schneeloch-Bingham, music professors at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C.; Dr. David Runner, Dr. Kellie Brown, Anne Elliott and Rick Simerly, music professors at Milligan College; Amy Gugliotta, piano teacher and accompanist; Marjorie Hill, instructor at WNC Suzuki Violin in Asheville; Dr. Miro Hristov, associate concertmaster of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra; and Dr. Gina Caldwell.
Serving as resident piano accompanist is Robert Jeter, a vocal and instrumental accompanist, coach and private instructor.
For more information about the Sonata/Sonatina Festival, call 423. 547.0573, or emailivyblair@hotmail.com.