2008 Woodie Awards
Singers win in region
Aya Khalil
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: News
"A student's voice is like a finger print," Rondelli Perry said. "It's so different [from] any other person's voice."
Rondelli Perry said she helped fit the voice of each student to an appropriate song or aria.
"You have to know, as an instructor, [their] voice very well," she said. "[The song] has to be very suited to their voice and know that they'll be able to manage very well with practice."
One of the challenges was that "you didn't get to rehearse or perform in the hall [in which] you were going to sing," she said, "So you didn't really know the acoustics."
There were specific requirements for each category, Holsclaw said.
For example, in Holsclaw's category, she had to sing one aria, an opera-solo piece from an opera; an oratorio, a solo piece from a larger work that's not an opera; one art song that was not in English; and a 20th-century piece.
Only three people from each category won, and occasionally there was an honorable mention, according to Rondelli Perry.
The first-prize winners won $100 and the second and third won $80-90, depending on the category.
"It's not a whole bunch of money, but the fact of getting a prize is very prestigious," Rondelli Perry said.
UT singers have won in this competition previously, she said.
"In years past, I had a number of students that have gone into the competition and won the top three prizes," she said.
Holsclaw said she was excited about the competition and she didn't expect to win.
"We all kind of went in and did our best and did it for the experience," she said. "We were all really thrilled."
"I really enjoy working with the students and they all said they had a wonderful time going there and [Ballinger and I] did too," Rondelli Perry said. "We had wonderful memories."
Rondelli Perry said the trip was funded by the Richard R. and Barbara R. Perry Program Excellence Fund, her and her husband's endowment.
Holsclaw won second place in the senior college women's category. Parks was third in the advanced men and women ages 22-25 category. Taylor won third in the advanced men and women 26 and older category.
This Saturday, a NATS competition for the state of Ohio will be held at Bowling Green State University.
Rondelli Perry said she helped fit the voice of each student to an appropriate song or aria.
"You have to know, as an instructor, [their] voice very well," she said. "[The song] has to be very suited to their voice and know that they'll be able to manage very well with practice."
One of the challenges was that "you didn't get to rehearse or perform in the hall [in which] you were going to sing," she said, "So you didn't really know the acoustics."
There were specific requirements for each category, Holsclaw said.
For example, in Holsclaw's category, she had to sing one aria, an opera-solo piece from an opera; an oratorio, a solo piece from a larger work that's not an opera; one art song that was not in English; and a 20th-century piece.
Only three people from each category won, and occasionally there was an honorable mention, according to Rondelli Perry.
The first-prize winners won $100 and the second and third won $80-90, depending on the category.
"It's not a whole bunch of money, but the fact of getting a prize is very prestigious," Rondelli Perry said.
UT singers have won in this competition previously, she said.
"In years past, I had a number of students that have gone into the competition and won the top three prizes," she said.
Holsclaw said she was excited about the competition and she didn't expect to win.
"We all kind of went in and did our best and did it for the experience," she said. "We were all really thrilled."
"I really enjoy working with the students and they all said they had a wonderful time going there and [Ballinger and I] did too," Rondelli Perry said. "We had wonderful memories."
Rondelli Perry said the trip was funded by the Richard R. and Barbara R. Perry Program Excellence Fund, her and her husband's endowment.
Holsclaw won second place in the senior college women's category. Parks was third in the advanced men and women ages 22-25 category. Taylor won third in the advanced men and women 26 and older category.
This Saturday, a NATS competition for the state of Ohio will be held at Bowling Green State University.
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