Shenandoah Conservatory was well represented at this spring’s of the (NATS) conference at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia, on Feb. 23, and Feb. 24. Students of Professor of Voice Byron Jones 鈥04, D.M.A.; Associate Professor of Voice (Soprano) Fotina Naumenko, D.M.A.; and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Voice Melissa 颁丑谩惫别锄 鈥15, D.M.A., participated in the student adjudications. Twenty-three students scored high enough to be eligible for the next round of competition, Mid-Atlantic Regional NATS, held March 8 and March 9 at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.
Five singers won their respective categories and sang in the honors recital at VCU:
- Skyy Carter 鈥26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance), Naumenko鈥檚 Studio
- Maximiliano Fern谩ndez Escalona ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education), Jones鈥檚 StudioSofia Stankiewicz 鈥24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance),
- Naumenko鈥檚 Studio
- Maria Mantalvanos 鈥25 (Bachelor of Arts in Music), 颁丑谩惫别锄鈥檚 Studio
- Jonathan Margrave 鈥24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance), 颁丑谩惫别锄鈥檚 Studio
Placing students included (name, place in category, studio):
Category | Singer | Place | Teacher |
HJ 7 | Skyy Carter 鈥26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 1st | Naumenko |
CL 5A-2 | Erin Finnigan 鈥27 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 2nd | Naumenko |
CL 5A-2 | Alexa Fillalan 鈥27 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting) | 3rd | 颁丑谩惫别锄 |
CL 5A-2 | Brooke Frampton 鈥26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | Honors | 颁丑谩惫别锄 |
CL 5A-2 | Mary Groesbeck 鈥27 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | Honors | Naumenko |
CL 5B | Greylynn Waite 鈥26 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) | Honors | 颁丑谩惫别锄 |
CL 5B-1 | Skyy Carter 鈥26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 3rd | Naumenko |
CL 5B-2 | Shannon Fowler 鈥26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 2nd | Naumenko |
CL 5B-2 | Kaitlyn Flebbe 鈥25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | Honors | Naumenko |
CL 6A | Caleb Athey 鈥26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | Honors | Jones |
CL 6B | Maximiliano Fern谩ndez Escalona ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) | 1st | Jones |
CL 7A | Riley Taylor 鈥24 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) | 2nd | 颁丑谩惫别锄 |
CL 7A-1 | Sofia Stankiewicz 鈥24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 1st | Naumenko |
CL 7A-1 | Cassidy Holmes 鈥25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | Honors | Jones |
CL 7A-2 | Maria Mantalvanos 鈥25 (Bachelor of Arts in Music) | 1st | 颁丑谩惫别锄 |
CL 7A-2 | Sally McGrath 鈥25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 3rd | 颁丑谩惫别锄 |
CL 8A | Jonathan Margrave 鈥24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 1st | 颁丑谩惫别锄 |
CL 8A | Emanuel Singletary 鈥25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 3rd | Jones |
MT 5A | Zoie Foster 鈥27 (Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre Accompanying) | 2nd | 颁丑谩惫别锄 |
MT 5A | Alexa Fillalan 鈥27 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting) | Honors | 颁丑谩惫别锄 |
MT 5B | Grace Ashby 鈥25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 2nd | Naumenko |
MT 6 | Maximiliano Fern谩ndez Escalona ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) | 3rd | Jones |
CM 7 | Natalie McCrowell 鈥24 (Bachelor of Music Therapy) | 1st | 颁丑谩惫别锄 |
At the regional event, Emanuel Singletary 鈥25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) and Jonathan Margrave 鈥24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) qualified to proceed to the first round of the national student adjudications.
In Richmond, Dr. Jones gave the masterclass, 鈥淔inding the Opposite: Unlocking the Unexpected in a Song or Aria.鈥 In Greenville, Dr. 颁丑谩惫别锄 presented a voice masterclass.
颁丑谩惫别锄 also serves on the VA-NATS board as vice president and auditions chair, and Jones serves as a board member at large.