Tabor College Music

Tabor College vocalists and accompanists performed well at the highly-competitive National Association of Teacher’s of Singing (NATS) West Region Student Auditions contest, held this past Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31, at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan. Shown from left to right, Darren Enns, Maria Loewen, Aaron Stepanek, Emily Olson, Kayla Vix, Hanna Bishop, Naomi Toews, and David Vogel, who placed first in the Sophomore Men Classical Performance Category. (Courtesy photo).

HILLSBORO, Kan. – Tabor College’s David Vogel sang his way to first place in the Sophomore Men Classical Performance category at the highly-competitive National Association of Teacher’s of Singing (NATS) West Region Student Auditions contest held this past Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31, at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan.

Darren Enns (accompanied by Maria Loewen) was the second-highest ranking Tabor vocalist, advancing all the way to the finals and placing fifth in Junior Men Classical Performance.

Three other Tabor vocalists (and accompanists) qualified for semi-final rounds: Hanna Bishop (Sally Epp) in Sophomore Women Classical Performance and Music Theater Performance; Aaron Stepanek (Maria Loewen) in Sophomore Men Classical performance; and Kayla Vix (Emily Olson) in Senior Women Music Theater Performance.

In all, over 300 singers from 25 colleges, universities and private voice studios from Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas competed in the event, including16 singers and accompanists from Tabor.

Prior to reaching finals, singers performed three songs for a panel of three judges. The top singers advanced to a semi-final round, where they sang one song for a different panel of judges. Five singers from the semi-final round advanced to the finals, where they sang one selection for a panel of three judges.

Tabor’s winning vocalist, Vogel (accompanied by Naomi Toews) performed Verdi’s famous aria, “La donne e’ mobile,” in the final round.  David is the student and son of Dr. Brad Vogel, Professor of Choral Music, and the third Tabor College student to win his division in the past seven years. He placed second in the Freshman Classical Performance category last year.

“It is always a pleasure to see your students succeed,” Dr. Vogel said, “and as a teacher you feel very responsible for them, even though the work is theirs.  It does add a little more pressure, if not joy, when the student belongs to you!”

The female semi-finalists, Bishop and Vix, are students of Dr. Holly Swartzendruber, Adjunct Professor of Voice; the male semi-finalist performers are students of Dr. Vogel.

Additional Tabor singers and (accompanists) competing at the event were, Freshmen Women: Lauren Just (Benjamin Heyen); Kady Albrecht (Sally Epp); and Mary Bishop (Epp). Sophomore Women: Clarissa Berglund (Heyen); and Senior Women: Emily Olson (Janae Rempel).

“By and large, the students who compete at NATS are vocal performance majors, and focus primarily and nearly solely on this aspect of their lives,” Dr. Vogel said. “In contrast, all of our singers just completed Children of Eden three weeks ago, and only two of our semifinalists are music majors (Enns and Stepanek).  David and Kayla are English majors, and Hanna is undecided.

“Needless to say, we are extremely pleased and proud of all of these students!” Vogel added.

Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, the Tabor College Music Program offers students several areas of concentration, combining a quality education in the liberal arts with an emphasis on service to others. To learn more, visit www.tabor.edu/undergraduate/academic-programs/music