String Project of the Year Award among the honors
March highlighted the great variety of creative work that the University of South Carolina’s School of Music students are engaging in and the national recognition they are receiving for it.
At the National Conference in Tampa, the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) presented the String Project of the Year Award to USC String Project students and Gail Barnes: Carson Dixon, Tess Hartis, Jane Kathryn Hucks, Krystin Johnson, Austin Johnson, Andrew Jones, Catherine Lacasse, Katelynn Lowe, Olivia Morris, Christine Nixon, Beth Reed and Mary Vavra.
The USC Collegiate Chapter of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) hosted the MTNA National Collegiate Chapter Piano Pedagogy Symposium at the USC School of Music. The student-run event welcomed more than 180 student chapter members and faculty advisors from across the U.S. for a two-day series of lectures, research poster presentations, lightening talks and master classes. USC students planned and executed all aspects of the event and presented workshops, research posters and performances during the event. Members Azusa Bies, Philip Castro, Katherine Chandler, Song Kim and Lindsey Vickers were selected by the conference planning committee to present a workshop at the MTNA national conference in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, chapter members Azusa Bies, Katherine Chandler, Hye Jee Jang, Yewon Kerr and Lindsey Vickers were selected to present research posters at the conference.
Graduate conducting students Franklin Turner and David Cochrane assisted with the advance planning and onsite management of the Southern Division ACDA conference. Students attended sessions designed specifically for collegiate members taught by Betsy Cook Weber from the University of Houston. Five of the students were selected to perform in the Demonstration Choir for her sessions: Liz Olson, Emma Young, Jimmy Gatch, Erik Potteiger and Robert Spearman. A total of 12 undergraduates attended the conference in Chattanooga, volunteering, serving as guides and helping with setup of venues and stage management at the main performance hall. Some students hosted the headliner performers, Voces8, an internationally known choral group from Great Britain. Others had the opportunity to interact with composers Ola Gjeilo and J.A.C. Redford.