After several years of competing in a regional competition for voice students at the college and university level, Bethel senior Joshua Powell achieved first place in his final attempt.
Powell, a tenor vocalist from Basehor, was one of nine Bethel voice students who sang at the annual regional competition for the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).
NATS is divided into regional groupings that meet yearly in different locations. The West Central Regional Conference and Student Auditions were held this year at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, in November 2010. The West Central Region covers Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming, in addition to Kansas.
The Bethel singers, students of Soyoun Chun, assistant professor of music and instructor of voice, competed in several divisions in both classical and musical theater.
Powell sang in the Music Theater (upperclass) and Senior Men’s Classical divisions. He took first place in the latter.
Julia Miller, sophomore from Hesston, and Cameron Voth, junior from Goessel, advanced to the semi-finals in their respective divisions in music theater and classical, while Nathan Snyder, junior from Hesston, was a semi-finalist in classical.
Other students competing were Kelsey Easterday, senior from Manhattan, William Lewis, freshman from Newton, Renee Reimer, sophomore from Sioux Falls, S.D., Monica Schmidt, senior from Mount Hope, and Allison Yoder, sophomore from Kalona, Iowa.