Lawrence University Musicians Earn Top Honors in Two State Competitions

APPLETON, WIS. -- For the second straight year, Lawrence University students swept top honors in the Wisconsin state level Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) collegiate piano performance competition held Nov. 2 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Senior Nicholas Towns was named first-place winner in the MTNA competition, while junior Rachel Bittner was awarded second place and junior Dan Van Sickle, last year's winner, received honorable mention recognition. Students in the competition are required to perform a complete concerto from memory, as well as three shorter contrasting works. Towns and Bittner are students of Lawrence Assistant Professor of Music Anthony Padilla, while Van Sickle studies with Associate Professor of Music Catherine Kautsky.

With his win, Towns advances to the six-state East Central Division competition on Jan. 18-20, 2002 at Michigan State University. Winners at the division level will compete at the MNTA national competition in Cincinnati in March.

Two Lawrence conservatory students also earned first-place honors at the Wisconsin chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) audition competition held Nov. 2-3 at UW-Eau Claire.

Patrick Ireland and Tim Schmidt received first-place recognition in the sophomore and senior men divisions, respectively. In addition, Nathan Bachhuber, a senior at Appleton West High School and a student at the Lawrence Arts Academy, won the high school men's competition. Ireland and Schmidt are both students of Lawrence Professor of Music Kenneth Bozeman. Bachhuber studies with Brian Post.

A total of 26 Lawrence and two Arts Academy students participated in the NATS competition, with 12 students advancing to the finals. Second-place finishers include: Gabe Lewis-O'Connor, sophomore men; Jacob Allen, junior men; and Jonah Nigh, senior men. Third-place finishers include: Jessica Bozeman, sophomore women; Meg Ozaki, junior women; and Anne Ingram, senior women.

The NATS competition featured more than 300 singers from colleges throughout the state. Each competitor is required to sing at least three songs, including two in a foreign language, from three different time periods.