LAUREN BARTLETT
Features Editor

Nerves were at an all-time high, songs were performed and awards were won.

On the weekend of Saturday, March 19, eight voice students in the Piedmont College Music Department traveled to Stenson University in DeLand, Florida, and participated in the annual Southeast Region National Association of Teachers of Singing (SERNATS) student auditions.

Students spent weeks preparing for these auditions,, and their preparations paid off. The auditions ranged from first-year to fifth-year students.

Music professors Andrea Price and Jonathan Pilkington had their students competing in SERNATS this year.

Two of Price’s students advanced to the semi-finals in the corresponding categories: First Year College/Independent Studio Classical Women freshman Emily Poss and Fourth/Fifth Year College/Independent Studio Classical Men senior Mitchell Auger.

Another student of Price’s, Junior Chey Osoria, advanced to the finals in the category of Third-Year College/Independent Musical Theatre Women, where she placed second at the winners’ recital.

“All of our students represented the college beautifully,” Price said. “I am happy to announce that we had an incredibly successful weekend, and we could not be prouder of all of our students.”

Assistant Professor of Music Jonathan Pilkington had two students to advance to the finals as well. Senior Megan Holder placed third in the category of Fourth/Fifth Year College/Independent Studio Musical Theater Women and freshman Chance Passmore placed second in the category of First Year College/Independent Studio Classical Men.

“It was bitter-sweet attending SERNATS for the last time, especially since I have been [attending] every year since I have been at Piedmont,” Holder said. “I am so proud of the students from our school that placed, and I am proud of ones who didn’t place. Its a very stressful and intimidating process, and we would have not been as successful without our dedicated professors.”

The students were all accompanied by Piedmont College Instructor of Music Benji Stenger.

“The competition was intense, and I felt extremely accomplished to rank second place for my category,” Passmore said. “I certainly would not have done near as well without the help of my wonderful accompanist Benji Stegner and vocal professor Dr. Jonathan Pilkington.”