Two Ouachita students to compete as Trinity Presents finalists
March 25, 2011 - Breanne Goodrum
Two Ouachita Baptist University students will compete as finalists in the Trinity
Presents Collegiate Performance Showcase sponsored by the Trinity United Methodist
Church in Little Rock, Ark., on April 3 at 6 p.m. Elisabeth Hipp, a senior vocal performance
major from Memphis, Tenn., and Jacob Watson, a senior musical theatre major from Wynne,
Ark., will represent Ouachita as two of five finalists from universities across the
state.
“It is an amazing honor to be selected as one of the finalists,” said Dr. Jon Secrest,
OBU professor of music. “There were over 80 students entered in the preliminary round,
and the Trinity Presents administrator informed me the competition was ‘fierce.’”
Students from seven universities submitted recorded auditions this year, giving the
competition a record number of applicants to evaluate and influencing the Trinity
Presents team to increase the number of finalists from four to five.
“The competition this year was extremely tight,” said Robert Hughes, coordinator of
the showcase. “There were enough talented musicians for us to have put on a two-day
festival instead of a one-night showcase.”
Hipp and Watson will compete against other vocalists as well as instrumentalists from
Arkansas Tech University and the University of Arkansas in the finals. Each finalist
will be awarded $500, and the winner will receive an additional $1,000. Each student
will present a 10-12 minute program that will be judged by a panel of distinguished
musicians.
Six students will also be recognized for Honorable Mention, including Ouachita student
Emily Joy Tucker, a sophomore piano performance major from Hot Springs, Ark. Tucker
will represent the Honorable Mention designees during the showcase by presenting a
10-12 minute program, as well. This is the first year an honorable mention designee
has been invited to perform during the showcase.
Hipp and Watson both participated in the competition last year, earning finalist and
honorable mention honors, respectively.
For more information, contact Dr. Jon Secrest at [email protected] or (870) 245-5134.
By Breanne Goodrum
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