Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University student Grace Johnson will compete as a finalist in the Trinity Presents Collegiate Performance Showcase sponsored by the Trinity United Methodist Church in Little Rock, Ark., on Sunday, April 1 at 6 p.m. Three other Ouachita students received honorable mentions in the competition. The showcase is free and open to the public.

Johnson, a senior vocal performance major from Tyler, Texas, was selected as one of five finalists in the competition. She is a student of Dr. Jon Secrest, OBU professor of music. Johnson received a $500 award for being selected as a finalist and has the opportunity to win an additional $1,000 at the Showcase Final.

“I feel very honored to have been selected,” Johnson said. “It is a huge blessing! I'm excited to perform the music that I've been working so hard on again and that I get to represent Ouachita in this competition.”

The five finalists include Johnson; Qiao Mei (Anna) Cheng, a pianist from the University of Central Arkansas; Darren Drone, a vocalist from Arkansas Tech University; Andreas Oestes, an oboe player from the University of Central Arkansas; and Rebecca Rollene, a vocalist from John Brown University.

In the showcase, each finalist will present a 12-minute performance. A panel of guest judges will review the performances and select the overall winner. OBU graduate Jacob Watson, the winner of last year’s competition, will perform after intermission.

Johnson will perform “La Danza” by Rossini, “Song to the Moon” from Rusalka by Dvořák and “Hello! Oh, Margaret, It Is You!” from The Telephone by Menotti.

“Grace continues the strong showing of finalists being selected from OBU,” said Dr. Jon Secrest, OBU professor of music and coordinator of OBU’s vocal studies program. Ouachita students have won the competition two years in a row with Jacob Watson winning in 2011 and Kyle Huey winning in 2010. In addition, OBU graduate Elisabeth Hipp was selected as a finalist both years.

Three OBU students also were selected this year as honorable mention recipients. Alexis Pace, a junior musical theatre major from Sugar Land, Texas; Joel Rogier, a sophomore vocal performance major from Glen Carbon, Ill.; and Caitlin Secrest, a sophomore vocal performance major from Arkadelphia, Ark., were chosen among the 11 artists recognized with honorable mentions.

“The quality of the musicianship displayed in the audition videos was truly outstanding,” said Robert Hughes, the showcase coordinator. “This made the process of choosing only five finalists very challenging.

“This year, in addition to male and female vocalists, we received applications from performers of the piano, oboe, cello, classical guitar, flute, marimba and tuba/euphonium,” he said. “This wide range of musical disciplines adds to the difficulty faced by the selection committee. Not only must they choose the best from within a genre (for example, the best female vocalist) but they must compare the talents, musicianship and potential performances across disciplines. They must pick ‘the best of the best’ to put together a showcase that will provide opportunity for the performers and an enjoyable evening's entertainment for our patrons.”

For more information about the Collegiate Performance Showcase, visit www.tumclr.org. For ticket information, call (501) 377-1161.

By Nicci Fillinger