April 2004 - Tower - Page 12

Musical Notes: Rising Young Stars

by Ed Peeples

Many members of our congregation may not know that our Director of Choral Music, Mary Matthews Garrett, runs her own private voice studio, where she gives weekly private vocal instruction to 40 gifted youthful and adult students. Mary is highly sought after by aspiring vocal students, and has a long waiting list of applicants.

During the past month, there have been many local, regional, and statewide annual competitions involving dozens of students from many private voice studios such as Mary's. These competitions enable voice students to compete with their peers from other areas, and provide valuable experience in performing in such daunting situations. Each competition is conducted before qualified judges and many of these contests award sizable scholarship prizes for future vocal study to the winners.

Students from Mary's Studio this year impressed the judges to an exceptional degree, winning many first place awards, as well as seconds, thirds, and honors. Across the Peninsula, at several separate James Bland Competitions, Mary's students shined:

Warwick Bland Competition - 1^st Place (Stewart Pillow, Janice Morse's grandson) and 3^rd Place
York County Bland Competition - 1^st Place
Poquoson Bland Competition - 1^st , 2^nd and 3^rd Places
Second Level Bland Competition - 1^st Place and 2^nd Place (Stewart Pillow)
National Association of Teachers of Singing State Competition:

Beginning High School Women - 1^st Place, Classical Division
Advanced High School Women - 1^st Place, Classical Division
Advanced High School Men - 1^st Place, Musical Theater Division (Stewart Pillow)
High School Women, Musical Theater Division - Honors to two of Mary's students
Advanced High School Women - Honors to one, Classical Division.
Advanced High School Men - Honors to two, (including Stewart Pillow), Classical Division

Voted Best Overall Male High School Student in the State - Steward Pillow
First Presbyterian Church (Hampton Young Artists Competition - won by a student of Mary's
All Virginia Chorus - Three of Mary's students placed.

Tim Oliver, who sang as soloist with the choir at Mary and John's wedding, is currently singing a major role in Virginia Opera's "Fidelio." He was Mary's student for four years while in high school.

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If you have any comments on any of these pages, please email me: Robert W.(Bob) McKitrick, thanks.

Last update: April 3, 2004