Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           
    Date: 11/14/96
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple  95

Editors: Photo accompanies release -- Please note local interest
SLU STUDENTS ARE NATS FINALISTS
     HAMMOND -- Seven Southeastern Louisiana University music students were finalists
in the recent National Association of Teachers of Singing Southern Regional Auditions, held in
Clinton, Miss., Nov. 7-9.
     Diana Pulte of Gainesville, Texas, took first place in the graduate student division.
Second place finishers included Jennifer Odom of Moselle, Miss., and Susan Buller of
Jeanerette, sophomore women's division; George Montalbano of Independence, older
undergraduates division, and Charles Notariano of Hammond, avocational students division.
Graduate student Sandy Kelly of Dallas, Texas, and freshman Heavenor Vega of New Iberia
were fourth place finalists. 
     Odom, Buller, Pulte and Kelly are students of Southeastern music professor Scharmal
Schrock, while Montalbano and Notariano study with professors Brad Richmond and Steven
Rushing, respectively. Vega is a student of Jessica Molin.
     Twenty-nine Southeastern students were among the 577 students from Louisiana,
Arkansas and Mississippi who competed in the auditions' 20 categories. Twenty-two students
were chosen for the semifinal round.
     Competitors perform art songs and arias and winners participate in a three-round process.
The auditions are judged by voice teachers from NATS' Southern Region. Recitals and
masterclasses are also part of the three-day conference.

CUTLINE ...
WINNING SINGERS -- Southeastern Louisiana University music students who were among
the finalists in the recent National Association of Teachers of Singing auditions in Clinton,
Miss., were, from left, front, Diana Pulte, Gainesville, Texas, first place, graduate student
division; Susan Buller, Jeanerette, second place, sophomore women's division; Sandy Kelly,
Dallas, Texas, fourth place, graduate student division; Jennifer Odom, Moselle, Miss., second
place, sophomore women's division; back, Heavenor Vega, New Iberia, fourth place, freshmen
women's division; Charles Notariano, Hammond, second place, avocational student division;
George Montalbano, Independence, second place, older undergraduates division. 
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