The 19th annual Shambarger Music Competition will be held in McBeth Recital Hall at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21. This competition is in honor of former voice teacher, Mary Shambarger. Mrs. Shambarger served on the faculty at Ouachita for 32 years, and during this time, she directed the Ouachitones and played a key role in developing the Ouachita Sounds, which is still going strong today. After her retirement, the Shambarger Music Competition was created to honor her great contribution to Ouachita.
Every year, many students who have declared themselves music majors with applied voice as their principal instrument and have completed at least 4 semesters of study, compete in one of three musical categories. These categories include aria, musical theatre and art songs. This year’s competition category is arias from opera and oratorio.
Along with the satisfaction of winning the competition, students who place will receive cash prizes. First place will receive $500, second place will receive $300,
third place will receive $200, fourth place will receive $100 and honorable mention will receive $50.
“Students bring their A-game and present some of their best performances on this day every year,” said Dr. Jon Secrest, Addie Mae Maddox professor of music.
Then the competition begins, the participants will go in a random order. They will then perform a song that they have prepared in front of three judges. The judges this year include Mrs. Mary Shambarger, Dr. Charles Wright and Steven Ray.
Wright is a retired dean of the School of Fine Arts as well as the previous interim president before Dr. Sells. Wright also served as conductor of the Ouachita Singers for 25 years and conducted the Concert Choir until his retirement in 2004. Steven Ray is a Ouachita graduate, and he is the first Ouachitonian to make it the national finals in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions.
“One of the things that I love about it is to see a lot of talented people come together just within our school,” said Wes Savage, a senior worship arts major from Van Buren. “There are many great students that have been working with great faculty, and it is great to know that we can come together in a friendly showcase to see what we have learned. It is a rare opportunity to be able to bring this many people together from one school at the high level all of them are at. More than anything, every year I look forward to singing with friends who are at such a high level.”
This event is free and open to the public, and the winners of the competition will be announced at 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.obu.edu/finearts
Written by staff writer: Ashlynn Morton
