More than two dozen talented students from across the region performed at the annual Central’s Got Talent and Center Stage competitions at Central Methodist University on February 19, earning music and theatre scholarships of various sizes. After multiple rounds of auditions, full-tuition scholarships were awarded to Tegan Graves of Ste. Genevieve, Memphis Eckert of Fulton, and Gabriel Porter of Thayer.
Dr. Melissa Simons, dean of the Swinney Conservatory, expressed her enthusiasm for all the talent on display in the competition and her hope that all the students who competed will be on campus as students in the fall.
The first big award on the day was presented in the Center Stage competition for theatre, where students can compete in acting or theatre production. Simons and theatre professor Mark Kelty presented the Terri Rohlfing Theatre Arts Scholarship to Tegan Graves, who performed “Big Bright Beautiful World” from Shrek the Musical.
“The people [at CMU] are very nice and welcoming, and from the talent I’ve seen, there is no doubt that this is the place to hone my skill and truly excel at what I love,” said Graves on why he is interested in attending Central.
In the Central’s Got Talent portion of the day, students competed by auditioning instrumental or vocal pieces before faculty judges. Six finalists were selected to perform again in front of an audience, and two winners were selected. This year’s finalists included John Sepulvado of Dexter, Samantha McCulloch of Holden, Rachel Harris of Mineola, Memphis Eckert of Fulton, Gabriel Porter of Thayer, and Max Hansen of Blue Springs. Eckert and Porter were chosen as the winners for their talents in vocal performance and trumpet, respectively.
Eckert, whose parents are both musicians, says she has been singing her whole life and became interested in studying at CMU after a special visit to campus.
“I came and did the Music Major for a Day [experience] and loved it,” said Eckert, who performed A Spring Morning by Henry Carey. “I also like the idea of continuing to study [opera and vocal performance] with Dr. Jonathan Ray.”
Porter, who prepared pieces for both trumpet and euphonium for the competition, says he has grown up “surrounded by music” and is excited to continue to study it among his peers at Central.
“I loved the opportunity to come up and play for the college,” said Porter, who performed The Maid of the Mist by Herbert L. Clarke for his final audition. “My previous band director went to CMU and spoke highly of it as well. I also love how this is a smaller campus, and I am excited to study with like-minded people.”
Every competitor on the day left with a sizeable scholarship for both their academic excellence and their music or theatre talents. The remaining competitors for the day included Juan David Prada Barros of Cogua, Colombia; Margaret Ramsey of Mexico; Natalie Zimmerman of Pontiac, Ill.; Aurelia Potter of McPherson, Kan.; Arianna Fucile of Versailles; Maggie Kramm of Glasgow; Margaret Heimericks of California; Catelyn Weise of Columbia; Presley Weingart of Osage Beach; Rachel Knight of Windsor; Zy’Keriyah Napier of Marshall; Jackson Rudderforth of Paris, Javan Smoot of Jacksonville, Evan Martinson of Hannibal, Corina Ross of Salisbury, Micheal Simons of West Plains; Taylor Crandall of Ashland, Wyatt York of Fayette; and William Schultz of Carl Junction.