HIGH POINT, N.C., June 12, 2019 – A High Point University student has been selected as a top college vocalist and will compete in a national singing competition later this month.
Rising junior Jerry Hurley, a Kernersville native, has been invited to compete in the classical category of the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition. He is one of 14 freshman and sophomore men to advance from competitions held during the 2018-2019 academic year.
Hurley, who studies music with a focus in voice, placed first in the Mid-Atlantic competition. After submitting a prescreening video entry, he was selected to compete in the national semifinals to be held June 27 through 28 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.
“This is one of the highest honors an HPU music student has ever received,” says Dr. Scott MacLeod, associate professor of music. “Jerry is a talented student with a great attitude and solid work ethic. He is taking full advantage of the opportunities and resources available through the HPU music department, and his commitment is paying off. We are very proud of him.”
At the national competition, Hurley will sing three songs – “Take, O’ Take Those Lips Away” by Roger Quilter, “An Die Musik” by Franz Schubert and “Una Furtiva Lagrima” by Gaetano Donizetti from the opera “L’elisir D’amore” – in a private audition with a panel of judges. He will also participate in the NATS National Summer Workshop.
“I’m excited to be surrounded by so many accomplished musicians and students,” says Hurley. “I never expected to make it this far. It is really a testament to the faculty at HPU. I may be the one going to Minnesota, but I am getting there because of the guidance and support from Dr. Marc Foster, Dr. Candice Burrows and Dr. Scott MacLeod.”
Hurley is a member of all three of HPU’s choral ensembles, as well as the percussion ensemble. He has performed as a soloist in several HPU music productions and with the North Carolina Opera and Heart of the Triad Choral Society. In addition to studying under MacLeod, Hurley prepared his competition repertoire with former Julliard faculty member Arlene Shrut, who was a guest of the music department this spring.
“I chose HPU for its faculty, facilities and opportunities,” says Hurley. “The artistic environment is a diverse and supportive one that has allowed me to find my voice and develop my craft. My faculty in the Department of Music push me to grow and help me realize that everything, NATS included, is within reach.”