For the second year in a row, Blair undergraduates won national honors at the 2017–18 Music Teachers National Association annual competition held March 17–21 in Orlando, Florida. To compete at nationals, musicians have already won their state and regional divisions.
Lauren Urquhart, a graduating senior, took first place in the voice category of the Young Artist Performance competition. She studied with Amy Jarman, senior lecturer in voice, earning a bachelor of music. Her post-Commencement plans include moving to Vienna to work and study voice.
The Music City Quintet, composed of rising juniors Miranda Shum, piano; Hesoo Cha, violin; Emily Monroe, violin; Rachel Haber, viola; and Eric Cho, viola, won first place in the Chamber Music competition. They are coached by Cornelia Heard, Valere Blair Potter Professor of Violin.
The Music Teachers National Association competition recognizes exceptionally talented young artists and their teachers in their pursuit of musical excellence. The association has some 22,000 members in 50 states and more than 500 local chapters.