At a recent concert, past scholar William Bennett shared with the audience how influential the CMC scholarship was in his music education and career. We couldn’t be any more proud of this educator and Grammy nominee!
2015-2016 Season Scholars
David Nagelkirk, of Grand Rapids, MI, is a senior at Charleston Southern University, majoring in Choral Music Education. He sings baritone with the Singing Buccaneers and Concert Singers at CSU under the direction of Mr. Ricard Bordas and Dr. Valerie Bullock. In his time at CSU David has participated in Lyric Theatre, appearing as the Wolf in Stephen Sondheim’s “Into The Woods” and as the Aeneas in Henry Purcell’s opera, “Dido and Aeneas.” Before college he was actively involved in musical theatre and band, both concert and marching, at the high school level. David sings and assists in the direction of the children’s choirs at Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church and is currently studying voice with Dr. Jill Terhaar Lewis at CSU.
Josh Overby is a senior at the College of Charleston and is currently working toward his Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance. Josh studies voice with Mrs. Deanna McBroom, and has studied with Dr. Robert Taylor and Dr. Art Bumgardner. He is a member of the national award winning College of Charleston Concert Choir, Madrigal Singers, and has performed with the world-renowned Taylor Festival Choir. Josh was a highly decorated high school musician, achieving All-State, All-County, and All-Region honors in choir, orchestra, and band. He intends to pursue a career in choral music and has studied conducting with Mr. William Bennett, one of the first CMC scholars.
Jackson Varner is a sophomore at Charleston Southern University studying choral music education. He is originally from Summerville, SC and is currently a member of the Singing Buccaneers, Concert Singers and Lyric Theatre. He is also a Worship leader and member of the praise and worship team at Bethany United Methodist Church.
Chris Prohaska is a sophomore at the College of Charleston. He has worked under the direction of esteemed conductors such as Simon Carrington, Joe Miller and former CMC scholar, William Bennett. Chris sang with the South Carolina All State Choir for three out of his four years in high school, as well as with the American Choral Directors’ Association Honor Choirs throughout the southeast. In addition, Chris has sung with the Taylor Festival Choir in Charleston for the past year, along with the College of Charleston’s Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers. He received recognition at the regional level of the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition in the Spring of 2015. Outside of choral music, Chris has studied piano for over ten years, performing at various churches and schools throughout Berkeley County. Chris is also a founding member of the steel drum band, Panjamdrum.
2013-2014 Season Scholars
Joseph Tan of Spartanburg, SC, is a sophomore Vocal Performance major at College of Charleston. He completed his senior year of high school at the Governor’s School of the Arts and Humanities in Greenville where he performed as a soloist and choral singer. At The College of Charleston, he sings baritone with the Concert Choir and the College of Charleston Opera. In addition to the Charleston Men’s Chorus Scholarship, he is a recipient of the Isabella Mebane Scholarship in Music.
Josh Avant of Walterboro, SC, is a sophomore Vocal Performance major at the College of Charleston. He graduated from Colleton Preparatory Academy. As a Freshman student at CofC, he performed the role of Antonio in the College of Charleston Opera production of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro in February 2013. He was a featured soloist for a concert for the Charleston Music Club. He was an honors winner at the SC Student Auditions competition sponsored by the National Association of Teachers of Singing, held at the University of South Carolina. He then went on to be an honors winner at the 5-state Mid-Atlantic Regional level of the same competition. Josh is a tenor member of the College of Charleston Concert Choir, toured with them in South Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia, and performed during Piccolo Spoleto 2013 with the choir on the Young Artists Series. After a summer spent as a summer missionary in Florida, he will continue in his vocal studies at the College of Charleston.
David Nagelkirk of Grand Rapids, MI is a sophomore at Charleston Southern University and recently changed his major from Vocal Performance to Choral Music Education. He sings baritone with the Singing Buccaneers and Concert Singers at CSU under the direction of Mr. Ricard Bordas and Dr. Valerie Bullock. His freshman year and continuing into this academic year he has participated in Lyric Theatre at CSU appearing as the Wolf in Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods, and this fall as the Mayor in Georges Bizet’s Dr. Miracle. Before college he was very involved in musical theatre and band, both concert and marching, at the high school level. He is currently studying private voice with Dr. Jill Terhaar Lewis at CSU. He is very excited to see what God has in store with his new major change.
Kermit Hudson of Walterboro, SC is a sophomore Choral Music Education major at Charleston Southern University. He is a vocal primary and sings baritone in Concert Singers and the Singing Buccaneers. As a distinguished high school chorus student, he has performed in several concerts and events. In March of 2010, he traveled to New York City and sang Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore with several other choirs throughout the country. Before coming to Charleston Southern, Kermit was the assistant to Stephanie S. Drawdy, the choral director for Colleton County High School. This allowed him to experience and begin to understand what he is now pursuing as his major. After one year at USC Salkehatchie, he transferred to CSU and is continuing his studies in choral music education singing with the Concert Singers under the direction of Dr. Valerie Bullock and with the Singing Buccaneers under the direction of Ricard Bordas.
NOTE: It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Kermit Hudson on August 2, 2014. Kermit’s presence and voice will be greatly missed.
