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NCSA Students and Alumni have won several prestigious competitions and awards this past month. School of Drama alumnus Jim Lauderdale won his second Grammy on Sunday, February 3 when he was awarded the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album for his album “The Bluegrass Diaries.” Another School of Drama alumnus, Tom Hulce, saw the cast recording of “Spring Awakening” win Best Musical Show Album. While Mr. Hulce didn’t produce the album, he did produce the Broadway show. In addition, the cast recording of “Grey Gardens” was nominated in the same category, and the show was produced by School of Drama alum Edwin Schloss.

Steve Davis
Kyle Davis as the Cavalier in "The Nutcracker"
School of Dance high school senior Kyle Davis became the first American to win in more than a decade to win a Grand Prize at the prestigious Prix de Lausanne on February 3. He received about $15,000 and an apprenticeship with a professional ballet company of his choosing. The Prix de Lausanne is one of the world’s top dance competitions for dancers of all nationalities between the ages of 15 and 18.

Finally, a School of Music senior, tenor René Barbera, was a Grand Winner at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions after he sang with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra on February 24. He was one of five winners who received a prize of $15,000. Accompanied by the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra under the direction of Stephen Lord Mr. Barbera sang “Ah, mes amis,” from Donizetti’s “Fille du Régiment,” a performance that the New York Times called “especially strong.”

In addition to the prizes taken home this month, two NCSA music students, Michelle Story and Kendall Ramseur, performed at the Grammy Awards in the orchestra when Chancellor Mauceri conducted his arrangement of “Rhapsody in Blue” with soloists Lang Lang and Herbie Hancock , and also during the duets of Alicia Keys and John Mayer and Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli. In addition to performing live for an audience of over 18 million people, they both received job offers from the orchestra contractor should they decide to move to LA.

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