RBR VPA Students Take Top Vocal Honors In State Festival

Red Bank Regional (RBR) Visual and Performing Arts Academy (VPA) voice majors took top honors at the Doris Lenz Festival of Singing. Shurmila Dhar, Little Silver, and Katie Robinson, Shrewsbury, took second and third place, respectively, in the upper level classical voice category which includes 15 to 17 year olds.  The festival was held on November 2 at The College of New Jersey and was sponsored by the NJ NATS (the New Jersey chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.)

            Over 90 students competed in the festival, which is named in honor of a longtime member of the NJ NATS. Students are invited to perform by their teachers who are members of NJ NATS.  RBR VPA teacher Kristopher Zook recommended and accompanied Shurmila and Katie to the festival.

            Katie and Shumira, both seniors, have received multiple accolades for their vocal ability throughout their high school singing careers. Katie made the All-Shore and All-State Honor chorus three times, Shumira also made the All-State chorus; both students were selected for the All-State Opera Festival. The young ladies have aspirations of becoming opera singers and performed three classical pieces in the NJ NATS festival.

            The girls were thrilled with their placement in the festival; Katie adds, “It was so awesome to have that opportunity to participate in this major event as it gives us invaluable experience as we audition to attend major performing art colleges in the United States.”