Soprano Uche Aghulor, a first-year student in the MSM voice studio, won first place in the Upper Advanced Classical category at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) student auditions. The auditions took place at Butler University in Indianapolis on November 4th, 2023. Assisted by Assistant Professor of Collaborative Piano Dror Baitel, Uche’s competition repertoire included works by Mozart, Handel, Gustav Mahler, and Samuel Barber.
Uche was born and raised in Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria. Although she did not begin formal music training until later, her love and passion for music started at a young age in her home parish where she sang with the choir at Sunday masses with her parents and six siblings. In 2020, she received the MTN Foundation scholarship to study voice at the Musical Society of Nigeria, where she graduated at the top of her class and received the foundation’s first price for leadership, innovation and integrity in 2022.
In 2023, Uche was admitted into the Master of Sacred Music program, Notre Dame, a moment she describes as “life changing”. She studies currently with Visiting Professor of Voice Anne Slovin, is a co-director at the Notre Dame Children’s Choir and sings every Sunday at the Crypt Church of the Basilica.
In addition to Uche, three Notre Dame undergraduates also won prizes at the NATS auditions: Madeline Murphy (3rd place, 3rd-year College Classical Treble), Brigid O’Driscoll (2nd place, 2nd-year College Musical Theater Treble) and Camila Holden (2nd place, 3rd-Year College Musical Theater Treble).
Originally published by at sacredmusic.nd.edu on November 06, 2023.