This fall, Lundstrum Vocal Program Director Susan Casserly-Kosel recently brought three talented students to the student auditions of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association for Teachers of Singers. Impressively, two of the young singers advanced to the finals.

“Working with these dedicated and talented young people is such a great privilege,” says Casserly-Kosel. “I’m thrilled that over the past few years, the number of students who are ready for this level of audition has grown. They are extremely gifted youth, and this is a wonderful opportunity for them to grow.”

This year’s students were Aniyah Warren, a junior at North High; Amilia Hinck, a senior at The Breck School; and Brianna-Marie Mraz, a senior at Champlin Park High School.

“These are extremely gifted youth, and this is a wonderful opportunity for them to grow”

Each student prepares three contrasting pieces in both Classical and Musical Theater for a total of 8 minutes of singing in each category.  “This is a big expectation for them,” says Casserly-Kosel. “They have to prepare six pieces to perform for a panel of auditors. One of the biggest challenges is selecting repertoire that shows their strengths, minimizes weaknesses, and can be sung in under three minutes.”

The students get written feedback from other professional voice teachers, something that Casserly-Kosel says is particularly valuable. “It’s terrific for them to get feedback beyond me as their teacher, and it’s very helpful for me to listen to what other vocal coaches are hearing and seeing.”

Students seldom have opportunities to audition beyond shows at their high schools, so this event is particularly important for young singers. “Most singers begin as young kids with exceptional voices, however, they don’t really know how to use the instrument,” says Casserly-Kosel. “They tend only to imitate much older mature voices and risk hurting themselves. Learning to sing a scale can be a big challenge.  We work in voice lessons to discover and develop their own authentic voice as well as learn to sing in multiple genres which requires different ways to use their instrument.”

The preparation for NATS is demanding, but Casserly-Kosel says it’s the most important part. “They have to set goals and work on their strengths and weaknesses. It really focuses them. And then, when they perform despite being terrified, they see they really are ready. They really do belong at these auditions.” 

Students also have the additional benefit of accompanist Lawrence Henry, who provides “marvelous support,” she says. “He really helps the students polish their pieces musically.”

Since Casserly-Kosel began bringing students to the auditions, students have placed first, second, or third every year since 2022. Last year, Amilia placed third; the year before that Brianna placed first. This year, Brianna took second place and Aniya took third place in the musical theater category.

Lundstrum is deeply proud of these students. Congratulations!