Bush vocal music award recipient announced by the Dudley Birder Chorale

From St. Norbert College, May 5, 2011
by Chelsey Gruetzmacher, chelsey.gruetzmacher@snc.edu, (920) 403-3089

The Dudley Birder Chorale of St. Norbert College announced Tess Masias, a junior from Green Bay's Southwest High School, as the recipient of the Robert and Carol Bush Vocal Music Award for 2011. Masias will be presented an award of $500 at the Chorale's performance of "America Sings" on Friday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the St. Norbert College Walter Theater. She will also appear as a featured soloist during the concert.

Along with Masias's prize, her vocal music teacher, Brandon Rockstroh, will also receive $500, and Green Bay's Southwest High School will be presented $300 for its choral library.

Robert and Carol Bush established the endowed program in 2003 for the Dudley Birder Chorale. The program's aim is to promote vocal music within high schools, choosing from those communities represented by membership within the Chorale. These communities include high schools from the counties of Brown, Outagamie, Kewaunee, Shawano, Door, Manitowoc and Oconto.

Auditions were held on Sunday, May 1 at St. Norbert College. Students were recommended to audition by their teachers as an outstanding junior or senior vocal student in their school. The judges were Michael Barber, Dudley Birder, and St. Norbert faculty members Kent Paulsen, adjunct instructor of music, and Linda Feldmann, adjunct instructor of music.