CVCC music student Messick wins first place, Outstanding Collegiate Male at state competition

Catawba Valley Community College music student Noah Messick recently finished in first place during the North Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition.

03/08/2022

Messick Wins Music Award

his is the second time Messick — a first-year student from Vale — has placed in the state competition after finishing in third place in the musical theater category last semester.

“Classical is more of my forte than musical theater is,” Messick said. “I’m very competitive. I only work harder from here.”

Messick’s placement comes in the classical music category. He performed the Aaron Copland song, “Dodger” as one of three songs in his audition, which was filmed and then reviewed by three judges from across the state of North Carolina. He also performed “Du Bist Wie Eine Blume” in German and “Gia Il Sole Dal Gange” in Italian.

Around 600 to 700 students participate in the state NATS competition. Messick’s performance, which was videoed, was judged by three music professors from public and private universities in North Carolina.

Messick’s performance was so impressive that he was also awarded Outstanding Collegiate Male.

“Even though they have done amazingly well, placed first and gone on to nationals, none of our students have ever won the Most Outstanding Collegiate Male or Female of the entire competition — until Noah,” said Caroline Simyon, director of Music at Catawba Valley Community College. “That’s among graduate students, four-year students, third-year students — all of them. That’s impressive.”

Classical music has become a passion for Messick, who didn’t know he could sing until his freshman year of high school.

“I used to look up all kinds of music in high school. I’d look up the most random things on the planet, but a lot of it was classical music,” Messick said. “It just clicked with me more than any other genre of music did. I have a wide variety of interests in music, but the one that clicked with me the most was classical. I listen to it on a daily basis. I could listen to it honors on end.”

Catawba Valley Community College is one of two junior colleges in North Carolina that participated in state NATS this semester. Despite competing amongst four-year colleges and universities, the music program at CVCC has also placed a student in the top 10 nationally for the past six years.

Up next for Messick is the Regional NATS competition, where he will compete against classical performers from five different states. The top three from each state will advance to the national level.

Two more CVCC music students — Allison Furr and Caroline Hendren — will also take part in the competition through the musical theater category after qualifying in the fall.

Messick is excited about his chance to shine on the Regional level of NATS.

“There are a lot of emotions,” Messick said. “It’s overwhelming because when it comes to competing against students this is the furthest I’ve ever gone in my entire life. Going against four other states is a big deal for me, but it’s nerve racking as well.”

Photo (from left):  CVCC music instructor  Freda Herrell, CVCC music student Noah Messick and CVCC Director of Music Caroline Simyon.

 

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