Three senior music students at the University of South Alabama have won prestigious competitions that will allow them to showcase their talents both nationally and internationally.

Music education major Alex Forte was selected to perform with the 2007 National Wind Ensemble on May 25 at Carnegie Hall in New York. Forte, a Mobile native, is a trombone student of Dr. Greg Gruner, chair of the department of music at USA. Forte is among 75 college and high school students from across the country selected to participate.

Music education major and Laidlaw Scholar Courtney Pair was selected to perform in the 2007 International Youth Wind Orchestra at the 13th International Conference of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles to be held in July at Killarney, Ireland. The Ocean Springs native was one of 50 outstanding young musicians, ages 18 to 25, chosen worldwide for this ensemble. She is a student of Ms. Jodi Wood, an instructor in the department of music.

Vocal performance major Andre Chiang won first place in the 11th Annual LaGrange Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition. The Mobile native is a student of Dr. Thomas Rowell, USA assistant professor of music and area coordinator of vocal studies. Chiang has also been selected as a semi-finalist in the student category of the Orpheus Vocal Competition. As a Dorothy Allen Turner award recipient, Chiang will perform as the only soloist with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra during their 2007-2008 subscription season and receive a $1,500 cash award. Chiang will participate in a joint performance with all winners of the competition on  March 18 in the Callaway Auditorium at LaGrange College, LaGrange, Ga.

“The department of music is thrilled with the honors for these students,” said Gruner. “We have students who win honors all the time, but to have students win these three competitions around the same time is especially rewarding. We are very proud of what they have been able to accomplish. In each of these competitions, they competed against some really exceptional musicians, and we are very pleased and proud that they were so successful.”