Nole Jones with Mary Katherine Whatley in "The Elixir of Love."Nole Jones has sung his way to the top. The baritone, one of only 14 men in the country to make the semi-final round, competed at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) National Student Auditions in Greensboro, North Carolina, on July 7th. Before reaching the national competition, Jones won first prize in the musical theatre division and second prize in the classical division at the state and regional levels.“In the semifinal round, I collaborated with pianist Rachel Summers to perform four musical theatre selections,” Jones says. “Although I was not selected as a finalist, I enjoyed my experience and received a lot of positive feedback. I was extremely honored to represent UAB and the Alabama and Southeastern Regional chapters of NATS at the national level, and I hope to have more opportunities to perform and compete at that level as I continue my career.”
Jones, a native of Prattville, is a double major in the departments of Music and Theatre, and is a student of Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk, DMA, associate professor of voice and director of opera.
“We in the Department of Music have witnessed Nole’s growth and leadership in the department over the past few years, and are very proud of his accomplishments,” says Hurst-Wajszczuk. “Nole is a joy to work with and serves as a role model to many of the younger students.”
As a student, Jones has appeared in leading roles in UAB Opera productions of Mozart’s “La Finta Semplice” and Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love,” as well as in the UAB Department of Theatre’s production of “Urinetown: The Musical” and “Avenue Q.” Jones is also in the UAB Honors College’s Experiential Learning Scholars Program.
