|
|||||
 | |||||
|
Marketing and University Communication UW-Green Bay, CL 815 2420 Nicolet Drive Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 (920) 465-2626 E-mail: hildebrs@uwgb.edu Last update: 9/27/07 |
|
|
In
the News Archive - Year:
December 1, 2004 School Zone: By Cynthia Hodnett But the school song will have a deeper meaning for Butitta when she
sings it at UWGB's graduation Dec. 18 — she is one of about 400 students
scheduled to graduate.
"I've gotten pretty comfortable in singing in front of people," said
Butitta who also will turn 23 on her graduation day. "There's an extra
added bit of excitement because the alma mater is a well-known piece for
the students and faculty.
"There's a little bit of pressure, but overall I'm honored to have been
chosen to sing. It's like I'm giving something back to the school where
I got my education from."
Butitta was nominated to sing the alma mater by several choral/voice
faculty members for her work in the classroom and performances.
"When she's given a solo part in a piece, preparing for a class or leading
a section of rehearsal, she does it without complaining, she does it without
a lot of fanfare and she gets the job done," said William Witwer, director
of choral activity at UWGB.
"This is my 15th year of teaching. You go through your career as a teacher
and you have your students who are the top 5 percent," Witwer said. "From
a talent and work perspective, she represents that top 5."
The recipient of several awards and honors for vocal performance, Butitta
was a semi-finalist in the Neal Silva Young Artists' Competition this
year. She's also performing the role of Dido in two of four performances
of the opera "Dido and Aeneas," which is being presented this week by
the UWGB Opera Workshop.
Butitta was the only American to perform in Florence, Italy, at the
Project Euromuse event in March 2003. During that same year, she won a
Wisconsin Arts Board Scholarship.
Butitta began singing at age 3. She's a mezzo soprano, which is slightly
lower than soprano.
"My mom says I started singing when I first learned to talk," she said.
"We have some recordings of me singing when I was 3 years old. It's definitely
more than a hobby or pastime. It's a very much part of my life."
| |
