• Iowa State student wins national conducting competition

• 
  Shelby Sievers, who graduated from Iowa State University in December 2004 with a vocal music education degree, has won the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conducting Competition.
  
  Sievers, who is originally from Jefferson, Iowa, won the undergraduate division of the competition, which was held Feb. 2-6 in Los Angeles during the ACDA's national convention.
  
  Sievers was selected as one of eight semi-finalists who competed in Los Angeles from a pool of over 100 national applicants. Each applicant submitted a 12-minute videotaped rehearsal to a national panel of adjudicators.
  
  During each round of the competition, the student conductors were assigned two choral works to conduct and rehearse with a select high school choir from Salt Lake City, Utah. The student conductors were adjudicated by a distinguished panel of university and professional conductors.
  
  The national competition included two rounds of conducting. After first round, the competitors were reduced to four finalists.
  
  Sievers is a conducting student of James Rodde, Louise Moen Professor of Music and director of choral activities at Iowa State University. While at Iowa State, Sievers has been a member of the Iowa State Singers and has worked the assistant director of Celebration Iowa, a summer touring choral group at Luther College.
  
  

Shelby Sievers with James Rodde