Two Music Students Among 10 Finalists in Local Singing Competition

The Final Round of the Campus Superstar vocal competition will feature two Mary Pappert School of Music students this weekend.

Michael Warren

Michael Warren and Carly Koza were selected in February to advance to the finals of the annual competition, run by the Edward and Rose Berman Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh, which brings together students from colleges and universities in the Pittsburgh region in an American Idol-like vocal competition.

Warren and Koza are two of 10 finalists who will take the stage at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland on Sunday, March 26, at 7 p.m. to compete for a $5,000 grand prize. Tickets are available at hilleljuc.org/campussuperstar.

From the Campus Superstar website, “Campus Superstar is a professionally produced musical spectacular where performers are accompanied by a full band with all of the ‘glitz’ that one would expect from a concert or Broadway show.”

Carly Koza

Koza, who performed On My Own from the musical Les Misérables in February’s semi-final round, will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Music in performance and a Bachelor of Science in biology.

When asked what being in the top 10 contestants meant to her, she said, “When I heard my name called I was shocked. I have never been surrounded by so much phenomenal talent in one room. I gave it my all in the performance, and I am thrilled to be able to represent Duquesne University in the finals on the Carnegie Hall stage alongside nine other extremely talented and hardworking individuals.”

Warren is also a senior, finishing his degree in music education this May. He made a very conscious decision to sing The Greatest Love of All in the semi-final round. “In the event that I didn’t get to move on, I wanted to have left [the competition] knowing that I had at least sent a positive message, which is why I chose The Greatest Love of All.”