University of the Ozarks senior music and mathematics major Eber Martinez Renteral is feeling both nervous and excited as he prepares to perform in his first vocal competition this week.
The tenor from Veracruz, Mexico, is a student in instructor Jill Van Buren’s Applied Voice Studio. He will compete against other college students in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) southern region conference Nov. 9-11 at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark. Dr. Sharon Gorman, professor of music, will serve as the collaborative pianist
“As a musician, I love watching people perform and express themselves with music, and there are always a lot of things to learn from others by watching them perform,” Martinez said. “Personally, participating in NATS gives me the opportunity to experience my first real music competition, which means a lot to me. Performing for people who have the same experience that I have every day makes me nervous and excited at the same time, but I am sure that every critique from the judges and partners will be highly constructive and nutritious for me. I am sure this experience will open the door for me to new perspectives, more knowledge, and friendships.”
Martinez, a Walton Scholar who is scheduled to graduate in May 2024, said he learned about the NATS competition from Van Buren.
“It is an annual competition that seeks to encourage art and music through a wide range of people with diverse backgrounds and interests,” he said. “Its purpose is to help students obtain a wonderful experience where they can improve their abilities by performing and seeing more people perform. NATS is open to a variety of interests and categories, from classical music to musical theater. I first learned about NATS thanks to Professor Van Buren, who led me through the process and encouraged me to participate.”
Martinez said he has loved music as long as he can remember.
“Music is, for me, one of the most effective ways to communicate ideas with people all over the world,” he said. “As a musician, my goal is to communicate through my performances and compositions. I want to learn more about music technology and composition to be able to produce music for media like films, TV shows, documentaries, and more. However, I also want to be able to help talented people who cannot afford a big studio production by offering them tools to produce, record, and publish their music.”
And, while music may be his first love, he hasn’t ruled out a career in another passion of his — mathematics.
“Right now, I am looking forward to specializing in music technology in graduate school, but I also expect to get a master’s degree eventually in data analytics,” he said. “I’d love to be able to combine both of those areas into a career.”
Martinez said participating with the University choir in the recent All Hallows’ Eve Concert is one of the highlights of his time at Ozarks.
“Due to COVID, in my almost four years here, I had not been able to see this concert before, but I am glad I could not only see it but also participate in it before I graduate,” he said. “The cooperation of choir, students, and professors to make this event so fun and interesting was lovely and was a reminder for me of how magical music can be when you share it.”
He also referenced his voice recital last year as another highlight.
“I had to perform a piece called ‘I Am Adolpho,’ and that was probably the hardest piece for me so far because of its burlesque emotion,” he said. “Adolpho is a funny character who likes attention; he is pretty noisy and has excessive confidence. In order to interpret him, I had to fully get out of my comfort zone and act almost the opposite of what I would normally do. It was a big challenge full of emotions and adventure, but it all paid off when I was on stage and people enjoyed themselves for a few minutes with my work.”
Martinez said he can’t believe he is less than six months away from graduation.
“Being so close to graduation and realizing that I will not see this campus and people for a long time makes me examine my experiences so far here,” he said. “Certainly, there are bad days, and not always things happen the way I want them to, but I would not change anything. Ozarks has given me the chance to learn and share with professors on a professional level and to hear their most honest opinions and experiences. I have built friendships that once were one building away from me, and now they are about 3,300 miles away, but still feel so close. I have been in places and developed abilities that I did not even want to, and now they are part of me and my personality. Ozarks is not only a college, but it has also become my second home, and it is sad to think that soon I will have to move out. Fortunately, my hand will not be empty when I leave, but full of great experiences and people that will never leave my mind and my heart.”
Topics: Music