Belmont University

Lauryn Hedges, a Belmont songwriting student who uses the stage name "Lauryn Marie", recently won the American Songwriter 2nd Annual Song Contest for a song she submitted as part of Belmont's Commercial Songwriting II course. For her first place award, Lauryn will receive a $10,000 prize, career consultation with Atlantic Records' SVP of A&R, a feature in American Songwriter Magazine, a publishing deal opportunity, promotion and global distribution of her song and a lifetime American Songwriter membership. Lauryn's song, "Walk," which she wrote and performed, took First Place in this year's contest. Lauryn's song was first named as one of the contest's Top 50 last week-the winning entries were announced on Dec. 15.

Vertically-mounted television screens allowed passersby to stop and hear about Belmont University President Dr. Greg Jones's "Five Ways of Being" during the Presidential Inauguration celebration November 3 - 5, thanks to an interactive art display created by Watkins College of Art students. The digital kiosks showcased the overarching theme of "Hope" that Dr. Jones so highly values from the students' perspective. Watkins College of Art Dean James Pierce assigned the project to his Experiential Design Studio I students and let them run with the idea on their own so the end result would be a true interpretation from and reflection of the student voice. The student artists included Abby Connolly, Emily Johnson, Natalie Krause, Nathan Marken, Grace Massey, Silas Mosley, Mary Beth Parkinson, Cooper Scobey and Belle Weaver.

Robert Montano, a freshman at Belmont, played teenage Artie Bucco in the newly released film "Many Saints of Newark." The film is a prequel to "The Sopranos," an HBO hit television series that aired for six seasons from 1999-2007 and is one of the network's most successful shows.

With minimal budget, a small crew and only 13 weeks, eight Belmont University students rose to the challenge and produced an extraordinary 32-minute documentary during the Spring 2021 semester. "How Did We Get Here? Nashville Surviving 2020" was recently announced as an official selection for the upcoming Nashville Film Festival. Chronicling the impact of multiple crises on the city of Nashville, the documentary features interviews with nationally renowned infectious disease experts Dr. William Schaffner and Dr. James Hildreth; Nashville Mayor John Cooper; Metro Councilwoman Zulfat Suara; Belmont officials and more.

Chloe Collins, a junior songwriting major, recently had her song "Downpour" featured in an episode of "Heartland" on Netflix. This isn't the first time Collins's original music was featured on a TV show, as her songs have previously been featured on the 100th episode of "Nashville," ABC Family's "The Vineyard," "Bellevue" and more. Collins's brand new single "Somebody Else" can be found on all streaming platforms.

Belmont students sitting in the audience of the Ben Rector performance held as part of the Presidential Inauguration festivities on November 3 may have recognized more than just the lead singer up on stage. When one of the bass players in Rector's band became ill before the show, Rector recognized the wealth of talent at the university and decided to invite three Belmont students to fill in the position. Belmont students Garret Arwood, Isaac Mauldin and Lee Williams were contacted and given only a couple days to learn the chords, each being assigned four songs to perform during the concert. Each of the students rose to the occasion and made a big impression not only on their peers cheering them on from the crowd, but Rector as well.

Belmont University congratulates students who performed in this year's production of "Christmas at Belmont." Belmont students performed many classic holiday favorites to help ring in the Christmas season. Watch the show on December 20, at 8 p.m. on NPT and PBS stations across the country, with encore broadcasts on NPT Christmas night, Saturday, December 25, at 9:30 p.m. Check local listings for additional broadcast times.

Belmont students recently performed in the "Christmas at Belmont" concert at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center, a performance which was taped live and will air nationally this holiday season on PBS. Hosted by two-time Grammy winner Kathy Mattea, more than 700 student musicians joined Belmont School of Music faculty and the Nashville Children's Choir for the taping of "Christmas at Belmont."

Belmont University congratulates students who performed in this year's production of "Christmas at Belmont." Belmont students performed many classic holiday favorites to help ring in the Christmas season, orignally broadcast on December 20. Watch the encore broadcasts on PBS stations across the country on Christmas night, Saturday, December 25, at 9:30 p.m. Check local listings for additional broadcast times.

Eighteen students from Nashville's Belmont University traveled to Park City, Utah to work the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

22 Students from Belmont University traveled to Los Angeles to work Grammy Week 2015 events. 

A class of Belmont University students have join their professor, legendary musician and The Turtles founding member Mark Volman, for an East Coast run of the "Happy Together Tour" for the third consecutive year. The tour's "classroom" and schedule include one tour bus, a precious few hotel rooms, long hours and many stages--for two and a half weeks and a grade.

More than 800 Belmont University student musicians, singers and faculty along with the Nashville Children's Choir perform in the nationally televised airing of "Christmas at Belmont." Hosted by internationally renowned mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, the annual production of traditional carols, classical masterworks, world music and light-hearted seasonal favorites will premiere on PBS on December 20 at 9 p.m. Central.