Nikolas William Bauchat, 2005 honors graduate of Fayette County High School, recently won the Byrd Piano Ensemble Award Competition. He also placed third in the Gray Perry Young Collegiate Piano Award Competition. The competitions were held at the University of Florida. Bauchat is a second-year honors student with a piano performance major at Florida State University, studying under Leonard and Norma Mastrogiacomo. Bauchat began taking lessons at the age of 13 in Albany, Georgia. He moved to Atlanta in 2001 and studied with Inna Saturnovsky. As a student at Fayette County High School, Bauchat won numerous competitions and earned Outstanding Performer at the GMEA state finals for three consecutive years. He has attended the Shorter College Piano Camp, Florida State University Honors Piano Camp and Brevard Music Camp. Bauchat also served as first-chair tenor saxophone in the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony and the Georgia All-State Wind Ensemble. He has played under the direction of Eric Whitacre, Frank Techelli, James Barnes and Scott Stewart. Bauchat plans to become a concert pianist.