MONROE - A 22-year-old classical piano player from Choudrant has been named Miss Louisiana.

Justine Ker won the crown during the Saturday finals held at the Monroe Civic Center, the Shreveport Times reported.

Ker is a student at Vanderbilt University.

She has studied the piano for the last 16 years and performed Chopin's "Fantaisie-Impromptu" for the talent competition.

Ker was the runner-up during last year's Miss Louisiana competition where she also won the instrumental performance award.

She was chosen Saturday from a field of 31 contestants and will now go on to represent the state in the Miss America pageant.

The 22-year-old also competed for three years in the Miss Louisiana Outstanding Teen competition.

Ker takes over from outgoing Miss Louisiana, April Nelson.