NATS Artist Awards (NATSAA)
https://www.nats.org/nats-artist-awards.html
The NATS Artist Awards (NATSAA) competition is designed to assist singers prepared to launch a professional career and, to that end, substantial monetary and performance prizes are offered.
Beginning in 2018, NATSAA semifinals/finals will be held in New York City, in proximity to a wide audience of artist managers and industry professionals. The competition takes place every other year. Preliminary competitions are held regionally and national semifinals/finals take place at the NATS National Workshop in New York. "Throughout its history, the purpose of this [NATSAA] competition has been to select, through a series of elimination rounds on the district, regional, and national levels, singers whose artistry indicates that they are ready for a professional career and to encourage them toward that goal with a cash prize and the opportunity for performance engagements." - Edward Baird, President of NATS, 1985-1987
Important Dates for NATSAA 2018
PLEASE NOTE: Earlier Application and Deadline Dates
Application deadline: September 5, 2017
Regional Auditions: September - November 2017 National Semifinals and Finals: January 5-7, 2018 at the 2018 NATS Winter Workshop in New York City Regional Audition Dates and Locations: Click here for Regional Audition information.
Prizes
First Prize - More than $13,000 in cash and prizes
$5,000 Cash
A New York Solo Debut in a major choral work with orchestra and chorus sponsored by DCINY
$4,000 Scholarship to attend the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria
$1,000 Gift Certificate from Hal Leonard Corporation
Solo recital at the next NATS National Conference
Second Prize - More than $6,000 in cash prizes
$4,000 Cash
$2,000 Scholarship to attend AIMS in Graz, Austria
$500 Gift Certificate from Hal Leonard Corporation
Additional cash prizes to all remaining semifinalists
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant must be at least 21 but not more than 35 years of age on the deadline entry date: September 5, 2017
Membership status of teacher or applicant:
The applicant’s most recent teacher must be a full or associate member of NATS (in good standing) with whom the applicant must have studied continuously for at least one academic year; - OR -
The applicant must be a full or associate member of NATS in good standing for at least one year prior to September 5, 2017
First-place winners in prior NATSAA national auditions are ineligible.
The final decision on all matters of eligibility rests with the Vice President of NATSAA.
Note: Performers in NATS-sponsored auditions, competitions, recitals, and other activities such as workshops, shall perform from lawful editions and shall support and obey the law relative to copyright and the NATS Copyright Policy.
Application Process
ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact the NATS Executive Office at 904-992-9101 or info@nats.org. (See below for repertoire questions.) The completed application, including payment of the fee of $75 U.S. by credit card must be submitted online through the NATS website no later than September 5, 2017. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered.
1.Online applications must include:
a.payment of the non-refundable entry fee of $75.00 in U.S. funds via credit card (Visa or MasterCard). No refunds will be given.
b.Applicants MUST provide proof of legal age at the regional audition site. This proof must be provided in the form of an original, government-issued document such as a valid driver’s license, and the applicant must provide a copy of this documentation that will be retained by the Association until the completion of the NATSAA competition. Failure to bring both the original and the copy of this documentation will result in disqualification. (COPY CANNOT BE RETURNED)
c.the NATS member number AND Email address of the applicant or the sponsoring NATS teacher
d.complete entries for all repertoire, including:
1) TITLE and LANGUAGE of each selection
2) COMPOSER of each selection
3) KEY of each selection
4) ACCURATE TIMING (duration) of each selection
5) COMPOSER birth and death dates
2. Completion and submission of the application is followed by Preliminary Auditions
Applicants must compete in the regional audition of their legal residence or where they are currently studying singing.
Have repertoire or copyright questions? All questions specific to the rules and regulations, copyright, or about repertoire and requirements, should be directed to the NATS Vice President of Auditions.
Repertoire Requirements
The repertoire list need not be thought of as comprising a complete recital program. The contestants and their teachers might want to consider, however, that national finalists will, in fact, present a fifteen minute program of their choosing from the submitted repertoire.
Contestants must be prepared to sing at each audition level all of the songs and arias specified in Sections a, b, and c below:
a.An aria from an opera to be sung in the original language and key.
b.An aria from a major oratorio, mass, requiem, or cantata to be sung in the original key.
c.Twelve (12) additional recital selections divided into four groups. The number of pieces in each group may vary but must total 12 in all, and each group except the English set must have at least two selections therein. Special note - At least one art song composed in or after 1950 (not an arrangement of a folk song) must be included in Group II, III, or IV. The song(s) must be identified and the date of composition given.
I.Songs or arias composed before 1800. No more than two arias may be included in this group.
II.German Lieder or French Mélodies.
III.A second group of National Art Songs consisting of any languages that are not presented in Sections II and IV.
IV.American, Canadian, or British Art Songs. Art songs with English as the original language. A minimum of three songs must be included in this group.
Note that the arias in Sections a. and b. are in addition to and not part of the 12-song recital requirement of Section c.
Memorization: All repertoire must be memorized with the exception of the oratorio selection (Section b).
A contestant entering the auditions for a second or third time will be expected to present a reasonable amount of new repertoire.
Any questions concerning the stated repertoire requirements should be addressed to the Vice President of NATSAA.
Repertoire changes are NOT allowed at the district, or regional levels. Only regional winners may change repertoire.
Auditions
Applicants may secure the date and location of regional auditions from their teachers, district or regional governors, and the NATS web page.
Regional Winners. Each region will select a winner from the regional auditions to be sent to the national semifinal auditions, which will be held in New York City in January 2018. Regional winners must be certified by their regional governor as to their availability to participate in the national semifinals.
Expense Stipends. Semifinalists will each receive a stipend of $200 from the NATS executive office to assist in covering travel costs. Regions usually contribute additional funds. Contestants are expected, however, to be responsible for the remainder of their own additional expenses, as well as for making their own travel arrangements and hotel reservations.
Finalists. No fewer than four and no more than eight finalists will be chosen at the semifinals to sing in the final auditions during the NATS Winter Workshop to be held in New York City, January 5-7, 2018. Finalists and semifinalists will earn prizes of not less than $750.
Accompanists. Contestants are urged to provide their own accompanists. At regional auditions accompanists can be provided for a fee if the regional governor is notified at least three weeks before the audition. At the National Semifinals, the NATS executive office will provide a travel stipend of $200 for accompanists. However, if so desired, professional accompanists will be available without expense to contestants. Notification of the need for accompanists must be given to the Vice President of NATSAA by November 15, 2017. NATS teachers are not allowed to accompany their students at any level.
Adjudication Procedures & Policies
Qualified adjudication will be provided for all competitions. There will be at least three judges but no more than five at each audition. Teachers having students in auditions will not be eligible to adjudicate that audition.
Contestants will remain anonymous until the audition is completed.
Contestants will be heard for 12-15 minutes.
Contestants will sing one selection of their choice at each audition. The balance of the numbers to be heard will be requested by the judges from the repertoire submitted.
National finalists will present a fifteen-minute program of their own choosing, selected from the submitted repertoire.
NATS will publicize the availability of award winners for professional engagements.
NATS Policy on Copyright Laws
The National Association of Teachers of Singing endorses a strict policy regarding copyright laws. The use of photocopied music is prohibited at all NATS sponsored events, from the national to the chapter level. Exceptions are:
Music that is out of print, still under copyright law, with permission from a publisher.
Sheet music or books for which the copyright has expired, but available in CD format. (e.g., CD Sheet Music). Performers must be prepared to present proof of ownership upon request.
Sheet music purchased legally from an online vendor. Such music should have either a separate page proving the performer has purchased such or a copyright notice at the bottom of the music that includes the performer's name. Performers must be prepared to present proof of ownership upon request.
Music available from approved public domain websites. Performers should take particular care when accessing these sites as some do not guarantee that all works are indeed in the public domain. Current approved online public domain sites are:
www.imslp.org www.sheetmusicarchive.net