NATS
When and Where
All online submissions are due on October 21.
What to know before you register
Fees are non-refundable after the registration deadline. If you have the accompanist hold a place for you, you must pay the accompanist fee, regardless of whether or not you end up attending the event.
You may change your repertoire from State NATS, however whatever songs you choose for Regional NATS are the songs you MUST take to Nationals, should you qualify.
If you place at Regionals, you will be asked to perform in a "sing-off" round later in the day in order to qualify for Nationals. You may only sing one song during the sing-off. Therefore, be sure to have one piece you think is good enough to compete in the sing-off rounds.
Rehearsal Schedule
TBA
Audition Schedule
TBA
About NATS
NATS or the National Association of Teachers of Singing Auditions are a competition during which students perform three pieces they have prepared for a panel of three judges, all of whom are voice teachers or professors. No one is allowed in the audition room except the student, their accompanist, and the judges. The judges write down comments and numerical score that the students get to see at the end of the day. In this way, it is a wonderful tool to help students grow as performers, practice auditioning, and get feedback from other professionals.
Students audition in a category that includes other kids their age and gender who are singing songs in the same genre (ie: Musical Theater or Classical).
If the student's score is a 90 (out of 100) or above, they will qualify for to compete with other kids in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the Spring. If a student's score is one of the top three in their room, they will receive 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place. These placements will be posted on a wall in the main waiting area during the day. Students who place will receive a certificate and a small monetary reward.
If a student receives first place, they are invited to sing on the Honors Recital at the end of the day (around 4:00), which is a great honor and a lot of fun for participants. I encourage all my students to stay and listen to the Honors Recital to get an idea of what it takes to win, and to hear some truly wonderful singing.
During the day, after auditions and before the honors recital, there is also a Masterclass for the students and teachers to enjoy. A Master Teacher has been invited to work with some of our students in front of an audience. They use this as a chance to present overarching singing and teaching themes that are great for the audience to hear and see. My students often come back from NATS full of new ideas from the Masterclass they've seen.
All in all, NATS is a very fun day full of singing and hanging out with other people who are passionate about singing. You get to get dressed up and do what you love: perform your very best! If you happen to place or win, that is a wonderful cherry on top of an already great day.
Regional NATS Fees
$120-145 cash, check, or venmo made out to Meris Robinson. This includes:
$20 Online NATS Registration Fee
$50-75 Accompanist fee (This is at the accompanist's discretion. Varies based on travel expenses).
$50 Teacher Fee
NATS scoring policy
You will be rated in five categories, each of which hold equal weight for your final score. These categories are:
Tone
Balanced ping and warmth in tone
Clear sound
Free vibrato
Breathing / Alignment
Posture
Tension
Silent, drop-in inhalation
balanced appoggio/breath support
Language / Diction -
All words are clear and understandable.
Foreign Languages pronounced correctly for singing.
Diction is appropriate for the genre and the tone of the song.
Use the diction to communicate the text.
4. Musicianship and Accuracy
Pitches, rhythms, articulation, and dynamics are accurate.
Moving phrases musically and communicatively.
Uses dynamics, articulation, phrasing, and tone as expressive tools.
Uses dynamics, articulation, phrasing, and tone in different ways to add interest through variation.
5. Artistry/Expression
Acting
Expressivity
Commitment to the character
Commitment to communicating the text
Overall professionalism and confidence from the moment the student enters the room.
Each room has three teachers acting as judges. They will score the student between 70-100 as an overall score. A score of 90 and above qualifies the student for Regionals. The judges will also write comments that offers the student advice and explains their scoring.
The judges do not ever view each others’ scores and do not confer on how to rate the students. The three scores given by the judges will be averaged later in the day in a tally room by NATS officials in order to avoid judges influencing each others’ scores.
Students in State NATS in continuing categories will qualify for NATS if they receive an average score of 90 or above OR if two judges give the student a score of 90 or above.
Other NATS Rules and Information
NATS has extremely specific rules for what songs students must prepare to compete. Your teacher will help you select songs that align with these rules.
Photo copies of music are absolutely forbidden inside a NATS audition room. You must be prepared to loan your accompanist an Original Copy of all three songs. This means an actual book, or a song you have purchased online.
I (Meris) will be judging another category during the audition day, which will only allow me to be available before and after I judge. I always do my best to be available to warm students up and I love getting text updates on how your auditions went!
Dress code - Please go to the Attire page and follow the rules to the letter.
The Day of the Competition
Before you arrive
Warm up extremely well at home before you shower or get dressed. Do a good half hour practice session. That will make it far easier to warm up later.
Check the Attire page of the website for instructions on what to wear. Girls, be sure to do your hair nicely in a style that pins it out of your face. We don’t want it falling in your face during the audition.
When you arrive
Print out the parking pass. You will need it to park across the street from the music building.
Auditions taking place
Arrive at least one hour before your audition time
Check in at the front desk
Check in any printed copies you have at the front desk and provide your receipts that prove you or I purchased your music or that they came from IMDB. If Scott already has your music, he will do this for you.
Figure out where your audition room is. Ask at the front desk. Find your room before finding a practice room. This will cut down on stress later.
Find a practice room. Ask someone at the front desk where they are and have them draw you a map or take you there if you’re nervous. If I am warming you up, text me the room number.
Warm up
Arrive at your audition room at least 10 minutes before audition time.
If your accompanist is late, that’s completely normal and won’t be counted against you. Just wait patiently and think about what you have to do in your audition.
All day – posting of results
Results from each category will be posted throughout the day.
Anyone who gets first place in a category is asked to sing on the Honors Recital.
Time TBA - Tally Time Masterclass - Location TBA
TBA - Final postings
TBA – Honors Recital
All first place winners are invited to sing one selection on the Honors recital.
I encourage everyone to stay for the Honors Recital. We may have singers from our school performing and it is great to support them if you can. An equally important reason to attend is the wonderful music and the chance to see what we as singers work toward.
TBA – Comment sheets and scores
After the Honors Recital, the NATS officials will deliver your comment sheets and scores back to me. I will hand them out and discuss them individually with each of you. If you would prefer not to wait, I can discuss them with you later at your lesson.
Performance Expectations
Although all students will receive a numerical score with judge’s comments, success for the day will be measured only by each singer’s participation. We grow through the practice of singing and you have all grown immensely in preparation for this event. I am enormously proud of each one of you. You cannot control who your judges are or what their preferences are, and you cannot control how anyone else sings in your room. All you can control is your own performance, so perform your best and have fun. That’s what success looks like.
Singing in the morning
I know some of these times seem very early compared to when we usually sing. Please get up early this week and practice warming up and singing through your songs at your audition time. It will take more time to get warm than normal, so be patient. Remember, everyone else in your category has to sing in the morning too, so there’s an even playing field.
During your audition
During the audition, only the student, the accompanist, and the page turner are allowed in the room. Unfortunately, parents (and teachers) have to be satisfied with pressing their ears to the door.
When the NATS volunteer ushers you in, look happy to be there and greet the judges. Don’t forget: your performance starts the moment you enter the door. Leave the “nervous student” behind in the hall and embody the character of “extremely confident performer.” No matter what happens, stay in character from the moment you walk in the door until the moment you walk out. As soon as you’re out in the hall you can complain to your parents about each and every insignificant mistake you feel you made, but until then, it’s your job to act like everything’s going according to your plan and that you’re completely thrilled to be here.
When you and your accompanist are situated, announce your name, the title of the song you’d like to sing first in a clear, resonant voice.
No matter what happens, act like it’s a recital. Take your time to get in character, look up in character when you’re ready to sing, and don’t turn to the accompanist to cue him. Forget the judges and entertain them like any other audience.
Be clear about your tempos when you perform and resist the urge to follow the accompanist, lead them instead without wavering from your usual tempos. These accompanists are experts at listening and responding.
If you forget something, or make a mistake, roll with it and stay in character. The judges are always impressed by students who recover gracefully.
The judges will spend time writing on their sheets. Ignore this completely, and continue to perform like normal. The judges will continue to write even when you’re done and will not applaud. They’ll request which song they’d like to hear second, and third. Each time you start, take time to get in character and look up and out in character to let the accompanist know you’re ready to start.
After you're finished, no matter how you feel about the audition, smile like you couldn’t be more pleased with your performance, graciously thank the judges, and exit.
Whew! You did it! You’re amazing!!! Celebrate your awesome performance with your adoring fans. I’ll find you after I’m done judging in the main waiting area some time before the Master Class. Please feel free to text me during the day to give me an update! I love hearing how you all are doing!
Last, but not least, toi, toi toi, break a leg, and in bocca al lupo!
Meris
Meris' Schedule
TBA
Parking Pass
TBA