SongFest Mentor Program Scholarship Opportunity for NATS Members

Posted on February 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

National Association of Teachers of Singing is pleased to announce a new partnership with SongFest 2012.  SongFest has established a Mentor Program especially designed for voice teachers and coaches and is offering two full-tuition scholarships to NATS members (valued at $850, room and board not included) to attend SongFest 2012 “Breaking the Song Barrier.”

SongFest Mentor Program participants will enjoy the opening reception, attend specific performing classes, observe all master classes, optionally sing/play in two master classes, and learn from a selected faculty member in a private lesson/coaching session. The faculty members scheduled to participate at SongFest 2012 include William Bolcom, Amy Burton, Melanie Emelio, D’Anna Fortunato, Margo Garrett, Jake Heggie, Martin Katz, Libby Larsen, John Musto, Rosemary Hyler Ritter,  Lisa Saffer, William Sharp, Liza Stepanova, Jennifer Tung, Roger Vignoles, Lucas Wong, and Frances Young.

“NATS continues to expand its membership benefits, and this SongFest scholarship is yet another way for you to find value in your association with NATS,” says Allen Henderson, Executive Director.

SongFest takes place on June 5-28 at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. We invite you to go to the website www.songfest.us for more information.

The deadline for NATS members to apply for a SongFest Mentor Program scholarship is Wednesday, March 30, 2012. Interested NATS members should download the Mentor Program informational flyer. Applications are being accepted on YAP Tracker (or download the paper application). Applicants should mark in the “comments” section that they are applying for the NATS scholarship. There is no need to audition live, two audio recordings should be submitted with the application.  SongFest and NATS will choose two NATS members to attend one or both Mentor sessions: Session I: June 6-17, Session II: June 17-28.

Founded in 1996 by Rosemary Hyler Ritter, SongFest is a unique program that focuses on the art of song.  Participants from all over the world, ranging in age from high school students to working professionals, gather each summer at Pepperdine University for an intense program to learn from experts in the field of classical art song.

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Posted in NATS news, Scholarships, Workshops, Young Artist Programs

Warren Jones at UofT, March 12-15

Posted on February 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

Warren Jones will be at the University of Toronto from March 12-15. Warren is on faculty at the Manhattan School of Music and heads the Collaborative Piano department at the Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara. He is regularly heard in recitals around the world with today’s most sought after singers.

Warren Jones - Photo by: Kobie van Rensburg

Voice Studies Masterclass – Wednesday, March 14, 2:30-5:00, Walter Hall
Opera Studies Masterclass – Thursday, March 15, 2:00-4:30 Walter Hall OR 3-5:30 Geiger Torel, (location to be confirmed)

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Posted in Masterclasses

NATSAA 2012 — Ontario District Round 1 Results

Posted on January 26, 2012 | Leave a comment

The NATSAA Ontario Round 1 results are in!

We had a wonderful day of singing here in London at the Von Kuster Recital Hall on Saturday January 21st.  Some of this province’s most accomplished young singers met to compete for the responsibility of representing our NATS District in the Great Lakes Regional round of NATSAA with an eye to the Final Round at our National Convention in Orlando.

Under the supervision of our Great Lakes Regional Governor, Laurie Lashbrook, the following singers from (first-place to third place) will move on to the regional round at the Grand Valley State University, Cook DeWitt Chapel in Allendale, Michigan:

Lesley Bouza (studies with Inna Golsband)

Shatelle Przybylo (studies with Lorna MacDonald)

Michele Bogdanowicz (studies with Jean MacPhail)

The following are our TWO alternates:

Courtney Murias (studies with Patricia Green)

Tamera Newberry (studies with Torin Chiles)

I would like to express my thanks to our three judges for the day:  Irene Welhasch-Baerg, Michael Cavanagh and Brian McIntosh.  They managed that tricky balance very well, where they took their responsibilities very seriously but were gracious and easy going at the same time!  They are wonderful colleagues and I am sure that you all share my gratitude.

Two NATS members (in addition to me) were on hand to see that things ran smoothly.  I thank Gwenlynn Little and Jackie Short for their presence and support throughout the day.  I am sure that they will echo my comments about what an enjoyable day of singing it was.

Finally, I would like to thank one of our Performance Department Administrative Assistants, Natalie Donnelly and three of my grad students, Hannah Stewart, Victoria Trevoy and Albert Montanez.  These four delightful people gave of their personal time to help me run this competition on a sunny Saturday.  Thank you – you were a sunny group of people to work with and to represent NATS Ontario for this competition!

And now, on to round two… We NATS Ontario members wish you well Lesley, Shantelle and Michele.  We will be cheering for you in Michigan and I hope to cheer one of you on at the Final Round on Orlando Florida in six months time!

Sincerely,
Torin W. Chiles (NATS Ontario, District Governor)

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Posted in Auditions, Competitions

Emerging Leaders Award

Posted on January 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

The deadline for the Emerging Leaders Award has been extended.

This grant available to young teachers of singing covers up to $750 of expenses for the NATS National Conference in Orlando this summer (June 29-July 3, 2012).

Designed to recognize and support NATS teachers with no more than ten years of teaching experience, this grant will help selected winners attend sessions, network with colleagues, and enjoy all the benefits available at the NATS Conference.

Click here for all the details at the nats.org website.

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Posted in NATS news

Peeking into Voice & Piano Pedagogy & Performance

Posted on January 2, 2012 | Leave a comment

Peek into the intriguing world of pedagogy and performance at the University of Toronto.  January 12, 2012

Noon Concert 12:10 – 1:00 pm – Pedagogy Profs Perform
Soprano Lorna MacDonald, pianist Midori Koga, with violinist Erika Raum and Russell Hartenberger,
vibraphone, perform music by Mozart, Donizetti, Saint-Saëns, John Greer, and songs from Japan.

Workshop 1:30 – 3:30 pm – Pedagogy Workshops
Lorna MacDonald and Midori Koga, with doctoral voice pedagogy and piano pedagogy students, present a fascinating workshop exploring the expanding field of pedagogy. Explore balance, breath, and student-centered learning in the classroom and studio. Music teachers, performers, and students alike will enjoy this event.

Walter Hall, Faculty of Music
The University of Toronto

Click here for a PDF poster with the full details.

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Posted in Concerts & Recitals, Pedagogy, Workshops

2011 Fall Chapter Meeting a Night of FIRSTS!

Posted on December 1, 2011 | 4 Comments

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A night of FIRSTS!
Our FIRST fall banquet…
Our FIRST NATS Auditions scheduled through the new online format…
Our FIRST time hearing opera stage director Tom Diamond…

Over 35 members were welcomed to the Monte Carlo Inns Vaughan Suites on Friday, November 18, 2011 for our annual fall meeting and our newly annual fall banquet. All of the travel-weary teachers were met with an intimate setting of wine and cheese and beautifully decorated tables all made possible by Co-Vice President of Special Events Alison Moodie.

The evening was started with our meeting and an overview of the NATS Auditions day to be held the next morning at York University. Auditions Coordinator Michelyn Wright discussed the new online registration and how it worked very well, even with a few wrinkles and glitches along the road! We will continue to use this software, and she will try to streamline some things for next year.

One of the major concerns from teachers was the amount of work it was to input all the data on their students. Michelyn let us know that the software was created as a teacher input application only and if teachers were to give students their login information, students have access to all the other students’ private information which is a violation of NATS’ privacy issue. The upside is that once you have input student information, this data is saved for subsequent years. Additionally, while each member does their own input, there is less work for Michelyn and so the volunteer load of putting on the Auditions is shared among all of us! To make it easier, Vice President of Membership Lindsay Isaac will create a YouTube video of a demo online registration as an aid for those having trouble navigating the system for next year. Hindsight being 20/20, we will continue to improve how we function for the NATS Auditions process!

It was also officially announced that will be holding the 2012 Chapter Auditions at Wilfrid Laurier University. Friday, November 16, 2012 will be a continuation of our Fall meeting and Guest Speaker event while Saturday, November 17th, 2012 will be the Auditions. Details will be announced in the Spring, but plan to book this date in your calendar now! Let us know your thoughts on this event – what you would like to do, who you would like to hear, where you would like to stay by leaving a COMMENT below. We hope you will cancel that Saturday studio teaching day from your 2012/13 calendar and join us!

From the meeting, our evening moved on to a buffet dinner that was a lovely presentation of roast beef, fresh pasta, green salad, a cheese platter and a variety of sweets and chocolates for dessert. The wine on the table was flowing and everyone had the opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones!

During dessert, Co-Vice President of Special events, Elizabeth McDonald introduced the guest speaker for the evening, Mr. Tom Diamond by saying:

“By process of the seven degrees of separation of Canadian Opera, we all know Tom already. In fact we really only need one degree of separation – either you have already worked with Tom directly or know someone who has … By the way he directs an opera, Tom has at once a bachelor of humor, a master of psychology, a doctorate in acting technique and a lifetime as a four star military general …This evening Tom has agreed to share with us ways to help our students delve into the characters of their songs, to demand more of our students in their final presentation of their repertoire and to push our students to be better than they thought they could be by finding their true fullness of being.”

Tom’s talk was an eye opener for all of us present whether we had worked with him or not!

Through hilarious personal stories and amusing antidotes, Tom posed the questions:

“What is acting?
Why do our opera training programs not have acting coaches? Why do our singers not know the technique of acting?”

He positioned that we don’t need more singers in the world, we need more artists. And from there, Tom discussed first the methods of acting and the various ideas and processes for gathering technique.

During the second section of his talk Tom answered those questions with an overview of his personal ideas of how to motivate and train a singer. When working with a singer he poses the following questions about the character/role: 1. Who am I?

2. What is my relations to….(objects, people, etc)?

3. Where am I?

4. What time is it (historical context)?

5. What do I want?

His ultimate question for any character is “What is my SUPER INTENTION?” What is the over lying theme of the story that motivates all actions of that character?

A well laid out and inspiring talk that befits the excellent stage director that he is, Tom Diamond was a thrill to hear live in such an intimate setting! His talk was finished with a gracious thank you from Chapter President Catherine Robbin and the evening adjourned to more coffee and informal discussion.

Of course this is only a quick bite of the many conversations had by those present. I could hear ideas being shared, recitals being planned and people meeting their colleagues for the first time.

You will get detailed minutes of the meeting at a later date however, feel free to share your feedback on the evening, your favorite TOM-ism, something that you were surprised to learn, a person you were excited to meet or any thoughts that will help us plan future events in the COMMENTS section below!

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the spring meeting on May 5, 2012 – stay tuned for more details!

Photos courtesy of Mei Lee.

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Posted in Meetings, Workshops

NATS Ontario 2011 Auditions – Winners

Posted on November 24, 2011 | 1 Comment

Thank you to all of the Adjudicators, Pianists and Singers who participated in last weekend’s NATS Ontario Chapter Student Auditions. We heard just over 200 singers in the space of 6 hours, and a marvelous evening Final Concert.

A special thanks to Catherine Robbin and York University for hosting.

Click here to download the 2011 Winners List, which includes the names of teachers and scholarship donors.  If you would like to donate our scholarship fund for our next auditions, click here to donate via Paypal.

For those of you that missed the event this year, please mark next year’s date in your calendar today:  We will be at Wilfrid Laurier University on Saturday, November 17th, 2012. We look forward to seeing all the Universities and Private Studios next year!

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Posted in Auditions, Competitions

NATSAA 2012 Application Deadline Extended to Nov. 18

Posted on November 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

As some NATSAA applicants have discovered, there have been occasional glitches in the online application process. While we responded diligently to each issue as it arose, the increase in numbers of applications this week resulted in our decision to implement our contingency plan and extending the application deadline to Friday, November 18.

We will work hard to accommodate everyone who wants to compete in NATSAA 2012. Please read the following carefully and contact the NATS Executive office if you need further clarification.

Note that the NATS Executive Office will be closed in observation of Veteran’s Day on Friday, November 11 and will be ready to address your concerns on Monday, November 14.

How are you affected by the change in the NATSAA 2012 application process?

  • Have you completed your NATSAA 2012 application process online and received an email receipt for payment? You’re in the clear and you can relax.
  • Have you started the NATSAA 2012 application process online but did not completely fill in the form? If you started an application and saved it before making payment, you will receive an email this week from the NATS Executive Office Staff with instructions on how to submit your final application and make payment. If you don’t hear from us by end of business on November 10, please email info@nats.org or call 904-992-9101 so that we can assist you.
  • Have you yet to begin the NATSAA 2012 application process? Please download the PDF application form. Complete the application by hand or machine and email it to info@nats.org or fax it to 904-262-2587. You may also mail it to NATS, Inc. Attn: NATSAA 2012 Application Processing, 9957 Moorings Drive, Suite 401, Jacksonville, FL 32257.

Email and Fax applications will be date/time stamped and received by 11:59 p.m. PST on Friday, November 18, 2011. Applications sent through the mail must be postmarked on or before Friday, November 18, 2011.

All applications must be submitted with valid payment (credit card or check). Payment instructions are on the application form. If your application is received on time, but your payment method is invalid (bounced check or incorrect credit card number), we will make an attempt to contact you to resolve the problem before rejecting your application, so please be sure to provide an accurate email address and phone number.

Before you begin your application, be sure to download the 2012 NATSAA Rules and Regulations + Repertoire Requirements. All questions specific to the rules and regulations, or about repertoire and requirements, should be directed to Nancy Walker, NATSAA Vice President, vpnatsaa@nats.org, 336-272-0204.

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Posted in Auditions, Competitions

NATSAA 2012 Registration – Deadline November 10

Posted on October 20, 2011 | Leave a comment

Please click here to download a letter from Torin Chiles, announcing the 2012 NATS Artist Awards Competition (NATSAA).

All the links you’ll need to get more information and to register are in the PDF.

Please note that the deadline for application is November 10th, 2011.

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Posted in Auditions, Competitions

NATS Great Lakes Region Update

Posted on October 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

The first newsletter from the NATS Great Lakes Region is now available.  Please click here to download the PDF. The newsletter contains the dates for the Great Lakes Region NATSAA auditions (January and February, 2012) as well as updates on Great Lakes Region NATS programs.

Also available are the 2011 Regional NATS Results. Please click here to download the PDF.

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Posted in Auditions, Competitions, Great Lakes Region News, Updates