Parking:

There are two main parking lots closest to the Auditions at Burns Fine Art Center-- Parking lot A (Hannon Parking Lot) and Parking Lot L (Drollinger Parking Plaza).  Parking for the day is $15, please see rates here.

This successful event has become a wonderful opportunity for college students to perform before qualified NATS adjudicators and to meet and hear singers from other colleges and universities. It also provides NATS teachers a venue for their students to perform, and a place for camaraderie. 

Here are a few important points:

• All teachers sending students must serve as judges or find a replacement to adjudicate. Students of teachers who do not fulfill their judging requirements will be disqualified.

  The registration fee for teachers in attendance is $35, which includes the cost of lunch. For teachers unable to attend, the registration fee is $70.

  The Registration fee for students is $50 per category.

• Only matriculated college students who are studying classical voice and/or Musical Theater with a NATS-LA teacher on a college/university faculty may participate.

• There will be winners in all categories.

• Take note that NATS National requires that we follow the NATS Auditions Regulations. Age limits for categories and repertoire requirements are a part of these requirements. Additionally, we use standardized NATS adjudication rules and forms. Teachers will receive more information about the adjudication process prior to their judging assignments. 

• Please look over the detailed audition regulations and contact Emily Thebaut at collegiate@natslachapter.org, NATS-LA Collegiate Auditions Coordinator, for help as you prepare your students.

• Thank you for your consideration of this opportunity for your students!
  

If your NATS-LA Membership has lapsed or you would like to join, please contact our Membership Chair, Ida Nicolosi at membership@natslachapter.org.

2024 NATS-LA Collegiate Auditions Timeline

Jan. 9: Registration Opens

March 1: Registration Closes

March 5: Judging Schedule sent to Teachers

March 5: Audition Schedule sent to Students

March 9: Collegiate Auditions at Loyola Marymount University

Schedule for March 9:

8:00 AM: Student and Teacher/pianist check-in (courtyard of Burns Fine Art Center)

8:30 AM:  Teacher Meeting* in "hospitality room" (directions given at check-in)

*pianists, judges, teachers, volunteers & admin all called!

9:10 AM-1:45 PM Student Auditions (4 rooms posted on schedule)

1:45-3:30 PM Lunch (hospitality room and outside)

3:30-4:30 PM Finals Recital (Murphy Recital Hall)

4:30-5 PM Awards Ceremony (Murphy Recital Hall)

NATS-LA Student Auditions Division Regulations

Collegiate Audition Coordination

The Auditions Chair coordinates physical space and/or digital platforms, logistical matters, all publicity and correspondence. (The NATS-LA President has the authority to enforce all regulations governing the auditions, to see that scores are tabulated accurately, and to resolve any problems arising from infringements of length of study and repertoire requirements.) 

Divisions

All students must be enrolled in voice lessons at a community college, college or university program at the time of these auditions. It is ultimately at the discretion of the individual teacher to determine into which division a student is placed. Please make your decision carefully and contact the Chair if you have questions. Please contact us if your student does not fit into one of these categories. Students are welcome to sing for comments only (these students will not compete for prizes). Students are also welcome to participate in both classical and musical theater divisions.

Classical Divisions:

Division Length of Study

1) First year Treble (up to age 20) 1-2 college semesters

2) First year TBB (up to age 20) 1-2 college semesters

3) Sophomore Treble (up to age 22) 3-4 college semesters

4) Sophomore TBB (up to age 22) 3-4 college semesters

5) Super Sophomore (up to age 26)* 1-4 college semesters

6)Junior Treble (up to age 23) 5-6 college semesters

7) Junior TBB (up to age 23)   5-6 college semesters

8) Senior Treble (up to age 25) 7, 8, 9, or 10 college semesters (undergraduate)

9) Senior TBB (up to age 25) 7, 8, 9, or 10 college semesters (undergraduate)

10) Super Seniors (up to age 30)* 5-10 college semesters 

11) Advanced College (22-30) Students registered for voice at the graduate level

*Recently added

Musical Theater Divisions:

Division Length of Study

1) First year Treble (up to age 20) 1-2 college semesters

2) First year TBB (up to age 20) 1-2 college semesters

3) Sophomore Treble (up to age 22) 3-4 college semesters

4) Sophomore TBB (up to age 22) 3-4 college semesters

5) Junior Treble (up to age 23) 5-6 college semesters

6) Junior TBB (up to age 23)   5-6 college semesters

7) Senior Treble (up to age 25) 7, 8, 9, or 10 college semesters (undergraduate)

8) Senior TBB (up to age 25) 7, 8, 9, or 10 college semesters (undergraduate)

9) Advanced College (22-30) Students registered for voice at the graduate level

CLASSICAL Repertoire Requirements:

Under-Class Divisions (Freshmen, Sophomores): 7 minutes judging time 

Three contrasting selections from classical repertoire:

• One aria

• One art song in English (can include American Negro Spiritual)

• One foreign language art song

(The repertoire found in the 24/26/28 Italian Art Songs and Arias collections may be counted as an aria or an art song in the Under-Class Division categories. Zarzuela arias are allowed).

Upper-Class Divisions (Juniors, Seniors): 10 minutes judging time 

Four contrasting selections from classical repertoire (at least three languages must be represented):

• One aria

• One art song in English (can include American Negro Spiritual)

• One foreign language art song

• One additional selection

(In the Upper-Class Division category, the repertoire found in the 24/26/28 Italian Art Songs and Arias collections will be counted as an art song, regardless of origin. Any repertoire found outside of these collections will be considered only as the composer intended, as an art song OR aria. Zarzuela arias are allowed).

Graduate Divisions (Masters, Grad Certificate, DMA Students): 10 minutes judging time 

Five contrasting selections from classical repertoire (at least three languages must be represented):

• One operatic aria

• One oratorio/cantata 

• One foreign language art song

• One art song in English

• One additional selection from the classical repertoire (Zarzuela arias are permitted)

MUSICAL THEATER Repertoire Requirements:

Under-Class Divisions (Freshmen, Sophomores): 7 minutes judging time 

Three contrasting musical theater selections from musicals (including film musicals), revues, operettas, music theater song literature. Only one selection may be chosen from operetta.

Upper-Class Divisions (Juniors, Seniors and advanced College): 10 minutes judging time 

Four contrasting musical theater selections from musicals (including film musicals), revues, operettas, music theater song literature. Only one selection may be chosen from operetta.

Registration Instructions

Please note that students must be registered by their NATS member teacher. Students cannot register themselves.

1) Collect Student Info - You may wish to use this helpful fillable form to help gather your students’ information.

2) Registration form can be found here: https://forms.gle/jgg5rYmHbFNPTLdE6

3) After completing the registration forms for your students, return to this page to pay entry fees.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: March 1, 2024

Classical Audition Terminology

Aria

An aria is a solo taken from an opera, oratorio, mass, cantata, zarzuela, operetta, or works titled “concert aria.” Oxford Online definitions will be used for the purposes of this audition. For example, Purcell’s selections from the semi-operas and masques are considered songs.

24/26/28 Italian Art Songs and Arias

The repertoire found in the 24/26/28 Italian Art Songs and Arias collections may be counted as an aria or an art song in the high school and lower college classical categories. For the singers in the upper college categories and beyond, these pieces may count as an art song ONLY, regardless of origin. Any repertoire found outside of these collections will be considered only as the composer intended, as an art song OR aria. 

Repertoire/Categories

The word “classical” in this context refers to art songs and arias from the “classical” genre, not limited to the “Classical” period of Mozart and Haydn. In other words, no music theater, pop, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, etc. Published arrangements of folk songs, spirituals, and traditional hymn tunes in English are widely accepted as a part of the classical genre. Students in classical categories may present one selection of this type to fulfill the English art song requirement. 

Memorization

All repertoire, including oratorio, must be sung from memory. 

Original Languages

Selections should be sung in original language or in translation if warranted by common performance practice. 

Transposition

All arias from opera, oratorio, mass, cantata, operetta, works titled “concert aria,” or music theater selections must be sung in the original or standard published key. 

Judicious Cuts

Piano introductions, piano interludes, piano music after the vocal solo is completed, and internal cuts of opera arias and music theater selections are allowed as in common performance practice. Cuts of verse or verses of selections are not allowed. In the case of strophic pieces, all verses should remain that are traditionally included. 

Comment Only

Any student may register to sing for comments only and participate in the preliminary audition round. 

Judging 

Adjudicators will be asked to adhere to a specified time limit per student. The student will select the song that they would like the judges to hear first. After the first selection, the adjudicator is encouraged to use the balance of the judging time to listen to their choice of the student's remaining repertoire. Adjudicators will write constructive comments and a score between 70 and 100 on their scoring sheets. Based upon the score tallies, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will be recognized. 

Student Identification

Please do not include the name of the teacher or college that the student attends. A master list including names, schools and teachers will be retained by the Collegiate Auditions Coordinator.

Non-Refund of Fees

In no case will registration fees be refunded. This is because the monetary prize amounts are determined by income from registration fees. Please double check that you have indicated the correct divisions for your students. It is impossible to make changes after you have sent in your application.

Copyright Policy

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.  We encourage all students to own their own music from which the collaborative pianists can play. It is the right thing to do as it gives the composers, poets, and publishers the financial support they are due. Teachers, students and collaborative pianists will be required to check a box stating they agree to abide by the NATS copyright policy in order to participate. 

For more information click here:   https://www.nats.org/Copyright_Resources.html  

and here regarding tablet usage:   https://www.nats.org/Frequently_Asked_Questions_-_NSA.html 

Exceptions are: 

1. Music that is out of print, still under copyright law, with permission from a publisher. 

2. 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. 

3.  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. 

4.  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

https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/2085