GWENDOLYN ROBERTS YOUNG ARTIST AUDITIONS
May 10, 2025
3:00 - 7:00 PM
St. Bede Episcopal Church
3590 Grand View Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
Please see YAA Information below for preparation and repertoire information.
The purpose of the Gwendolyn Roberts Young Artist Auditions of NATS-Los Angeles (NATS-LA) is to select those singers whose artistry and ability indicate that they are ready for a professional career. The winner will demonstrate exceptional artistry and ability which include differentiation of musical style and languages, vocal and physical expressiveness that sets them apart from their peers.
AWARDS
First: $1,500 Scholarship Award: Certificate of Award; and a “Young Artist of the Year” public showcase recital sponsored by NATS-LA Chapter.
Second: $500 Scholarship Award; Certificate of Award.
Third: $300 Scholarship Award; Certificate of Award.
***Applicants must secure and compensate their own accompanist for their audition and for the recital, should they win 1st Place.***
ELIGIBILITY
1. Singers who are capable of presenting a complete art song recital and are ready to begin their professional singing careers.
2. The age limit is 21-35. Singers must be no younger than 21 nor older than 35 on the audition date.
3. Singers must be studying with a member in good standing of NATS-LA Chapter for not less than eight months preceding the recital.
4. Members of NATS-LA who are otherwise eligible but are not studying voice with another chapter member may also apply by self-sponsoring.
5. The singer must provide an accompanist at their own expense.
AUDITION INFORMATION
Time and Location:
May 10, 2025
St. Bede Episcopal Church, 3590 Grand View Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90066
HOW TO APPLY
Click here to fill out the YAA 2025 application form. (Due by Friday, May 2, 2025)
To complete the application form, applicants must submit:
A non-refundable fee of $20.00, made payable to NATS-LA.
A typewritten recital program proposal. Please include the composer and the duration of each piece. The contestant’s name must not appear on the program. * Please see “YAA Repertoire/Program Requirements” below. Failure to include the correct information may disqualify you from these Auditions.
After completing your application, you must provide translations for each song selected for the audition. Translations are due by May 8th.
ADJUDICATION: (Please read the following carefully)
1. Three to five judges of the highest caliber will be provided. Written comments will be mailed to the teacher.
2. Judges may not have students in the audition.
3. Contestants will open with a song of their own choice not to exceed five minutes in length. Judges will request further selections. Total singing time will not be longer than 15 minutes.
4. Contestants will be known by a designated number or letter.
5. Teachers may not be accompanists for their own students.
6. In the event of a tie, judges may recall a singer. Therefore, contestants are required to remain until all contestants have sung.
7. Winners will be announced at the conclusion of the auditions.
8. It is the judges’ prerogative to determine which awards will be given. All decisions of the judges are final.
YAA Repertoire/Program Requirements:
1. Contestant shall submit a recital program proposal of 50-60 minutes of music.
2. Contestant shall select 30 minutes of music from the above recital program proposal, at least one song from each category to be offered at the audition. The selected songs to be used for the audition should be clearly marked with an asterisk (*) on the recital program proposal.
3. Contestant must be prepared to sing their chosen songs from memory.
4. Contestant should retain a copy of recital program proposal and selected audition songs.
5. If a contestant is a repeat applicant, at least 20 minutes of new repertoire must be included on the recital program proposal.
Repertoire Categories - At least two to five (2-5) songs from each of the following must be included:
1. Baroque and Classical Airs (at least one in Italian): Bach, Byrd, Cavalli, Cesti, Dowland, Gluck, Handel, Haydn, Lully, Monteverdi, Mozart, Paisiello, Pergolesi, Purcell, Rameau, Scarlatti, etc.
2. Lieder (in German): Beethoven, Berg, Brahms, Cornelius, Hindemith, Loewe, Mahler, Schönberg, Schubert, Schumann , Strauss, Webern, Wolf, etc.
3. French or other National Art Songs: Bartok, Bizet, Caplet, Chabrier, Chausson, Chopin, Dallapiccola, Debussy, Duparc, Dvořák, Falla, Fauré, Ginastera, Gounod, Granados, Gretchaninoff, Hahn, Honegger, Malipiero, Martin, Messiaen, Milhaud, Mompu, Musorgsky, Petrassi, Poulenc, Prokofiev, Rachmoninoff, Ravel, Respighi, Rousse, Saint-Saëns, Satie, Szymanowski, Tchaikowsky, Turina, Villa-Lobos, etc.
4. English and American Art Songs: (at least one American song required) Barber, Britten, Carter, Cipullo, Copland, Diamond, Heggie, Holst, Ives, Larsen, Laitman, Musto, Pasatieri, Rorem, Thomson, Tippett, etc.
5. After fulfilling the above language categories, art songs in other languages may be added, such as Spanish, Portuguese, Nordic, Slavic, Russian, Korean, Chinese, or Japanese
6. In addition to the above song literature, contestants may include one opera aria outside of the Baroque/Classical category.
IMPORTANT: LAWFUL EDITIONS - Accompanists may use photo copies of music, but the lawful editions (hard copy) of each song must be AT HAND at the piano. Music may also be lawfully purchased online, but it must have singer’s name showing ownership on the cover/certificate page or at the bottom of the page showing legal purchase.
Please contact Raejin Lee, NATS-LA YAA Chairperson at yaa@natslachapter.org if you have any questions.
Help support the gwendolyn roberts young artist awards with your donation today!
Membership dues to our chapter help us bring our events, grants and awards to our members and their students. If you'd like to help us bring even more support to voice teachers and students, please donate via Paypal.
We are a 501c3 non-profit, so your donations are tax deductible.
You may also wish to set up planned giving to include NATS-LA as a part of your will or trust.