The purpose of the Texoma Region Edward Baird Singer of the Year (EBSOTY) competition is to:

1. select and award singers whose artistry qualifies them for entry to professional careers,
2. encourage young artists to carry on the tradition of fine singing as advocated by the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and
3. provide an annual competition of professional quality equivalent to the NATS Artist Awards competition, which is held every other year.

The EBSOTY preliminary round is held on the Wednesday preceding the annual fall conference and the finals are held on the following Saturday. For 2026, the Preliminary Round will be held on Wednesday, October 28 and the Finals on Saturday, October 31. All events are in person at West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas.

Registration will open on Wednesday, September 2 and close on Wednesday, September 30, at 6:00 p.m. (CDT).

Selection of winners will be based upon present accomplishment rather than future potential.

Applications & Registration Instructions

Review the full competition instructions, eligibility and copyright regulations, and repertoire requirements below.

The application entry form will be available beginning Wednesday, September 2. Applications must be submitted online by 6:00 p.m. (CDT) Wednesday, September 30. Late applications will not be accepted.

Each applicant must submit:

1. Completed Entry Form (available soon)
2. All required repertoire information, including selection titles, composers, keys of performance, and accurate timings of each selection. See Repertoire Requirements section, below. Repertoire changes after the submission deadline are not permitted.
3. $50.00 entry fee. This fee is non-refundable. Payment will be completed after registration closes on September 30. An email with a payment link will be sent by Texoma NATS Treasurer Dr. Gregory Brookes. Applicants must complete the payment by October 7th – otherwise the registration will be considered incomplete and will be cancelled.
4. No late submissions will be accepted.
5. Applicants will need to scan and submit an original copy of proof of age, such as Birth Certificate, Driver’s License, or Passport to competition chair prior to the competition. Instructions for doing this will be provided after registration.

Eligibility

All Applicants

1. The singer must be at least 21 years of age, but not more than 35 years of age as of September 1, 2026.
2. First-place winners of previous Texoma Edward Baird Singer of the Year competitions are not eligible to compete.

Student Applicants

1. The singer’s current teacher must be a NATS member in good standing at the time of the application.
2. The singer must have studied with a NATS teacher continuously for at least one academic year.
3. The singer must reside in the NATS Texoma Region (New Mexico, Oklahoma, or Texas), or study with a teacher who resides in the NATS Texoma Region.

NATS Member Applicants

1. Singers who are NATS members and are not entering under the sponsorship of a NATS teacher must have legal residence in the Texoma Region.

The final decision on all matters of eligibility rests with the Texoma Region Governor.

Copyright Regulations

NATS encourages its members, their students, collaborative pianists, and the general population to become educated about, and to comply with, all applicable copyright laws. Reproduction of a copyrighted work constitutes copyright infringement unless a license to reproduce such work has been obtained, the use is considered fair use, the work is in the public domain, or a valid exception to copyright infringement exists.

NATS has unwavering support for the importance of compliance with copyright laws, and the support of our colleagues whose creative works sustain a vibrant and living art form. Please refer to the NATS Copyright Resources page for more information on copyright laws.

Repertoire Requirements

Repertoire must be entered in the exact order listed below (beginning with aria from an opera, then oratorio, onto selections from Groups I-IV in order).

Participants in the Texoma EBSOTY competition must perform from a program conforming to the categories below:

A. ONE aria from an opera to be sung in the original language and key.

B. ONE aria from a major oratorio, mass, requiem, or cantata to be sung in the original key.

C. TWELVE additional recital selections divided into four groups as listed below:

I. Songs or arias composed before 1800 No arias from Sections A or B may be included in this group A minimum of 1, but no more than 2 arias may be included in this group

II. German Lieder or French Mélodie A minimum of 2 Art Songs in this group

III. A second group of Art Songs performed in original languages not presented in Sections II and IV. This group may include original texts in multiple languages or a single language. A minimum of 2 Art Songs in this group

IV. American, Canadian, or British Art Songs American Negro Spirituals performed as art song may be included in this set English must be the original language of all texts in this group. A minimum of 3 Art Songs in this group

Additional Notes:

1. Each contestant must submit a minimum full total of fourteen selections.
2. At least one art song in repertoire groups II, III, or IV must be composed by a composer living at the time of the application’s submission. This selection will be designated by the date of the composition cited at the end of the selection’s title and language.
3. Applicants are strongly encouraged to include selections by composers from underrepresented communities in selecting repertoire to meet the requirements.
4. Except for the aria chosen under Section B above (oratorio, et al) all repertoire must be performed without score (from memory).
5. If choosing Slavic/Russian songs or arias, DO NOT submit the title in Cyrillic; instead, cite these titles in English followed parenthetically by the language in which you will perform, i.e. “None but the lonely heart” (Russian).
6. Any questions concerning the repertoire above should be addressed to the Texoma Region Governor.

When the applicant has completed, confirmed, and submitted the online Registration Form, a Repertoire Form will automatically load. The completed Repertoire Form must include:

1. Titles (and larger works, if applicable)
2. Composers
3. Keys of performance
4. Accurate timings of each selection

Once the repertoire form has been submitted, no changes or substitutions can be made (unless original music cannot be located or, in the case of out-of-print music, permission from the copyright owner cannot be obtained).

Competition Structure

During the competition, each singer will be assigned a letter for identification purposes.

Audition time limits: 12-15 minutes. Each singer will be given the same time limit, determined at the time of the event, based on the number of singers participating. Time is calculated by the duration of each selection (i.e. time begins with the first selection and is stopped between pieces).

Singers may begin each round with the selection of their choice. The adjudicators will select the remainder of the program.

Adjudication

Selection of winners will be based upon present accomplishment rather than future potential.

There will be separate adjudicator panels for each round.

Singers will be anonymous to the judges and will remain anonymous until the winners are announced. If any contestant is found to be a former student of one of the judges, that judge will not submit scores/rankings for that singer’s appearance, and the average will be based on the other two scores/rankings.

All decisions of the judges are final.

For questions regarding competition rules, registration, and repertoire, please contact: Daniel Hunter-Holly, EBSOTY Chair [Daniel.HunterHolly@utrgv.edu]

For questions regarding payments, please contact: Gregory Brookes, Texoma Region Treasurer/Registrar [gregory.brookes@ttu.edu]

Past Winners: Click here to see a list of the EB SOTY Past Winners.