Dear Colleagues,
I hope that all of your fall teaching semesters have started off well. We are knee deep in preparations for the Fall 2023 Texoma NATS Conference and Auditions, to be held in-person at the University of North Texas, in Denton, November 1-4, 2023. November 1 is primarily for NATSAA prelims and the Board of Control Meeting. The conference and auditions officially kick off on Thursday, November 2. Classical categories (including Hall Johnson) are at the fall event (high school levels through advanced and adult).
Registration this year for the Fall Conference and Auditions will be quite different as we are transitioning to a new registration program, AuditionNow, which is being developed by NATS. We are hoping to be allowed to open registration on Wednesday, September 20 with a closing date of Wednesday, October 4. This is about 2 weeks shorter than our regular registration period. I highly suggest gathering your student information now, and not waiting until once the registration program is open. You can get started on this now by having your students fill out this pdf with all of the biographical information you will need to register them. Please be VERY careful about submitting correct email addresses and phone numbers, as these are used to contact students through the NSA submission process if students advance.
We will have much more information about how the registration process will actually work in the coming weeks. The attached Registration Guidelines document gives you a detailed view of the Texoma auditions process.
Information Meeting
We will hold an information meeting on Sunday, September 17 at 7 p.m, central.
This is a wonderful opportunity to catch up on all of the changes, learn about the conference if you’ve never been, and ask questions. Sign up to attend here, and you will be sent a Zoom link the day or so before the meeting.
Full NATS National Student Audition Regulations
To review the entire rules for the National Student Auditions, check here.
Attendance
If you plan on submitting students for the fall auditions, you must be in attendance and available to judge beginning at the meeting for judges at 9 am on Thursday, 11/2, through the early category finals on Saturday, 11/4 (typically done judging by 6 pm).
Teachers bringing only high school students
If you are bringing high school students only, you are only required to attend Saturday, 11/4. If you are submitting any other students, you must be in attendance and available to judge 11/2-4.
Hall Johnson Competition
The Hall Johnson competition occurs every other year. This year is a Hall Johnson year, and the category advances through the National Student Auditions process. Please review the repertoire and category requirements for this exciting and important category here.
Liederkranz Award
Texoma NATS has a special award in partnership with the Dallas Goethe Center: the Liederkranz Award! The winner will be selected from the finalists of Divisions CL 7B/8B, CL 9/10 (Fourth/ Fifth Year and Advanced), and NATSAA. Separate registration is not required, however, the singer must have entered a Lied on their repertoire list in order to be eligible. The text of the Lied must originally be in German and must be sung in German. Singers are not required to participate in this–it is an added bonus. The award for the Liederkranz is a $300 prize as well as the opportunity for a recital sponsored by the Dallas Goethe Center.
Repertoire Assistance
Are you unsure how a piece is classified? Check out this beautiful database from Dan Hunter-Holly that shows repertoire from the last 6 years of Texoma Auditions and how they were classified. Especially tricky are early Italian pieces and whether they are an art song or aria.
Category information and Repertoire requirements are available here, beginning at page 20.
Still have questions? Contact Texoma Region Assistant Auditions Chair Casey Carter at ccarter@collin.edu.
Musical Theater, Commercial, and Children/Youth Categories
The Region Level Musical Theater, Commercial, and Children/Youth Categories are held in the spring, online, by video audition. Each of these categories now advance through the National Student Audition process (new this year, for Commercial and Children/Youth). Information on the Children/Youth categories from the National office is available here. Commercial Music resources are available here.
Guest Artist
We are thrilled to announce that our guest artist for the conference is tenor Martin Luther Clark and he will be supported by collaborative pianist extraordinaire Elvia Pulcinelli. They will be giving a recital on Thursday, November 2, in Voertman Hall on the UNT campus, at 8 pm. Tickets are $15 and will be purchased through our conference/auditions registration program.
Opera
UNT Opera will be presenting Massenet’s Cendrillon on Friday, November 3, at 7:30 pm. Tickets range from $15 – $35, and there is a discount code available, NATS10, that will take off $10. Tickets MUST be purchased through UNT’s scheduling site. We are not able to sell tickets to the opera through our registration program, as has been done in the past. The website is open now for purchasing tickets, and I highly recommend purchasing tickets as soon as possible, as seating is limited, and purchasing is open to the general public. This event typically sells out.
Scroll to the Purchase Tickets Here button, and then follow the calendar to Friday, November 3rd.
There is also the potential to buy tickets to their “Eat Drink and Be Merry” package alongside the opera.
Master Classes
We are thrilled to announce that Kevin Murphy, Professor of Music (Collaborative Piano) and
Director, Coaching and Music Administration (Indiana University Opera Theater); and Yvonne Gonzales Redman, Metropolitan Opera Soprano, and Associate Professor of Voice, University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne will be giving master classes at the Fall 2023 Conference.
If you have a student that you feel is polished and ready to perform on a master class at the Texoma Region Conference, please use this form to nominate a maximum of one singer from your studio. Nominations are due by Wednesday, October 4, at 6 pm. Teachers or singers cannot request which class on which the student singer will perform. Please review the form now, as a sample video of the singer is requested.
Parking
Visitor parking passes ARE required for the conference. They will be available to purchase through the registration program. The passes ARE day specific, so you will need to purchase a separate pass for Thursday, Friday, and/or Saturday. The passes are $5 each and will be distributed at UNT upon arrival. You may purchase passes for yourselves, students, and pianists. Count up your needs before you go to register.
Meals
The host team at UNT has arranged for us to be able to purchase meal vouchers again, to be used at the cafeteria. The passes are $8.05 and are good for one meal (lunch). You will be able to purchase passes for yourselves, students, and pianists through the registration program when it opens. Be sure to do a headcount for meals beforehand. The passes are available to use on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday (non-day specific).
Chaperones for singers 17 and younger
There has been an update to national NATS policy now that NATS is incorporating more events involving minor students. Any student 17 or younger must have a legal chaperone. The chaperone cannot be a NATS teacher or pianist with adjudication or playing duties.
Here is a preview of the form. We will let you know when we will begin collecting them and where they will be sent.
As this is really new policy, there are still some questions that we are working on with the National office. We’ll have more information by the time registration comes, on 9/20. We won’t be asking for forms until after registration closes, on 10/4.
Auditions Staff
Deborah Popham is the new Texoma Region Auditions Chair, and Casey Carter is our new Fall Assistant Auditions Chair. Stephanie Beinlich is our new Spring Assistant Auditions Chair, and she will be helping in the auditions office this fall as well. Please give a massive thank you to Daniel Hunter-Holly for his amazing work the last several years.
Hotel Information
Please scroll to the bottom of this email (past my email signature) for hotel information. We were only able to secure very small room blocks. If you have a large group, your best bet may be to contact hotels directly to work with their group sales manager. There are plenty of rooms in Denton and the surrounding areas available. Your favorite travel website may also be of great use to you.
Pianists
Reminder on long standing Texoma NATS policy, teachers entering students may not accompany their own students at live auditions, nor can they play for any other students from any other studio or school.
Facebook Group
If you are on Facebook, I highly recommend joining the Texoma NATS Facebook group. This is an excellent place to ask questions, connect with region teachers, and get reminders.
Renewing Membership
You will not have access to the registration program if your dues are not current. Please be sure to check your status at www.nats.org to ensure that you will have timely access to the registration portal when it opens.
Important Dates:
NATSAA Registration closes September 11.
National Musical Theater Competition Registration closes September 15.
Texoma Region Student Board Member applications close September 15.
Informational Meeting, September 17, Zoom, 7 pm Central
Texoma NATS High School Vocal Music Fellowship applications close October 1.
Texoma NATS Region Auditions Registration Closes October 4.
Texoma NATS Conference Master Class Nominations close October 4.
Questions?
regarding Student Auditions
Debi Popham (debipopham@gmail.com)
Texoma Auditions Chair
regarding Repertoire
Casey Carter (ccarter@collin.edu)
Assistant Auditions Chair, DFW Audition Chair
regarding Registration/Payment issues
Greg Brookes (gregory.brookes@ttu.edu)
Treasurer/Registrar
regarding NATSAA
Melinda Brou (melinda.Brou@tamuk.edu)
Texoma Region Governor
regarding the Conference Artist Series
San-ky Kim (s.kim4@tcu.edu)
North Texas District Governor
regarding the Texoma website
Lily Guerrero (lguerrero@tlu.edu)
Webmaster
regarding the host site
Molly Fillmore (molly.fillmore@unt.edu)
Chair, Division of Voice Studies, UNT
I know this is quite a bit of information to process. These are some large transitions for all of us to handle, but we will work through them together, hopefully with some grace and a bit of humor.
I am greatly looking forward to seeing everyone in November.
Melinda
Melinda Brou
Texoma NATS Region Governor
Professor of Voice and Opera
Graduate Co-Coordinator
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
361-593-2824
melinda.brou@tamuk.edu
Hotel Information:
Hilton Garden Inn – Denton–$129 King, $139 Double Queen
Reservation Link:
Group Code 90I
Cut-off date: 10.02.2023
3110 Colorado Blvd
Denton TX, 76210
940-891-4700
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Homewood Suites by Hilton Denton
https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/natsconference2023rooms/
$154 King Suite
reservations before 10/3/2023.
A complimentary breakfast will be provided each morning!
2907 Shoreline Dr.
Denton, TX. 76210
940-382-0420
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Courtyard Denton
Book your group rate for Texoma NATS
You will find the information for the online reservation link on the clickable link above.
Rate available Wednesday, November 1 – checkout Sunday, November 5
Last day to book Monday, October 2
$129 a night
2800 Colorado Blvd
Denton, Texas 76210
940-382-4600