Texoma NATS High School Vocal Music Fellowship

Program Description

The teachers of the Texoma Region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) are excited to introduce a new program to serve our area. The Texoma NATS High School Vocal Music Fellowship is designed to provide opportunity for student singers who meet all three of the following criteria:

  1. Are high school juniors who possess a long-term goal to intensively study singing (such as majoring in vocal music in college). This could be choral, classical, contemporary, music business, musical theater, etc. 
  2. Who would not otherwise have the financial means to take private voice lessons,
  3. Live in the states of New Mexico, Oklahoma, or Texas.
When awarded a fellowship, singers receive individual lessons with a professional voice teacher who is a member of NATS. Singers may also receive some small assistance with other needs in regards to the lessons (such as musical scores or accompaniment tracks) as funds allow. Students will be enrolled in a weekly music theory online program, that they will need to complete assignments for to assist in the growth of their music reading skills. Texoma NATS will cover the fees for the theory program. 
The first term of 15 lessons will be divided into 5 initial lessons, after which a check in will be completed to ensure satisfactory progress and commitment is being demonstrated, upon which the additional 10 lessons will be given. 
Up to two more 15 lesson terms of study (to be completed during the junior and senior year) may be awarded, contingent on satisfactory progress as reported by the teacher. 

Application Instructions

Applications for the 2024-2025 school year are now open! Use the green button below to start your application.

The top half of the application (first 22 questions) is to be completed by the student. The bottom half (final 12 questions) is to be completed by the student’s parent/guardian.

Please review the entire application before beginning to fill it out so that you know what answers you will need in order to complete it. An incomplete application will not be considered.

In addition to this application, a recommendation by a music professional (a high school, middle school, or church choir director, for example) who knows the student singers abilities must be submitted. Please confirm with the reference that they will be willing to submit a recommendation for you, before submitting their name on this application. The recommendation form can be found here: https://forms.gle/DUx1aVVairE3NvPXA

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that a recommendation letter has been submitted in support of their application. An application without a corresponding recommendation letter will be considered incomplete and will not be considered.

The deadline for applications and recommendations to be submitted is Monday, October 21, 2024 at 11:59 pm Central Time.

If you have any questions, please contact Melinda Brou, Texoma NATS Governor at melindabrou@gmail.com

Donate

If you would like to donate to support these young, aspiring artists, please use the following link: https://bit.ly/3LR3oIz

  • $50 provides one voice lesson
  • $100 provides musical scores for study
  • $200 provides a month of lessons
  • $3,000 supports a student for their entire fellowship, through their college 

In the News: Texoma NATS member funds fellowship to support deserving student

2023-2025 Fellowship Recipients

Claudia Salazar, Lufkin, TX studying with Deborah Dalton
Eleanor Hale, Liberty, TX, studying with Debra Greschner
Fatima Chavez, Brownsville, TX, studying with Samantha Luna
Romel SanPedro, San Benito, TX, studying with Samantha Luna
 

2022-2024 Fellowship Recipients

Lyric Lyons (Dallas, TX), studying with Susan Hanlon Ferrer
Mari Gutierrez (Brownsville, TX) studying with Daniel Hunter-Holly
Aiden Moulton (El Paso, TX) studying with Sarah Neely
In the News: Click here to read more.