Natchitoches Parish Talent Voice Student, Zelda Hester, was selected as one of the top 15 in the Nation for the Children’s Commercial Music category at the 59th annual National Association of Teachers of Singing Conference and National Student Auditions, held this year from July 3rd-7th in San Antonio, TX.
The annual National Student Auditions are an exciting experience where student singers perform and receive written feedback, along with national awards, and additional awards presented at NSA region and chapter auditions!
The NSA includes solo vocal performance categories in Classical Music, Musical Theatre, Commercial Music, and American Negro Spirituals. Most NSA categories are open to children through adults 30 years old or younger, who study voice with a NATS member.
How It Works: In these auditions, which now include international students, the students of NATS members begin by entering one of the 15 region NSA events. A few regions, use chapter auditions to qualify students for their region’s NSA. The top five placing performers in each region’s eligible NSA categories are invited to enter the national preliminary level of auditions via video submissions. Students in NSA auditions receive direct feedback in the form of written comments from panels of experts. Fifteen singers in each of the 34 NSA categories plus the biennial Hall Johnson Spirituals Competition and in alternate years the 3 American Negro Spirituals Categories — ALL advance to the national semifinal auditions.