Cascade Chapter Auditions
Cascade Chapter currently holds Classical, Musical Theater and Commercial Music Auditions each year.
Registration for auditions is completed by teachers who are members in good standing of both NATS & our Cascade chapter. Each round of auditions has a registration period, followed by adjudication and finally announcing of results and/or an Honors Recital.
Welcome
The Cascade Chapter has a longstanding history of annual Classical Student Auditions. Please note, in recent years we have implemented extensive policy changes regarding categories, repertoire, and scoring. Changes were developed by the National NATS board in July 2024 and are required for all NATS Chapters. This page is intended to be a specific reference for the Cascade Chapter Student Auditions. To review the full National guidelines, please visit the documents posted here. Our chapter information is based on and derived from national guidelines. Please familiarize yourself with the most recent verbiage:
2024 Full NSA Regulations - For categories, see Appendix A
2024 NSA Categories & Vocabulary - In re-writing these, National has chosen to combine all genres. Notice ages are grouped the same in each genre; Cascade Chapter typically divides the High School categories into upper and lower divisions (3A/3B & 4A/4B).
Table of Contents
Mission Statement
As an expression of the goals of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Student Auditions:
Inspire and encourage students to continue their dedication to, and growth in, the art of singing.
Create a collegial and supportive atmosphere that promotes excellent artistic singing.
Provide constructive, written feedback from a panel of experienced and impartial adjudicators.
Recognize and honor outstanding performances.
Contact Information
Auditions Co-Chairs:
Student Auditions Registration Website:
Student Auditions Structure At-a-Glance
REGISTER: Teachers complete registration online at www.nats.org
FEES: Teachers pay $25 member fee + $25 per student online as part of registration.
SCHEDULE: The audition schedule will be accessible in the same software used for registration through www.nats.org approximately 7-10 days after online registration closes. No changes to the schedule can be considered, there are no refunds.
AUDITION: Students sing one audition, adjudicated by three NATS members, who assign scores and write comments. If online, singers submit one video for each song which will be viewed by adjudicators. Currently, NATS uses YouTube. Video Submission Guidelines
RESULTS: First, second, and third place winners in each room will be posted by the check in table as results become available, usually late in the day and after 5 p.m. If online, results will be posted 3-5 days after the adjudication period ends.
TIES: In the event of a tie for first place at an in-person audition, both singers must be available to sing or forfeit their first place standing.
HONORS: Top three singers in each room will be invited to perform at the Honors Recital. Only students receiving a score of 90 or above are eligible to perform.
PRIZES: Two outstanding singers in the Honors Recital will be chosen to receive additional scholarships. See descriptions below.
BEYOND: First, second and third place winners in each room scoring over 90 are eligible to advance and compete at the Regional level. Both things must be true for singers to advance and compete at the Regional level. Some categories have many singers scoring over 90; some categories have top three place singers receiving scores below 90.
More information about Regional Student Auditions can be found at https://www.northwesternnats.com/nw-region-nsa.html. Students who win at the regional level are eligible to enter the National Student Auditions. For more information about National Student Auditions, access http://www.nats.org/national_student_auditions.html.
Typical Schedule for In-Person Auditions
REGISTRATION PERIOD: Usually two to three weeks when teachers can log in to the National website (www.nats.org), access the Audition platform and enter information about their students and pianists.
SCHEDULING PERIOD: Usually three to five days for Audition team to process registrations and create a schedule.
SATURDAY
8:15 am Mandatory Adjudicator Meeting
8:30 am Check-in Table Opens
Noon Member Lunch and meeting
9 am - 5 pm Student Auditions
End of the day Tie-breaker sing-off round; Teacher Social awaiting results
SUNDAY
Afternoon Honors Recital (showcasing top 3 singers in each category, Scholarship Award winners chosen based on Honors Recital performance)
Typical Schedule for Online Auditions
REGISTRATION PERIOD: Usually two to three weeks when teachers can log in to the National website (www.nats.org), access the Audition platform and enter information about each singer and upload videos of their auditions.
SCHEDULING PERIOD: Usually three to five days for Audition team to process registrations and create a schedule for adjudication.
ONLINE ADJUDICATION PERIOD: Typically a week for teachers to log in once again to the National website (www.nats.org), access their assignments, watch and adjudicate.
TALLYING ONLINE: Usually two to three days when Audition team processes adjudication, resolving any ties or disqualifications, preparing the Honors Recital program and results announcement.
HONORS RECITAL AND RESULTS ONLINE: Typically announced within a week of the adjudication period, results will be shared on the Cascade Website and Facebook pages. Links to the winning singers’ videos (selected and indicated by the teacher when registering) will be shared, just as an in-person Honors Recital would be publicly accessible.
NATS Member Sponsoring Students
A NATS Member can be a voice teacher or collaborative pianist. Students cannot register themselves for auditions, but must be sponsored or registered by a NATS Member. The NATS Member who registers student to audition must also serve as an adjudicator; a unique but self-sufficient system to enrich each voice studio’s learning experience!
At-a-glance:
Must be a member in good standing nationally and locally (*get those memberships renewed!)
Serve as an adjudicator or arrange for an appropriate substitute
Attend any mandatory adjudicator meetings or training sessions
Give credit to former teachers
Pay attention to NATS code of ethics, policies and regulations – teacher’s responsibility to comply
Review the NATS rating and scoring rubric with your students
Arrange for a collaborative pianist – NATS members may not accompany their own students
The details:
Those registering students for auditions must be members in good standing at the national level of NATS at the time of registration as well as all rounds of the event. In addition, Chapter level events require chapter membership in good standing at the time of registration as well as all rounds of the event. Easily renew your membership at all levels online, at https://www.nats.org/nats-membership.html or contact Membership Chair to renew your membership if necessary. Remember, it takes 24 hours for your renewal to process before you may register students, so plan ahead.
Members shall serve as adjudicators and/or act in other capacities as requested by the Auditions team. Members who are unable to attend the Student Auditions to serve may not register their students unless they find a substitute. The substitute must be a NATS member in good standing who is not already sending students to the auditions. The substitution must be communicated to the Auditions Co-Chairs PRIOR to the registration deadline.
If a student has been studying with a sponsoring teacher fewer than eight (8) months, acknowledgement must be made of the former teacher both on the application and in any public announcements. Members will disclose at NATS events the name of a student's previous voice teacher.
Members shall complete and submit online registration in a timely manner. No schedule changes or late admissions can be considered after registration closes. Members shall ensure that all regulations are met. Compliance with NATS policies is the teacher’s responsibility. For our Students Auditions to run smoothly and to ensure a positive, supportive and inspiring experience for our singers, all NATS members sponsoring students must be attentive and self-regulating. Please read the category and repertoire regulations in advance, do not put your students or pianists in a bad position. Adhering to these regulations at the chapter level create ease, uniformity and fluidity across all NATS auditions. Please review the NATS rating and scoring rubric with your students so they have a clear understanding of how they will be evaluated. Members shall ensure that students and collaborative pianists adhere to the NATS Copyright Policy (in the NSA Regulations, p. 12)
Members may not accompany their own students at any stage of the event including awards concerts, etc.
Grounds for disqualification, fully avoidable by the Member (teacher) registering their student: Copyright Infringement, Memorization violation such as using sheet music, Insufficient or incorrect repertoire, Singer registered in incorrect category, Teacher accompanied student, Teacher not attending mandatory adjudicator meeting, Invalid accompaniment, Performance of incomplete songs, Invalid video submission or No Show. Disqualification happens in the Tally Room, never in a live audition. Adjudicators must communicate any concerns to the Tally Room ASAP.
Adjudicators
• NATS members who register students to audition must serve as adjudicators. Additional volunteer duties, such as working a shift at the check in table, vetting videos or tally room may be assigned as well.
• Adjudicators will be expected to review NATS Adjudicator training materials and be familiar with adjudication rubrics.
• Adjudicators will write comments that reinforce a spirit of encouragement. The comments should motivate the student in the pursuit of vocal artistry and technique through hearing and being heard, and being adjudicated in an inspiring climate.
• All comments should be consistent with the NATS Audition Regulations.
• Perhaps unlike other competitions: during the auditions there must be no consultation, spoken or written, between adjudicators concerning the evaluation, rank or performance of students.
• A 90+ rating in each room is not required if, in the adjudicator's opinion, no student has earned it.
• No adjudicator will be asked to change a student’s score or ranking.
• While it is expected that all panels are made of NATS members, occasions may exist where non-NATS member industry professionals serve as adjudicators.
Schedule Changes & Cancellations
Schedule changes CANNOT be considered after times have been assigned. For in person auditions, please realize that any changes would adversely affect other students and collaborative pianists. Please inform the Auditions Co-Chairs of any cancellations as soon as possible. Please inform the check in table on the day of the auditions about last minute illnesses or emergencies resulting in cancellations.
REPERTOIRE CHANGES (in person Auditions): If a student wishes to change their registered repertoire after the registration deadline, they will need to request and bring a completed Repertoire Change Form to the check-in table. Plan ahead for a longer check-in time, as the staff will need to approve repertoire.
Collaborative Pianists
All students must engage their own collaborative pianists. There will be no NATS collaborative pianist provided for the auditions and NATS members may not play for the students registered in their name. A staff collaborative pianist may be available for in person Honors Recitals, in the event that yours is not available. If applicable, a sign-up sheet for rehearsal times with an Honors Recital collaborative pianist will be posted at the check in table.
Collaborative pianists are limited to 15 singers per day of auditions. In the registration system, once 15 students have been submitted with a specific pianist, all other students will be unable to register with that pianist. Please let your pianists know that keeping track of numbers is essential.
When pianists play for singers in several different categories, it makes scheduling complex and difficult. Whenever possible, consider sharing one pianist with other teachers (for example, have all your upper high school treble voices with one pianist and lower college TBBs with another pianist who plays for another teacher’s lower college TBBs; ask your pianist to consider pursuing this). We are hoping to avoid limiting our pianists’ totals.
So they are able to concentrate fully on providing the best support and partnership for singing artists in the auditions, collaborative pianists SHOULD NOT be required to serve as the arbiter of correct adherence to the NATS Copyright Policy. Rather, it is the teacher’s responsibility to facilitate all necessary documentation for legally obtained sheet music. No audition should be interrupted due to copyright concern.
NATS Policy on Copyright Laws
Every NATS Member registering students for auditions must read the NSA Full regulations and understand the NATS Policy on Copyright Laws.
Resolution of a Copyright or Repertoire Violation :
Adjudicators should not disrupt the audition process to question the student.
Nothing should be written on a comment sheet by adjudicators regarding any suspected violation. Please write a note for Auditions Chairs on a separate sheet of paper.
Write comments and score the student as if there were no violation.
Rank or score the student as if there is no violation.
When the auditions are completed, all adjudicators should consult the Auditions Chair and discuss the potential violation.
The Auditions Chair may need to research the issue or consult others before making a final ruling.
If it is determined that a violation exists, the Auditions Chair makes every effort to discuss the violation with the student’s teacher prior to notifying the student. This is to be done by the Auditions Chair and not the adjudicators.
The singer is disqualified if, in fact, a violation has occurred.
PLEASE NOTE – Copyright compliance does NOT automatically mean repertoire requirements have been met – a pianist may be playing a song from a legal copy of music that does NOT meet that singer’s audition repertoire requirements. Teachers, be careful to adhere to BOTH copyright and repertoire requirements.
NATS Auditions Rating/Scoring System
All Student Auditions and National Student Auditions must use the same scoring system, enabling scoring data comparisons across all NATS Regions. Scoring is based on a national standard. Singers in all classifications will sing one song of their choice and then songs selected by the adjudicators within the time limits. Adjudicators will write constructive comments and a score between 70 and 100 on their scoring sheets. The singer with the highest average score wins their category.
Scoring System :
The scoring system is developed to allow for objective as well as subjective measures of a singer’s performance. Further, it is structured to provide more detailed guidance to adjudicators as they seek to provide appropriate and constructive feedback to singers. All auditions should use the official NATS Student Auditions Adjudication Form, which you will be prompted to print when you finish registration process (Blank forms available under Competitions, following the link to NSA Resources, on www.nats.org).
Adjudicator responsibilities:
1. Provide scoring for each singer in comparison to standards developed specifically for these auditions. See adjudication rubrics in Appendix B. Adjudicating relative to a common standard will provide a fairer overall result than comparing singers in each category to one another to determine scores merited.
2. For each standard on the adjudication form, place an X on the tick lines to indicate a general level of accomplishment. A specific numerical score is not listed for each standard; however, the range of developing to mastering is divided into three sections corresponding with the 70-100 range of possible scores. The Ensemble marking will not factor into an audition’s score because some singers may be performing with a staff or other unfamiliar pianist with whom they have had little opportunity to rehearse.
3. In NSA preliminaries, provide constructive comments on the performance that correspond with the ratings provided on the tick lines for each standard. The audition rubrics provide guidance to the adjudicator in constructing comments in agreement with their ratings. Entities may elect to also provide comments in semifinals whenever possible.
4. The rubric’s standards vary in importance; and therefore, also vary in weight in a composite score. Assign a score that is generally reflected in your markings on the tick lines. A significant discrepancy between the ticks and the composite score may questionably indicate something more than the standards contributed to the composite score. The most ticks in the mastering third must result in a composite score in the 90s. Similarly, the most ticks in the advancing third must result in a composite score in the 80s and the most ticks in the developing third must result in a composite score in the 70s. Assign a composite score between 70 and 100. Never score below 70. A numerical score should only appear in the score box at the bottom of the adjudication form, never in the tick lines.
After Registration, Before Auditions
COMMENTS ONLY: All students have the option of being adjudicated “for comments only". Check the box following the prompt “Singing for Comments only?” directly above the Category/Pianist section. In the event of Repertoire Requirement discrepancies, students may still sing but will receive "comments only.”
FORMS – In Person Auditions: Usually, each student will need 3 copies of their completed form for the check in table. Historically, teachers can click on “Print Judging Forms” when in your Student List to download and print these forms. The adjudication sheets will be given to the monitor of the audition space, who in turn will give them to the adjudicators to use for written comments. These sheets will be returned to each student’s teacher at the end of the auditions (in the red file box) or by mail. If you will be unable to retrieve your students’ forms, please leave a self-addressed envelope in your file to expedite the process of getting them to you.
Adjudication Forms (and all sorts of other good information such as adjudicating rubric and NATS regulations) can be found inside the AuditionWare site, on the Dashboard (click the little house, upper left hand corner). Click “Forms/Miscellaneous” under our specific competition.
Please indicate whether your pianist can play for your student if they sing on the Honors Recital, or if they will need to sign up with the Honors Recital staff pianist.
Please be sure to indicate which song the student wishes to sing if selected for the Honors Recital. This will greatly speed up your ability to go home at the end of Audition day! These sheets completed with adjudicators scores and comments will be available for pick up at the end of Saturday and again on Sunday (in big red file box, usually in tally room or near check in). Please expect the “end of Saturday” to be 5:30 p.m. or later, even if you finished adjudicating at 3:30 p.m.
WHEN AM I SINGING? The audition schedule will be visible to NATS members in Auditionware approximately 7-10 days after online registration closes. The schedule may or may not be emailed to collaborative pianists, so teachers should be proactive logging in and sharing information.
What Students Should Expect for In-Person Auditions
ARRIVAL & CHECK IN: Check-in table, centrally located, opens at before auditions begin. Students’ three adjudication sheets should already be completely filled out (song, larger work, and composer) before they arrive. Singers will present their forms to the check-in table staff and must receive an “approved” stamp on their adjudication forms before they may proceed to their audition. The check-in table will provide information for practice rooms and the specific locations of your audition category.
ONE HOUR PRIOR TO AUDITION: Check-in, go warm up. Students who miss their time should not expect any accommodation.
10 MINUTES PRIOR TO AUDITION: Students are in place at audition location, stamped forms in hand. If there is a door monitor, give stamped forms to the monitor who will hand them to the judges when singer enters for their audition.
THE AUDITION: When adjudicators are ready to hear the audition, the singer will slate (announce name and opening selection (song title, work, composer or creative team)) from the stage. This allows the singer to experience common practice for auditions. Adjudicators will choose the following selections. The monitor will start the stopwatch when the singer announces their first piece.
For example: “I am Johnny Johnson, and I will begin with ‘The Daisies’ by Samuel Barber.”
Alloted times: If the singer’s selections are longer than the allotted time, the monitor will call “Time”. The singer should stop singing, say “thank you”, and exit the room. The cut-off does not count against the singer and should not affect the judges’ comments or scoring in any way. Please note, at the chapter level, all high school and lower college auditions are allotted 10 minutes, upper college 12 minutes and advanced singers 15 minutes. This differs from the regional and national audition time limits, outlined at the national website resources page.
BEYOND THE AUDITION: Students are encouraged to watch other auditions throughout the day. Results will be posted when categories finish and scores have been tabulated. This is often later than 4:30 p.m., even if the singer auditioned in the morning. Note that auditions are open – singers are welcome to have classmates, family & friends attend with them.
BREAKING TIES In the event of a tie for first place, all singers who tie will sing in a Tie-breaking Round. The Tie-Breaking Round will be scheduled as soon as possible after tabulations result in a tie, likely after 4 p.m. on Saturday. Exact time and location will be posted on the Results Poster.
Three new adjudicators will score the Tie-Breaking Round.
Each student will sing one selection of his/her choice in its entirety. This selection must be one presented in the preliminary round.
Scoring and comments will remain the same as the Preliminary Round: adjudicators will write comments and give each singer one score between 70 and 100.
The adjudicators are not to confer until after their rating sheets have been delivered to the Auditions Office/Tally Room.
Members may not adjudicate their own students. Tie-Breaking Round adjudicators will be selected by the Auditions Chairs. Comments will be made available to teachers prior to the Honors Recital.
Final tabulations will be made by the Auditions Chair and assistants.
Tie-Breaking Round singers will be awarded first, second, and third place, with the highest score receiving first. To receive first, second, or third, the singer must have an average score of 90 or above. If more than three students sing in the Tie-Breaking Round, students who do not receive first, second, or third will receive Honorable Mention. Top five singers with scores over 90 are eligible to advance to the Regional round of auditions. Singers who receive first place in their category will receive a certificate and $100 check if they perform on the Honors Recital: $60 if they do not perform. Singers must perform on the Honors Recital to be eligible for the NATS Scholarship Awards.
Singers who tie for first must be available sing in the Tie-breaking Round to defend first place in their category. If they do not sing in the Tie-breaking Round, they will receive 2nd place by default.
In the event of another tie, the award for first place will be divided equally among the winners. All will be called First Place Winners and will be invited to sing on the Honors Recital. This regulation holds for ties in all the places.
GUESTS: All auditions are open. Students are welcome to bring guests and are encouraged to spend the day listening to other singers as a means of showing support and learning by watching other performers. Please be courteous and follow room monitors’ instructions for the best time to enter a room.
HONORS RECITAL: The singers with the three highest scores in each category are invited to perform at the Honors Recital (usually held Sunday afternoon, the day after auditions). If a category has more than 30 singers, there will be two sets of winners, and all six singers will be invited to sing on the Honors Recital. Regardless of the number of singers in the category, a singer must receive an average score of 90 or above to perform in the Honors Recital.
Singers are encouraged to use their own collaborative pianist, but may use the collaborative pianist provided by NATS for the Honors Recital. A sign-up sheet will be available at the check-in table for rehearsal times with the NATS staff Honors Recital collaborative pianist.
Only those students who perform in the Honors Recital will receive the full monetary gift ($100) from the Cascade Chapter in recognition of their outstanding achievement. Honors singers who cannot perform will be awarded $60. All students, guests, and all Cascade Chapter teachers are encouraged to attend the honors recital.
Scholarship Awards
BRIAN VESTER SWINGLE MUSIC THEATRE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD: The singer who displays the most outstanding example of musical theatre style and performance practice during the Honors Recital will be awarded the $250 Brian Vester Swingle Music Theatre Scholarship Award. This singer will be chosen by a panel of chapter board members in attendance who do not have a singer performing on the recital.
CASCADE NATS MUSICAL THEATER PERFORMANCE AWARD: $300 Presented annually to a music theater singer who communicates the story exceptionally well during the honors recital. This singer will be chosen by a panel of chapter board members in attendance who do not have a singer performing on the recital.
THE DAGNY GUSTAFSON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD FOR YOUNG SINGERS: Established in 1978 in memory of Dagny Gustafson, one of the first members of the Cascade Chapter of NATS. She was a beloved teacher of all ages and talents. Before moving to Oregon she had a substantial performance career as a mezzo-soprano. She taught on the faculties of Portland State University, Lewis and Clark College and University of Portland and had a full complement of students in her downtown Portland studio for many years. Her students won awards on local and national levels, including several NW regional winners of the NATSAA. Many members of Cascade NATS were her voice students. She was also an advocate for collaborative pianists and nurtured their development.
The recipient of this annual award will be a high school singer who displays potential, technical advancement and artistry. The student must sing in the Honors Recital.
Criteria for this award are:
• Appropriate literature for the development of the singer
• Good breath management, posture, free tone production
• Language skills
• Ability to bring the song to life with understanding of style and text
The student will be selected by either the guest clinician during the Classical Festival or, in the year(s) no clinician is hired, elected board members (President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer) will select the student to be awarded the Gustafson Scholarship. Any board members with students in the honors recital will recuse themselves. If all executive board members are ineligible, the President will select judges (up to 3) from the rest of the board in attendance.
THE BEL CANTO ART SONG AWARD FOR VOCAL EXCELLENCE: Established in 2016 to be awarded to an advanced singer of college age for excellence in Art Song. An anonymous donor has established this award to celebrate beautiful professional level singing.
The recipient of this annual award will be an advanced singer in the Lower or Upper College Divisions who demonstrates excellent technique, vocal resonance and beauty singing an art song in the Honors Recital. Criteria for this award:
• Perform an Art Song in any language on the Honors Recital
• Balanced, vibrant resonance
• Excellent technique as demonstrated in breath management and posture
• Poised, polished performance
• Excellent diction in all languages
• Thorough understanding of style
• Artistic attention to vocal color, nuance and text
The student will be selected by either the guest clinician during the Auditions or, in the year(s) no clinician is hired, elected board members (President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer) will select the student to be awarded the Bel Canto Art Song Award. Any board members with students in the honors recital will recuse themselves. If all executive board members are ineligible, the President will select judges (up to 3) from the rest of the board in attendance.