2019 ENY/NATS Art Song Festival, November 1-3, 2019

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Presented by Eastern New York Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and Skidmore College

The ENY/NATS Art Song Festival will be held on November 1, 2, and 3, 2019 at Skidmore College and is being co-sponsored by the Skidmore Department of Music. The event will serve two purposes. It will give singers currently studying in the Capital District area an opportunity to perform and be evaluated by local voice teachers who are members of the ENY/NATS chapter.  Tone, musical accuracy, musicianship, technique, interpretation and stage presence will be evaluated.  It will also allow singers to compete for selection to perform in an honors recital (held at a later date) as well as continue on in NATS regional and national competitions (if desired and applicable). A separate panel of qualified musicians will be assessing the performances for the competitive aspect of the festival. 

Teachers who are not members of NATS are encouraged to send their students to ensure broad participation throughout our region’s vocal community. However, students of non-NATS members will not be able to continue on in the regional and national NATS events, but will be considered for the Honors Recital.

Please read the General Information and Participation Requirements and Application for the event at the bottom of this page. Students should complete the information online and follow the directions for submission. We ask that teachers go over the biography with students before they submit it.

We will be accepting the first 30 applicants and creating a waiting list.  We encourage students to complete the online application process in order to ensure their participation. Materials need to be received by October 1 to ensure the student’s participation in the festival.

Our chapter is pleased to welcome professional actor, director, and Lieder enthusiast, Robert Gibby Brand as our guest clinician.  Brand will conduct two dramatic masterclasses with Festival participants.

The festival will feature musical coaching sessions with Capital Region collaborative pianists Michael Clement and Josiah Stocker, and a dramatic master class.  The chapter is excited to bring this comprehensive experience to area vocal students to help promote compelling performances of the art song repertoire. This year we are encouraging the exploration of art songs by Clara Schumann in honor of her bicentennial celebration, and also encourage celebrating songs of her husband Robert Schumann and close friend, Johannes Brahms.

We hope you will encourage your students to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity!  We also ask that those of you who are ENY/NATS members plan on participating in the evaluation process during the Sunday performances. Your help will ensure the festival’s success. 

The application process for the 2019 Festival will begin August 3.

2019 Art Song Festival Information and Requirements

Vocal Categories:

  • High School
  • Young Adult (including college students)
  • Adult Non-Professional

Song Requirements:

Each participant will sing two memorized art songs, ONE OF WHICH MUST BE IN ENGLISH.

Suggestions for art song repertoire include:

  1. Songs composed for solo voice and piano, sung in the original language from the standard German lieder, French, Italian, English and American art song repertoire
  2. Folk songs arranged for solo voice and piano, i.e.:  Mark Hayes, Zaninelli, Britten, and Copland arrangements
  3. Baroque arias will only be accepted if the opera is not performed (be cautious when selecting Handel, Purcell and any selection that is “from” a larger work.)

*This year we are encouraging exploration of the classical vocal literature by or inspired by Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms.

NOT ACCEPTABLE:

  1. Operatic and oratorio arias
  2. Musical theater selections
  3. Pop music
  4. Opera/pop crossover

Sheet Music Requirements (scores and copies):

Performance and Rehearsal-Original scores

In order to comply with copyright laws, the ORIGINAL PUBLISHED MUSIC must be brought to both the rehearsal and the performance.  Music downloaded from the internet which is in public domain satisfies the copyright law. Students may be disqualified from participating if there has been an infringement of copyright law.

Application Copies (scanned copies)

Mark a “copy” with:

  1. the participant’s name
  2. the label “Working Copy”

These will be the copies that the accompanists will be using to prepare for the festival so it is essential that they are clean, readable copies with no music notation cut off (especially the sides of the pages and the bass clef of the piano accompaniment).

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Musical Coaching, Dramatic Master Class, Performances, and Collaborative Pianists:

  • Monday, October 14:
    Singers will be e-mailed by with the name of their coach/collaborative pianist as well as the time of their Festival events.
  • Friday, November 1: MUSICAL COACHINGS
    Each Festival participant receives a 30-minute individual musical coaching at the Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College.
  • Saturday, November 2: DRAMATIC MASTER CLASS
    Each Festival participant will take part in a three hour session master class with international song artist Daniel Teadt.
  • Sunday, November 3 PERFORMANCE / ADJUDICATION
    Each Festival participant will perform both selections (approximately 12 minutes), and our chapter members and guest panel will adjudicate and offer comments.

FESTIVAL REGISTRATION

Participants will need to sign in on each day and there will be practice rooms available in which to warm-up. Everyone should make it a point to arrive at least 30 minutes in advance of the assigned rehearsal and performance time in order to feel properly prepared. Directions to Skidmore College and the Zankel Music Center will be included in this e-mail.

FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES

Festival Performances will take place on stage in the Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall in the Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College on Sunday, November 3, from 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM. All singers as well as the public are invited and encouraged to attend the performances for as long as they wish.

COACH/COLLABORATIVE PIANISTS

Coach/Collaborative Pianists are provided for the singers (cost included in the application fee), and will be individually assigned based on coaching and performance times. We are not able to honor requests for a specific pianist. Your pianist will be working with you during each aspect of the festival.

Application Deadline and Fee:

Tuesday, October 1, 2019: Deadline for all materials.

Online Application Materials include:

  • Payment of the non-refundable fee of $65.00 for students of NATS members (and $75.00 for students of non-NATS members)
  • Scanned working copies of the music
  • Biography
  • Completed application

There will be an additional $10.00 fee if your application as well as materials are received after October 1.

*Teachers please review biographies before students submit them.

Questions may be directed to Sylvia Stoner.

2019 Art Song Festival Application

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