2021 Art Song Festival Details
Vocal Categories:
- High School
- Young Adult (including college students)
- Adult Non-Professional*
*Adult Non-Professional – defined as a singer whose main career is not singing, and they are not regularly paid to sing. For musical theater, these singers should not be an active member of AEA.
Song Requirements:
Each participant will sing two memorized art songs, ONE OF WHICH MUST BE IN ENGLISH.
Suggestions for art song repertoire include:
- This year we are encouraging repertoire that celebrates “Black Voices” by performing art song by Black Composers and/or Black Poets. We understand that much of this literature is written in English. Therefore, two English songs are allowed if one song represents this genre.
- Folk songs and Spirituals arranged for solo voice and piano, i.e.: Mark Hayes, Zaninelli, Britten, and Copland arrangements
- 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.)
We have supplied an extensive document that identifies several art songs by Black composers. We have also suggested some songs that may seem more appropriate for those who live the Black experience. Please be thorough in your study of the poetry or stories when choosing repertoire.
NOT ACCEPTABLE:
- Operatic and oratorio arias
- Musical theater selections
- Pop music
- Opera/pop crossover
NATS Copyright Policy / Scanned Scores
NATS encourages its members, their students, accompanists and the general population to become educated about, and to comply with, all applicable copyright laws. Reproduction of a copyrighted work constitutes copyright infringement unless a license to reproduce such work has been obtained, the use is considered fair use, the work is in the public domain, or a valid exception to copyright infringement exists.
NATS requires students, teachers and other participants in NATS affiliated events, auditions and competitions to affirm compliance with the NATS Copyright Policy, and to use only authorized reproductions of copyrighted works.
Participants in the Art Song Festival must scan ORIGINAL PUBLISHED scores. 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.
These scans 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
All Events will be held synchronously through Zoom
Musical Coaching, Dramatic Master Class, Performances, and Collaborative Pianists:
- Friday, January 22 – Saturday, January 24, 2021 Festival Event #1: Individual Musical Coachings
- Friday, February 5 – Saturday, February 6, 2021 Festival Event #2: Dramatic Masterclass
- Sunday, February 7, 2021 Virtual Performance and Adjudication on Zoom/YouTube
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 provide accompaniment tracks for you to use in the festival events.
Application Deadline and Fee:
- Application period opens: Monday, November 16, 2020
- Deadline for all materials: Tuesday, December 15, 2020
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 December 15, 2020.
*Teachers please review biographies before students submit them.
Questions may be directed to Sylvia Stoner.