Singing Festival
2024 Redwood Empire NATS Singing Festival
Held on a gorgeous February 24th day at Sonoma State University, we witnessed the incredible talents of our student performers.
Please check back in for our 2025 dates~
What is the Redwood Empire Singing Festival?
This is a day devoted to developing performance skills and collegiality for students of singing.
The best way to practice performing and auditioning is to, well, practice!
Our festival is a supportive environment for singers to have growth experiences.
Participating in this festival can be helpful to singers in many ways:
Master Class/Workshop
This is a day devoted to developing performance skills and collegiality for students of singing.
The best way to practice performing and auditioning is to, well, practice!
Our festival is a supportive environment for singers to have growth experiences.
Participating in this festival can be helpful to singers in many ways:
- Give singers time and space to practice and gain performance skills
- Give singers the opportunity to practice auditioning for colleges, or to get roles in performances/shows
- Give students and their teachers outside feedback from other industry professionals
- Give students the opportunity for family and friends to hear them sing in the Green Music Center
- Gives students the opportunity to win scholarship money to help them continue their study of singing
Master Class/Workshop
- We are excited to announce a masterclass/workshop scheduled between the conclusion of the adjudication process and the start of the finalist concert.
- Selected participants for this session will be nominated by their respective adjudicators and will be informed of their nomination on the afternoon of the event. The workshop is planned to begin around 4:30 PM, though the exact time may vary depending on the length of the audition day. (So please plan to attend whether nominated or not.)
- We warmly invite all students, teachers, parents, and family members to attend as audience members. Additionally, this invitation extends to those who did not participate in the day's auditions. This complimentary event, sponsored by NATS, offers an opportunity for everyone to gather, enjoy insights from our special presenter, and support fellow students in a welcoming and enjoyable setting.
- This will take place in Schroeder Hall (SSU, GMC).
Auditions are scheduled to occur between approximately 10 AM and 3 PM. The duration may vary based on the number of participants. We typically start with the youngest singers and move towards the oldest. For those singing in multiple categories, we will take special care to stagger your audition times to accommodate all your performances. Please keep your schedule flexible for the entire day.Your specific audition times will be communicated to you two weeks prior to the event.
SINGING FESTIVAL 2024 -- ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
FOUR DIVISIONS
Division I: Ages 10-14
Division II: Ages 15-18 (still in High School)
Division III: Post High School ages 18-24
Division IV: Ages 25 and above
In all Divisions, both songs are required to be memorized.
Total time for both songs is 8 minutes – INCLUDING:
Introduction of 1) performer’s name, 2) title of composition and 3) composer
COMMERCIAL MUSIC CATEGORY
Requirements are two songs, prepared and memorized:
Language: one or two in English; one may be in a foreign language (optional).
Repertoire: Two contrasting contemporary songs, NOT from a musical or stage production. One song may be an original composition (optional). Students may accompany themselves.
A microphone for the singer will be provided in the adjudication room.
CLASSICAL CATEGORY requirements are two songs, prepared and memorized:
Language: one in English and, in Div. II-IV, one in a foreign language.
Repertoire: For all divisions, one must be an Art Song.
The other song must be an Art Song of a different period, a classical folk song including classical gospel,
Opera, Operetta, or Oratorio.
MUSICAL THEATER CATEGORY requirements are two songs, prepared and memorized:
Both songs from a staged Broadway, Off-Broadway production, or film musical.
ONLY Division I may use one song from a movie score.
Singers should ensure that contrasting selections represent the spectrum of their vocal and dramatic abilities (Classical, Contemporary, Pop/Rock) and use a variety of vocalisms (belt, mix, legit).
If you would like the NATS accompanist to play for you, you will need to submit clean PDFs of your sheet music to [email protected]
After we process your registration and sheet music submission, you'll receive an email containing your accompanist's contact details. This allows you the opportunity to schedule a rehearsal with them in advance, if desired. *Please note, any rehearsal time must be organized and funded by you, at a cost of $40 per half-hour (paid to your pianist). To ensure accompanists have sufficient availability, we strongly recommend scheduling rehearsals well before the week leading up to the competition.
Division I: Ages 10-14
Division II: Ages 15-18 (still in High School)
Division III: Post High School ages 18-24
Division IV: Ages 25 and above
In all Divisions, both songs are required to be memorized.
Total time for both songs is 8 minutes – INCLUDING:
Introduction of 1) performer’s name, 2) title of composition and 3) composer
COMMERCIAL MUSIC CATEGORY
Requirements are two songs, prepared and memorized:
Language: one or two in English; one may be in a foreign language (optional).
Repertoire: Two contrasting contemporary songs, NOT from a musical or stage production. One song may be an original composition (optional). Students may accompany themselves.
A microphone for the singer will be provided in the adjudication room.
CLASSICAL CATEGORY requirements are two songs, prepared and memorized:
Language: one in English and, in Div. II-IV, one in a foreign language.
Repertoire: For all divisions, one must be an Art Song.
The other song must be an Art Song of a different period, a classical folk song including classical gospel,
Opera, Operetta, or Oratorio.
MUSICAL THEATER CATEGORY requirements are two songs, prepared and memorized:
Both songs from a staged Broadway, Off-Broadway production, or film musical.
ONLY Division I may use one song from a movie score.
Singers should ensure that contrasting selections represent the spectrum of their vocal and dramatic abilities (Classical, Contemporary, Pop/Rock) and use a variety of vocalisms (belt, mix, legit).
If you would like the NATS accompanist to play for you, you will need to submit clean PDFs of your sheet music to [email protected]
After we process your registration and sheet music submission, you'll receive an email containing your accompanist's contact details. This allows you the opportunity to schedule a rehearsal with them in advance, if desired. *Please note, any rehearsal time must be organized and funded by you, at a cost of $40 per half-hour (paid to your pianist). To ensure accompanists have sufficient availability, we strongly recommend scheduling rehearsals well before the week leading up to the competition.