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:

• 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.

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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.

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MEET THE ADJUDICATORS

SHARON DAVIS
Sharon began her career with the Valley Music Hall in Salt Lake City, featured in Oklahoma, Carnival and Take Me Along under the direction of Art Linkletter. She studied at the University of Nevada, Reno, under the direction of Ted Puffer and took leading roles in the Nevada Opera Company. While in Nevada, she claimed the title of “Miss Nevada” and participated in the Miss America Pageant. Two of the roles she performed are Adele in Die Fledermaus and “Cherubino” in The Marriage of Figaro. Upon winning the Utah Division of the San Francisco Opera Auditions she went on to participate in the Merola Opera Program, singing the title role of Polly Peachum in the Beggar’s Opera. She was the recipient of the prestigious Karl Kritz Memorial Award. Miss Davis went on to join San Francisco Opera’s Western Opera Theatre and toured with the company for four years and later sang in Spring Opera with the San Francisco Opera Company.
Sharon appeared twice as guest soloist with the San Francisco Symphony in their Pop’s Concert Series conducted by the late Arthur Fiedler.
She has performed with opera companies in Uah, Nevada, and the Bay Area, singing in Madama Butterfly (Cio-cio-san), La Boheme (Mimi), La Traviata (Violetta), La Nozze di figaro (The Countess), The Elixir of Love (Adina), Cosi fan tutte, (Fiordiligi), The Merry Widow (The Widow).
Ms Davis has also been a featured soloist with symphany orchestras and choral groups her in the Bay Area. She is also at home on the recital stage.
Sharon makes her home in San Francisco and continues to perform as well as maintaining an active vocal studio.

DANIEL LOCKERT
Pianist, Coach, Collaborator Daniel Lockert, pianist, was born in San Diego, California, where he began his piano studies at the age of five. After receiving his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance with a minor in Organ from Loma Linda University, he attended the University of Southern California. It was there that he was awarded an advanced degree in the specialized area of accompanying, studying with the renowned Gwendolyn Koldofsky, the pioneer teacher in the field of accompanying and the pedagogue to many distinguished accompanists. While at USC, he also studied instrumental accompanying with Brooks Smith, accompanist to Jascha Heifeitz and Jenny Tourel. In his role as coach and teacher, Daniel has been on the staffs and faculties of the Juilliard School, the San Francisco Opera, Opera San Jose, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Chapman University and the Aspen Music Festival, and Cal State East Bay. He is currently professor of Collaborative Piano at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, and Staff Accompanist at Mills College, Oakland. He has been the musical director for many shows and theatrical productions, including I Do! I Do! and Fiddler on the Roof, both in Los Angeles and New York. Daniel has a particular passion for Stephen Sondheim, and has had the opportunity to be the musical director for several Sondheim reviews at the Marin Theatre Company, including Summer Nights of Sondheim, Side by Side by Sondheim, and You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow. 

JOHNATHAN BLUE
Blue has spent the last 15 years working in education as an elementary teacher, music instructor, and administrator. He is now the Education Director of 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, CA. As well as being a seasoned classroom teacher, he holds a professional conservatory certificate of Integrated Music and Theatre from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. He is also trained in Fitzmaurice Voicework and Linklater Technique. When he’s not directing children's theatre, Blue enjoys working as a performer, costumer, and choreographer in Sonoma and Napa County.

ALI CECCHETTI 
Ali has private vocal studios in Los Angeles and Sonoma, California, is a certified vocal coach, and songwriter.  She is known for her work in the entertainment industry working with TV, film and recording artists.  Ali offers a range of vocal techniques and services, including music theory, performance and songwriting skills.  Creating a fun, positive and professional atmosphere, Ali customizes each session according to her client’s needs and goals to help them achieve their true potential.  A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Ali is an award winning, published songwriter and international performer. She makes it her mission “to give all my clients the confidence, knowledge and techniques to make their mark in the entertainment industry.
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EMILY LYNN CORNELIUS
On top of being a seasoned performer and singer, Emily spent over 14 years with The Metropolitan Opera in New York City as manager of Artist Relations and Rehearsal Department manager. She served as first point of contact for up to 600 principal artists, directors and creative staff in a repertory season averaging 26 opera productions and over 300 performances annually. She left her mark in New York, directing and producing numerous productions with acclaimed groups such as The Village Light Opera Group and Victor Herbert Renaissance Project, LIVE! Her expertise extends to managing touring productions and Off-Broadway performances for The Flying Karamazov Brothers. As a producer, Emily is well-versed in budget management, collaboration facilitation, and cultivating a harmonious working environment. Emily is the current executive director of the 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa. 

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