NATS
Student Auditions Information
Welcome to the Upstate New York NATS Chapter Student Auditions page.
Find everything you need to prepare for auditions, including registration steps, category guidelines, repertoire rules, and event schedules. Explore the resources below to ensure a smooth and successful audition experience.
Including Cateogory and Repertoire Requirements
Empower Artistic Development Award Vocal Excellence Provide Constructive Feedback Build Inclusive, Safe Vocal Community
2026 Auditions Committee
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Michelle McIntire, Auditions Coordinator
michelleallenmcintire@gmail.com
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Joshua Conyers, Site Coordinator for Eastman
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Sharon Johnson, Staff Pianist Coordinator
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UNY NATS Student AuditionS
Fall 2026 Calendar
September 1, 2026
Registration Information Email from Auditions Coordinator is
sent out
October 10, 2026
Audition Registration & Preliminary Round Video Audition Submission
on Audition Ware
Deadline
Updated 9/25/26
October 14, 2026
Semi-Finalists notified and invited to in-person auditions at Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY
November 14, 2026
Semi-Final and Final Auditions at the
Eastman School
of Music
Rochester, NY
FALL 2026 UNY NATS Student Auditions
1.
preliminary round
Video submission all categories:
Classical (CL), Musical Theatre (MT), Commercial (CM), American Spiritual (AS) - One Song
2.
Semi-finals round
In-Person auditions at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY
3.
Finals Round
In-Person auditions at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY
The 2026 UNY-NATS Student Auditions feature an updated format designed to expand participation and better support singers and educators, culminating in live semifinals and finals on Saturday, November 14 at the Eastman School of Music.
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Audition Format & Student Benefits
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Recorded Preliminary Round: All categories now begin with an asynchronous video submission, giving singers practical experience in self-taping standards.
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Expanded Written Feedback: Every participant receives a full round of detailed judge evaluations during the preliminary phase.
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Live Semifinals & Finals: Advancing singers receive an official invitation to compete live on stage at Eastman.
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Teacher & Member Participation
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Flexible Adjudication: Chapter members unable to attend the live event in Rochester can still participate by evaluating preliminary video submissions.
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Judicial Calibration: Preliminary scoring standards will be aligned across all panels during the October Chapter Meeting to ensure fair, consistent feedback.
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INSTRUCTIONS
REGISTRATION
1. Log on to www.nats.org and select Members Home
2. Select Auditionware and then Register for Audition/Conference
3. Click on My Registration: Upstate New York–UNY Chapter Student Auditions November 14, 2026
Membership and Chapter Dues must be paid prior to your registration. You may also find our chapter's events via the the NATS website on the Auditionware site.
If you are unable to, please contact: Heather Carraway - Office Manager heather@nats.org
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Click here for the COMPREHENSIVE AUDITIONWARE REGISTRATION SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Student registration FEES​
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For the Fall 2026 Auditions, the fees for participation are as follows:
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$15.00 - Advanced Level Singers
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$10.00 - All Other Singers
Pianists
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Voice teachers are not permitted to accompany their own students during auditions. Members are encouraged to bring their own pianist, but if you are unable to, staff pianists will be available to assist under the direction of our Staff Pianist Coordinator, Dr. Sharon Johnson. Once you have selected a pianist, you must designate them in Auditionware and clearly communicate all schedule, venue, and performance expectations directly with them.
staff Accompanist fees​
For the Fall 2026 Auditions, the fee for Staff Accompanists, should engage one, are a $20.00 flat fee.​​
preliminary round
Video Submissions
Preliminary-round selections will be submitted as separate, unedited performances via unlisted YouTube links at the time of registration on Auditionware.​
Recording GuidelinesPreliminary-round recordings should follow the current National NATS video audition requirements. from the current 2025–26 NATS NSA regulations:
Update (as of September 25, 2026):
- One (1) Song Video Submission with slate
- Flexible accompaniment: Prerecorded piano accompaniment is welcome for preliminary videos, and Appcompanist is a useful lower-cost option. Classical and Musical Theatre categories should use piano-only accompaniment; Commercial Music may use approved backing tracks, one live acoustic instrument, or self-accompaniment within category requirements.
Specifications: Videos should be in landscape/fixed camera format with a spoken slate, and uploaded unlisted on YouTube.
Scoring regulations dictate that two scores of 90+ or a 90+ average qualify a singer to advance and that there is no limit on semifinalists.
Audition GUIDES
For a complete listing of audition categories, levels, repertoire requirements and more, please see the following Audition Guides.
WINNER AWARDS
UNY NATS offers monetary awards for singers who place in the auditions. All awardees and honorary awards are given a certificate of recognition.
Youth
College
Upper College
Advanced
Adult
1st Place
$30.00
$60.00
$70.00
$75.00
$40.00
2nd Place
$25.00
$50.00
$55.00
$60.00
$35.00
3rd Place
$20.00
$40.00
$45.00
$50.00
$30.00
Student access fund
UNY NATS is dedicated to keeping our events accessible to all singers by offering limited financial assistance to help cover registration fees. Because these funds are limited, please contact Michelle McIntire directly for more information on availability and application details.