CLASSICAL |
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DIVISION & REPERTOIRE INFORMATION
In the event that any Division does not meet the minimum of 5 participants, NATS-Boston reserves the right to assign these singers to another appropriate category or offer a refund if an appropriate category is not available or is at capacity. The Auditions Chair will reach out to any Teachers whose students are affected by this and will work out a solution.
In the event that any Division does not meet the minimum of 5 participants, NATS-Boston reserves the right to assign these singers to another appropriate category or offer a refund if an appropriate category is not available or is at capacity. The Auditions Chair will reach out to any Teachers whose students are affected by this and will work out a solution.
CLASSICAL
Division 1A: Ages 13-15 Attending High School & Division 1B: Ages 16-19 Attending High School
Three contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One art song in English. One art song in a foreign language. One additional art song or aria (opera, oratorio or operetta). It is strongly recommended that operatic arias not be offered in Division 1. Singers will not exceed 8 minutes of music. Judicious, but musical, cuts to piano intros and closings are acceptable.
Division 1A: Ages 13-15 Attending High School & Division 1B: Ages 16-19 Attending High School
Three contrasting selections from classical repertoire. One art song in English. One art song in a foreign language. One additional art song or aria (opera, oratorio or operetta). It is strongly recommended that operatic arias not be offered in Division 1. Singers will not exceed 8 minutes of music. Judicious, but musical, cuts to piano intros and closings are acceptable.
- For the Preliminary Round singers will perform one song of their choice and then songs selected by the adjudicators within the time limits. Judges hope to hear all song choices, so please keep this in mind when planning music to keep within the time limits. However, when time limit is reached the Judges will need to end the audition.
- For the Semifinal Round each student will sing one selection of his/her choice in its entirety. The selection must be chosen from the pieces submitted in the preliminary round entry.
- For the Finalists Concert each student will sing one song of his/her choice in its entirety. This selection must be one of the numbers submitted in the preliminary round entry.
STUDENT INFORMATION
- Singers who have been a 1st Place winner in a category must advance to the next division in subsequent years; for example, a winner in Divisions 1(A) will now enter Division 1(B).
- Transgender Policy: Students who self identify as transgender or gender fluid must choose one audition category in Classical and/or Music Theater based on their gender identification at the time of the chapter or regional audition, and select repertoire linked and associated with the gender of that category throughout the corresponding audition season.
- Singers must present proof of age at REGISTRATION. Singers who competed in the fall of 2015 are not required to submit proof of age in 2017.
- All students must perform with live piano accompaniment.
- Financial arrangements are made between Singers and their Pianists.
- Singers should expect to pay their pianists in advance of Auditions, but no later than the day of the performance.
- Singers should bring four copies of the Adjudication Form (provided by their teacher) to the Preliminary Audition. Do not mail these forms in advance. Please do not use alternate versions of this form from prior years as the forms change from year to year.
- Singers will provide pianists with original copies of all music they will perform. Room monitors will verify that legal music is in the possession of all pianists. (See copyright compliance above in Copyright Laws.)
- No pianists will be provided for any rounds. Students must hire their own accompanists for the Preliminary, Semi-Final & Final Rounds.
REPERTOIRE FAQ
● All repertoire must be memorized, including repertoire traditionally performed with sheet music (oratorio).
● Time limits are strictly enforced.
● Songs written in uncommon languages may be sung in English or the original language, but cannot be a substitute for the required (American or British) art song with English as the original language.
● It is not necessary to provide adjudicators with copies of music.
AUDITION TERMINOLOGIES
Aria
An aria is a solo taken from an opera, oratorio, mass, cantata, zarzuela, operetta, or works titled “concert aria”. Oxford Online definitions will be used for the purposes of this audition. For example, Purcell’s selections from the semi-‐ operas and masques are considered songs.
24/26/28 Italian Art Songs and Arias
The repertoire found in the 24/26/28 Italian Art Songs and Arias collections may be counted as an aria or an art song in the high school and lower college classical categories. For the singers in the upper college categories and beyond, these pieces may count as an art song ONLY, regardless of origin. Any repertoire found outside of these collections will be considered only as the composer intended, as an art song OR aria.
Memorization
All repertoire, including oratorio, must be sung from memory.
Original Languages
Selections should be sung in original language or in translation if warranted by common performance practice.
Transposition
All arias from opera, oratorio, mass, cantata, operetta, works titled “concert aria,” or music theater selections must be sung in the original or standard published key.
Repertoire/Categories
The word “classical” in this context refers to art songs and arias from the “classical” genre, not limited to the “Classical” period of Mozart and Haydn. In other words, no music theater, pop, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, etc. Published arrangements of folk songs, spirituals, and traditional hymn tunes in English are widely accepted as a part of the classical genre. Students in classical categories may present one selection of this type to fulfill the English art song requirement.
Judicious Cuts
Piano introductions, piano interludes, piano music after the vocal solo is completed, and internal cuts of opera arias and music theater selections are allowed as in common performance practice. Cuts of verse or verses of selections are not allowed. In the case of strophic pieces, all verses should remain that are traditionally included.
● All repertoire must be memorized, including repertoire traditionally performed with sheet music (oratorio).
● Time limits are strictly enforced.
● Songs written in uncommon languages may be sung in English or the original language, but cannot be a substitute for the required (American or British) art song with English as the original language.
● It is not necessary to provide adjudicators with copies of music.
AUDITION TERMINOLOGIES
Aria
An aria is a solo taken from an opera, oratorio, mass, cantata, zarzuela, operetta, or works titled “concert aria”. Oxford Online definitions will be used for the purposes of this audition. For example, Purcell’s selections from the semi-‐ operas and masques are considered songs.
24/26/28 Italian Art Songs and Arias
The repertoire found in the 24/26/28 Italian Art Songs and Arias collections may be counted as an aria or an art song in the high school and lower college classical categories. For the singers in the upper college categories and beyond, these pieces may count as an art song ONLY, regardless of origin. Any repertoire found outside of these collections will be considered only as the composer intended, as an art song OR aria.
Memorization
All repertoire, including oratorio, must be sung from memory.
Original Languages
Selections should be sung in original language or in translation if warranted by common performance practice.
Transposition
All arias from opera, oratorio, mass, cantata, operetta, works titled “concert aria,” or music theater selections must be sung in the original or standard published key.
Repertoire/Categories
The word “classical” in this context refers to art songs and arias from the “classical” genre, not limited to the “Classical” period of Mozart and Haydn. In other words, no music theater, pop, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, etc. Published arrangements of folk songs, spirituals, and traditional hymn tunes in English are widely accepted as a part of the classical genre. Students in classical categories may present one selection of this type to fulfill the English art song requirement.
Judicious Cuts
Piano introductions, piano interludes, piano music after the vocal solo is completed, and internal cuts of opera arias and music theater selections are allowed as in common performance practice. Cuts of verse or verses of selections are not allowed. In the case of strophic pieces, all verses should remain that are traditionally included.
Download Repertoire Forms here
Download Adjudication Rubric here
Questions?
Contact the NATS-Boston Auditions Chair
Julie Krugman, [email protected]
Download Adjudication Rubric here
Questions?
Contact the NATS-Boston Auditions Chair
Julie Krugman, [email protected]