MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Welcome to the web site of the Georgia Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. This site is a service to our membership and should make information concerning student auditions, fall and summer master classes, business items, membership, the Executive Board, and other items more readily available.

You can access information and forms for student auditions, master classes and other events from this site.  Our registrar will send an email or snail mail notifying you of the up-coming event. You will then go to the web site and download any forms or information for yourself or students. The appropriate materials and payments should be mailed to the registrar by the application deadline.

Our chapter’s biggest news this fall is our master class with Warren Jones. Information concerning this event can be found by navigating back to this site’s home page.

Our chapter’s activities continue to serve our students well. Last fall’s master class with Penelope Bitzas was as entertaining as it was enlightening. Congratulations to Teri Hopkin and Dian Lawler-Johnson, our Education co-chairs for organizing this wonderful class. We had another successful round of auditions this past spring. Over 400 students participated at the auditions, which were held at the University of Georgia in February. Many thanks go to Stephanie Tingler, Stephanie Pierce, and Greg Broughton for all their work organizing our audition facilities. Also, thanks go to the members of the GaNATS Executive Board for all they do keeping the auditions running smoothly.

The national website is up and running. I encourage you all to log in and update your member profile. I also encourage you to make your profile active in the "Find a Teacher" database. Instructions for both of these tasks are located in news articles on the front page of the website. Please let those at national know how the site can better serve your needs at the chapter level.

As you know, a major portion of the recruiting of new NATS members takes place at the local level. Please take every opportunity you can to encourage teachers in your area to join NATS.

We continue to be financially stable and stay in the good graces of the IRS. Chapter dues and student audition fees currently suffice in covering our financial needs.

Have a good year and I hope to see you all at our fall master class with Warren Jones on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at Spivey Hall in Morrow, GA., and at student auditions on Friday and Saturday, February 18th and 19th at Shorter University. Regional NATS auditions will be held in-state this year at Georgia Southern University on March 25th and 26th , 2011.

Sincerely,
 

Kyle Hancock
   President