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The exciting experience of NATS Student Auditions, where singers perform and receive written feedback, includes chapter, regional and national levels of student auditions with total prizes of over $80,000 at the national level! |
Canadian Region Timeline 2025-2026
September 2025 - Chapters & Region Auditions Chairs Meeting with Canadian Regional NSA Coordinator.
October 1, 2025-February 1, 2026 - Canadian Chapters' rounds of NSA (live or online).
*Please note: The NATS National Student Auditions begin at the regional level and progress to the national preliminaries, semifinals, and finals. Some, regions hold progressive auditions in which chapter or district auditions serve as qualifying auditions to advance a limited number of students to their region’s auditions. Not all Canadian Chapters hold auditions and students may be advanced to the Regional round directly*
Singers can enter the Region auditions if they have participated or not in their Chapter Auditions.
January 5, 2026 - Regional registration opens for Chapters' winners and all singers to send in their application & video submissions to the Regional round (fully virtual this year).
February 23, 2026 - Deadline for application & video submissions to the Regional round.
February 28 - March 16, 2026 - Regional adjudications. (All teachers/members submitting students are required to adjudicate and if not available to provide a substitute or pay the substitute fee).
Mid-March - Announcement of Region winners will be sent to all participating teachers and placed on the website. The top 5 singers in each category will be recommended to proceed to the semi-final video round of the NSA.
End of March - Eligible participants will receive the invite from National to apply to the National rounds.
April 10, 2026 - Deadline for all eligible participants to submit their documents and entry fee ($75 USD) to the National round.
Mid-May - Announcement of National semifinalists.
July 3-7, 2026 - National live semifinals and finals held at the NATS 59th National Conference in San Antonio, Texas.
September 2025 - Chapters & Region Auditions Chairs Meeting with Canadian Regional NSA Coordinator.
October 1, 2025-February 1, 2026 - Canadian Chapters' rounds of NSA (live or online).
*Please note: The NATS National Student Auditions begin at the regional level and progress to the national preliminaries, semifinals, and finals. Some, regions hold progressive auditions in which chapter or district auditions serve as qualifying auditions to advance a limited number of students to their region’s auditions. Not all Canadian Chapters hold auditions and students may be advanced to the Regional round directly*
Singers can enter the Region auditions if they have participated or not in their Chapter Auditions.
January 5, 2026 - Regional registration opens for Chapters' winners and all singers to send in their application & video submissions to the Regional round (fully virtual this year).
February 23, 2026 - Deadline for application & video submissions to the Regional round.
February 28 - March 16, 2026 - Regional adjudications. (All teachers/members submitting students are required to adjudicate and if not available to provide a substitute or pay the substitute fee).
Mid-March - Announcement of Region winners will be sent to all participating teachers and placed on the website. The top 5 singers in each category will be recommended to proceed to the semi-final video round of the NSA.
End of March - Eligible participants will receive the invite from National to apply to the National rounds.
April 10, 2026 - Deadline for all eligible participants to submit their documents and entry fee ($75 USD) to the National round.
Mid-May - Announcement of National semifinalists.
July 3-7, 2026 - National live semifinals and finals held at the NATS 59th National Conference in San Antonio, Texas.
Fees for 2026 (in CAD$)
- Teacher registration fee - $25
- Children / Youth entry fee - $30 / class / category
- High School / Post Secondary entry fee - $35 / class / category
- Adult / Avocational / Non-Traditional / Hall Johnson Spiritual - $35 / class / category
- Advanced entry fee - $40 / class / category
- Changes / Corrections fee - $25 (changes to repertoire, videos, class, entry information after deadline and until February 25th)
- No late registrations will be accepted
- Substitute Adjudicator fee - $75 (if unable to adjudicate)
- Teacher registration fee - $25
- Children / Youth entry fee - $30 / class / category
- High School / Post Secondary entry fee - $35 / class / category
- Adult / Avocational / Non-Traditional / Hall Johnson Spiritual - $35 / class / category
- Advanced entry fee - $40 / class / category
- Changes / Corrections fee - $25 (changes to repertoire, videos, class, entry information after deadline and until February 25th)
- No late registrations will be accepted
- Substitute Adjudicator fee - $75 (if unable to adjudicate)
How to Register?
Proceed to nats.org ---> Member Home Page ---> Scroll down to AuditionWare button.
On the Home Page, click "change" and select "Canadian Region" from the dropdown menu. Save.
You can then register your students. Reminder that payment will be made in Canadian funds.
Classes Offered for 2026
Classical Voice (CL), Children - Avocational (5 - adult)
Musical Theatre (CM), Children - Avocational (5 - adult)
Commercial Music (CM), Children - Avocational (5 - adult)
Hall Johnson, Post HS Undergraduate Students Only
Proceed to nats.org ---> Member Home Page ---> Scroll down to AuditionWare button.
On the Home Page, click "change" and select "Canadian Region" from the dropdown menu. Save.
You can then register your students. Reminder that payment will be made in Canadian funds.
Classes Offered for 2026
Classical Voice (CL), Children - Avocational (5 - adult)
Musical Theatre (CM), Children - Avocational (5 - adult)
Commercial Music (CM), Children - Avocational (5 - adult)
Hall Johnson, Post HS Undergraduate Students Only
Canadian Region NSA Contacts
For general inquiries relating to the competition, please check www.nats.org.
For questions regarding the Region NSA, please contact our Region Coordinator, Lisa Cosens-Brillon
For general inquiries relating to the competition, please check www.nats.org.
For questions regarding the Region NSA, please contact our Region Coordinator, Lisa Cosens-Brillon
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NSA at a glance - How it works
NATS Student Auditions begin with a preliminary round, in which students sing for a panel of adjudicators and perhaps a small audience. Preliminary auditions advance to quarterfinals then semifinals as needed. All National Student Auditions culminate in Finals. Finalists audition again, often for a larger public audience of everyone present. Many chapters and regions offer prizes for to students placing in their categories as well as additional awards.
NATS Student Auditions begin with a preliminary round, in which students sing for a panel of adjudicators and perhaps a small audience. Preliminary auditions advance to quarterfinals then semifinals as needed. All National Student Auditions culminate in Finals. Finalists audition again, often for a larger public audience of everyone present. Many chapters and regions offer prizes for to students placing in their categories as well as additional awards.
- Chapter Auditions
- In some regions, chapter auditions are standalone events that do not advance to the region or national levels. Other regions hold progressive auditions in which students must begin at the chapter level and only the top students in each eligible category advance to region auditions.
- Region Auditions
- To participate in the national level of these auditions, students of NATS members must qualify by entering only ONE region's NSA and placing in their region's auditions. The top 5 singers from each region's NSA-eligible categories advance to the national online preliminaries.
- National Preliminary Auditions
- Each singer who advances from a region audition must apply and submit videos of their performances for adjudication by a panel of international judges in the national preliminaries.
- National Semifinals and Finals
- 15 singers from each of 34 categories plus the Hall Johnson Spirituals Competition during conference years and the 3 American Negro Spirituals Categories in non-conference years — ALL advance to the national semifinals.
- The top 3 singers in each national semifinal category audition in the national finals.
- The NSA national semifinals and finals are typically held in late June or early July in conjunction with either a NATS biennial national conference or summer workshop.
- National NSA Entry Fee: $75 per category (nonrefundable)
- Prizes: Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will total more than $84,000.
- Competition Dates: Online national screening begins the second Friday in April, with the national semifinals & finals in June or July.
- Deadline to Enter: April 10, 2026 (Entry is by emailed invitation-only, following regional auditions)
Helpful NSA Links
