Our History

The South Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing was founded in the late 1950s by Mrs. Carolyn Parker and Mrs. Grace Johnston of Columbia College. Since its inception, our organization has grown to a membership of over 130. 

The chapter hosts a number of events each year including master classes with internationally renowned clinicians such as Shirley Verrett and the annual student auditions where talented young singers from around the state compete in specific categories corresponding with their level of study.

At the 2016 Fall SCNATS Student Auditions held October 29, 2016 at SC State University in Orangeburgl, SC, 168 students participated in Music Theatre and Contemporary Commercial Music categories. Of that number, 78 advanced to the Regional Auditions to be held March 17-18, 2017 at UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC. We had 300 singers in 24 categories registered for the SCNATS Spring Classical Auditions at the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC on February 18, 2017. Of that number, 120 students advanced to the Regional Auditions.

SCNATS Chapter Governing Documents:

Recent News

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SCNATS Member Deirdre Francis
presented at the Inaugural
NATS Transatlantic Vocal Pedagogy  Trip

The inaugural NATS Transatlantic Vocal Pedagogy Trip to Germany took place in July, and Deirdre Welborn Francis was thrilled to attend.  NATS described this trip as “a truly unique cultural and educational journey to expand horizons; share pedagogical perspectives with each other; hear from German pedagogues and scientists” and it truly was all this and more. The participants enjoyed seeing the sites in Berlin, Potsdam, Dresden and Leipzig, attending concerts,  as well enjoying a wide range of interesting vocal pedagogy presentations and discussion with members of the BDG and The European Voice Teachers Association. The participants also enjoyed round table discussions on music curriculum with music faculty members from the Hochschule für Musik “Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy”,  The University of Potsdam, and the Hochschule für Musik “Carl Maria von Weber” Dresden and the Studio for Voice Research Dresden.  

One of the highlights of the trip was visiting Prof Dr. med. Dirk Mürbe,  Director of the Department of Audiology and Phoniatrics at the preeminent German research institution and medical center, the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, where they saw video stroboscopy in 3D. Francis also presented to fellow NATS members as well as members of the BDG, The Association of German Singing Educators  at the Musikhochschule Hanns-Eisler Berlin, Marstall.  Francis presented her program for worship leaders “Vocal CROSS Training: Discovering, Developing, and Maintaining Your Authentic Voice to be the Best Steward of God’s Gift”. This vocal program is a workshop type program that was created to help worship leaders understand more about the function of their voice, exercises for daily practice and cross training to improve their vocal tone and build endurance, and give practical daily voice care to maintain vocal health avoid injury.  This trip was so well received by those attending that more Transatlantic Trips are being planned for the future. Special thanks to Karen Brunssen, NATS President, and Scott Swope for organizing this “truly unique cultural and educational journey”.