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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Dr. Jill Terhaar Lewis, SCNATS member to present at National NATS Conference

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 Dr. Jill Terhaar Lewis and Kevin Hackler will be presenting a session at the NATS 56th National Conference in Knoxville this summer! Their topic is Musician Legalese: Understanding Contracts and the Law for Professional Singers, Teachers, & Composers. Come join us in Tennessee!

Lisa Barksdale, SCNATS member, Poster Presentation for National NATS Conference

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Title: Modules for Nodules: Patient-driven strategies for vocal budgeting

Synopsis: A compilation from case studies gathered by a Speech and Language Pathologist who is also a university voice instructor. Through brainstorming in therapy sessions and voice lessons, patients and students have implemented innovative ways to reduce voice use without sacrificing quality of work.  Reports, from these persistent patients and determined students with new patterns of voice use, illustrate reduced loss of voice and reduced fatigue, along with increased clarity and endurance.

Session Title: Patient-driven Strategies for Singers and Teachers Needing to Reduce Voice Use

Session Presentation Category: Voice Health and Wellness

Poster Paper Abstract (500 words maximum)  Problem:
How do I cut my voice use significantly, yet continue to fulfill my commitments at work, home and school effectively? Vocal fold nodules are a common fear of singers, especially those who also teach. The mortification and stigma for singers from a diagnosis of nodules has brought with it embarrassment, shame, and disappointment on top of the frustration of voice loss and vocal fatigue. Heavy professional voice users, singers and teachers with a diagnosis of nodules or pre-nodular tissue, are often encouraged to reduce their voice use in order to allow the overworked tissue to heal. This poster is a review of case studies by a clinical specialist in the singing voice who works as an SLP in a private ENT practice, and as a university voice instructor. The poster offers patient-driven, and student-driven, pragmatic strategies for reducing voice use in work, home, and school settings. Through brainstorming in therapy sessions and voice lessons, patients and students have implemented innovative ways to budget voice use with reported reduction in loss of voice and vocal fatigue as well as increased clarity of tone and daily endurance. Reports from these persistent patients and determined students illustrate that they feel more confident with their voice use after committing to developing new routines to free themselves from former habits and behaviors.


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”.