SCNATS Student Audition Information

Classical and Spiritual Student Auditions
November 1, 2025
VP - Fran Coleman, audition coordinator
More information coming soon for the 2025-26 audition season!

**NSA Categories of Entry 2024-25**

SCNATS Upcoming Events Calendar

 Student Audition Update Information
Virtual Audition Information:
​Registration Opens: 
Repertoire Audition Change: 
Live Student Auditions: November 1, 2025


Audition Categories: 
  • Classical Student Audition Categories
  • Spiritual Categories ​
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Audition  Coordinator Correspondence
Audition Information Letters
Live Audition Day - SCNATS Member information
​Special Awards Information 
  • Pinson award monies have been increased to $200. (Fall and Spring)
  • Pinson nominations will be taken via nomination letter from teacher and student using any previous collaborative pianist YouTube recording. Pianists will have the option to perform on Honors Recital with students of their choice.
  • The special composer awards spotlight is on Latin American and Iberian art song Composers.
  • The special composer repertoire audition will be a virtual audition and will be free to enter.

Fran McMillan Pinson
​Collaborative Pianist Award ​

The Spotlight on Latin American Composers & Composers from the Iberian Peninsula Award
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An award to honor SCNATS collaborative pianists has been established in memory of Fran
McMillan Pinson, beloved staff accompanist for The South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University. “Mrs. P” was such a dedicated collaborative pianist for AU students not only in NATS
Student Auditions and but in every musical endeavor. This award has been established by Deirdre Welborn to honor Fran’s generous, feisty spirit and tireless dedication to her craft and her beloved students. Mr. Jim Pinson has established an endowment to ensure that the award continues to be given for many years to come. Fran passed away on June 19, 2020, after a courageous 3-year battle with cancer. Nomination Guidelines for this award may be found in the Special Award Information Letter.
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Fran McMillan Pinson, a lifelong music educator, musician, mother, and loving wife died June 19, 2020 at home. She was born in Colleton County, South Carolina and graduated from Bells High School, Ruffin, SC and from Furman University in 1964 with a BA in Arts. Fran studied at Virginia Commonwealth University in the Masters of Piano Pedagogy program 1984-1986. Fran was a lifetime member of the Music Teachers National Association and taught privately from 1964 to May 2020 teaching hundreds of aspiring pianists and quite a few organists. As a point of great pride, several of her students are on their way to or have established careers in full-time music. While in Virginia, she chaired the Virginia State Spring/Fall Music Festivals for 9 years. She chaired the National Guild of Piano Teachers, Colonial Heights branch, VA. Upon returning to Honea Path South Carolina, she held several leadership roles including 32 years as Chair, Anderson Area National Guild of Piano, Anderson branch, SC Music Teachers state treasurer for several years, and 41 years as Chair, Anderson area Lower Piedmont Music Teachers Fallfest Auditions. Fran served as organist at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Anderson, SC from October 1989 until June 2020. Fran also served as Chair of the Anderson College Academy of Music from 1987-1994. She served as a staff accompanist at Anderson University for over 10 years, accompanying students, staff recitals and university choirs.
​The Spotlight on Latin American Composers and Composers from the Iberian Peninsula Award is made possible by a generous donation by SCNATS member and previous MAR region governor Jill Terhaar Lewis. The award is given for the best performance of a song by Latin American Composers or Composers from the Iberian Peninsula. To be eligible, singers must choose to use a song by Latin American Composers and Composers from the Iberian Peninsula in the current SCNATS Fall 2023 auditions. A panel of judges will adjudicate and one winner from the high school categories and a second for all college and adult categories will be selected. Nomination Guidelines for this award may be found in the Special Award Information Letter.

New Vocal Composition Award

Students may submit a new composition under the New Composition Award (classical/spirtual) category, provided it meets the following criteria: it must be written by the student or their pianist, and it must be unpublished.
 
The term “classical” in this context refers to art songs and arias from the classical genre, which is not limited to the Classical period of Mozart and Haydn. Pieces from other periods that align with the classical style are acceptable. Selections from musical theatre, pop, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, etc., are not permitted in the Classical Category. Folk songs, spirituals, and traditional hymn tunes in English are widely accepted as part of the classical genre. Students in classical categories may present one selection of this type to fulfill the art song requirement. Nomination Guidelines for this award may be found in the Special Award Information Letter.
 
 As this category grows, it will be further fine-tuned. Please feel free to ask us any questions. 
Mid-Atlantic Regionals Information
2026 NATS National Student Auditions: Mid-Atlantic Region
March 20-21, 2026 - University of Maryland, College Park, MD


 Mid-Atlantic Governor, Serena Hill LaRoche​
Other conference information
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