Welcome to GP NATS!
The Greater Philadelphia Chapter of NATS (GPNATS) is an active community of singers, teachers of singing, and students who reside primarily in southeastern Pennsylvania and in Delaware. We embrace diversity in our members and in our voices, and we value friendly respect for all and a spirit of collaboration. Our commitment to diversity in singing led us to add a contemporary commercial (CCM) category to our Student Auditions, and we are excited about what other opportunities for embracing new ideas, people, and sounds lie ahead of us. We are a significant chapter presence at our Eastern Region and national NATS conferences, where our students have been honored for their accomplishments in both the classical and musical theater genres. Every year we provide learning opportunities for our area singers and singing teachers, we host social activities and the chapter annual Student Auditions, and we always invite ideas for future events from every chapter member. Our chapter membership is over seventy voice teachers strong.
GPNATS members and their students regularly participate in our annual NATS Student Auditions, masterclasses, and educational workshops. Guest teachers and lecturers have included Kevin Burdette, Robert Edwin, Valéry Ryvkin, Margaret Baroody, Terrence Nolen, Elizabeth Futral, Sandra Lopez, and Forrest McClendon. Even the pandemic summer of 2020 was packed with virtual events hosted by chapter members. These included “Voice Studio Technology During the Pandemic” with Corbin Abernathy, Ian DeNolfo, and Lawrence Indik; “Medical Voice Issues” with Margaret Baroody; “Auditioning for College Classical Voice Programs” with Marcus DeLoach; and GPNATS at National Conference Virtual Meetups hosted by Kim Robson. In spite of the isolation of Covid-19, we remained connected to our GPNATS friends.
Additionally, in 2015, we established our GPNATS student group (SNATS), which has engaged the next generation in our chapter activities. None of this would be possible without the dedication of our wonderful members and leadership. To all of you we say a heartfelt, thank you!
The Greater Philadelphia and Delaware area is truly a prime location to be a singer or teacher of singing. Whether your chosen repertoire is classical, musical theater, rock/ pop, or a combination thereof, there is a place for you in GPNATS. We hope you will consider becoming a member, or renewing your membership, and we hope to see you soon at one of our upcoming events!
GP NATS leadership and board, 2016