Tiffin University students recently demonstrated their vocal talent at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) National Student Auditions. Under the guidance of Justin DeLong, Assistant Professor of Commercial Music and Commercial Music Program Lead, four students competed and achieved notable success at the Great Lakes Regional Auditions held on March 1 in Detroit.
The NATS National Student Auditions feature multiple rounds of competition, from chapter to regional to national semifinals and finals. Competitors perform a set of two to five songs for adjudication by member teachers, who provide detailed feedback. Scholarship awards go to the top three students in each category, as well as selected additional outstanding performers.
Hansen Risley, Henry Foster, and Jacob Studebaker-Ellis all placed first in their respective Commercial Music categories, with Risley being awarded the highest score in all Commercial Music categories. Jake Curtis also qualified to proceed to the National Preliminaries alongside Risley and Foster, and Studebaker-Ellis placed second in his Musical Theatre category.
The three TU students qualifying for National Preliminaries will have video recordings of their performances adjudicated by a panel of international judges in April 2025, with 15 singers in each category moving on to the semifinals and finals, which will be held in Philadelphia in June.
In the Ohio Chapter Auditions held in October at Kent State University, Risley and Studebaker-Ellis both received first place in their respective Commercial Music categories, with Ashlyn Palmere taking third in hers. Dustin Lindsay and JD Breidenbach also competed at the chapter level and received excellent marks in a highly competitive category.
“The students who competed spent weeks preparing their repertoire, and the experience of preparing for a major performance and then receiving constructive feedback from industry professionals is highly valuable,” said Justin DeLong, Commercial Music Program Lead at Tiffin University. “Whether or not they placed, I’m so proud of each of them for the growth they’ve experienced and the work they’ve put into their craft.”
“It’s exciting when our faculty go the extra mile encouraging and preparing students to engage in opportunities such as these,” said Brad Rees, Executive Director of the Institute of Creative & Media Arts. “We are so proud of the efforts and artistry our talented students share in this prestigious forum.”