NATS Intermountain Region

Please welcome our new NATS interim Intermountain Region Governor GAYLA BLAISDELL. Dr. Blaisdell (Central Washington University) has stepped up to replace former Intermountain Region Governor Cynthia Vaughn who has relocated to Virginia. Region members will have an opportunity in the near future to vote for Dr. Blaisdell for Region Governor. In the meantime she has been appointed by national NATS on the recommendation of Vaughn. Gayla is already working hard to represent our members in Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alberta CA and has organized the online regional auditions. Welcome!

Our annual Holiday Celebration is soon upon us! The WSU Concert Choir, University Singers, and Treble Choir will join the Symphony Orchestra, Guitar Ensemble, and Crimson Ties, WSU’s world music ensemble, as we share a variety of music evoking the spirit of the holidays. Celebrate winter, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and the coming New Year with us in Bryan Hall Theatre on Saturday, December 3, at 2pm. Admission is free of charge, but all proceeds from our silent auction will benefit music student scholarships: https://galabid.com/wsusom22 .

Central Washington University in the Northwest NATS Chapter welcomes artists from BYU October 13! Classical and Contemporary Cross Over

Chicago: Today at the NATS Leadership Luncheon at the NATS Conference. Intermountain Region members Christine Janis and Nick Klein were honored as the inaugural recipients of the Winnifred Collier Ringhoffer Professional Development Award. One or more $1000 awards are available annually by application to any current member of the Northwest NATS Chapter. Also shown District Governor Julie Jones and Region Governor Cynthia Vaughn

Welcome to Central Washington University and Inland Northwest, Dr. Nicole Lamartine! 🎶

The CWU Music Department is proud to announce that Dr. Nicole Lamartine has been hired as the Director of Choirs starting in the Fall of 2022. Most recently, Dr. Lamartine served as Teaching Professor and Sorensen Director of Choral Music at UC Santa Barbara and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wyoming. We are excited about the skill, knowledge, and passion that she brings to our department and have been enjoying the vibrant productions of her students. More details about Dr. Lamartine are listed below.

Dr. Lamartine is thrilled to be joining the excellent music faculty at Central Washington University, where she will act on her values of empowering the next generation of choral educators and growing excellence in 21st century choral performance.

As a clinician and guest conductor of three international honor choirs (DoDDS Honor Choir in Germany, AMIS TTBB Honor Choir in Abu Dhabi, TAISM Festival Choir in Oman), eight All-State choirs (MN, CO, WA, OR, WY, MT, AK), and dozens of regional honor choirs, Nicole seeks to positively impact choral musicians all over the world. An avid champion for music education, Nicole has headlined music conferences of the Association for Music in International Schools (Hong Kong) and the Washington Music Educators Association.

Dr. Lamartine’s research focuses on rehearsal technique and anatomy and movement for conductors, and she has presented at dozens of conferences including national and regional meetings of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Collegiate Choral Organization, College Music Society, California All-State Music Conference, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Since 2020, Dr. Nicole Lamartine has served as the Sorensen Director of Choral Music at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she conducted the flagship choir, UCSB Chamber Choir, integrated relevance into graduate choral studies at the MM and DMA levels, and taught studio conducting and voice.

As Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wyoming from 2008-2020, she led the Collegiate Chorale, The UW Singing Statesmen and the Happy Jacks, and taught conducting and studio voice. Her choirs were honored to sing at several national and regional conferences (2020 NW ACDA, 2017 NW NAfME, 2015 NW NAfME, 2012, NW ACDA, 2011 NCCO, 2011 NW MENC), and she is a recognized expert in females conducting male choirs. She won the Ellbogen Award for Meritorious Classroom Teaching, the university's highest teaching award.

Dr. Lamartine has enjoyed abundant opportunities to commission and premiere new works from leading composers such as Craig Hella Johnson, Libby Larsen, Jennifer Higdon, Gerard Schwarz, Forrest Pierce, Gabriela Lena Frank, John Muehleisen, and Karen Thomas.

She conducts Chor Anno with Howard Meharg (Vancouver, WA), providing an opportunity for a creative outlet as ensemble singers to choral music educators in the NW. Chor Anno performed at the 2022 NW ACDA conference. She is also the founding Artistic Director of the Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus, which just completed its first season.

An active performer, Dr. Lamartine has sung professionally with Conspirare, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and Colorado Bach Ensemble. She has served the American Choral Directors Association as President of the Northwestern region. She achieved world, national, and state records in powerlifting, demonstrating that creativity is intertwined with strength of body and mind. The “Nicole Lamartine Choral Series” is published with Santa Barbara Music Press and focuses on accessible music for emerging Tenor-Bass choirs.

Happy World Voice Day! Lift your voice!

Friendly, Saturday reminder for all things NSA! ♬

Many thanks are in order to everyone who adjudicated, facilitated, and participated in the NSA region auditions this year. 👏

And we extend our congratulations to all who have qualified for the national preliminary round, which is on track to be another record year for participants! 🎉

→ 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧: qualified singers must complete the application, submit videos and payment on or by Friday, April 8 (11:59 p.m. ET). ←

The NSA national semi-final and final rounds will be held live and in person at the National Conference in Chicago this July.

Students will receive email notification about submitting their applications, once accounts have been created in the NATS system and their information has been successfully uploaded.

Please also remember! The students need to make their videos, upload them to YouTube, and get their headshot ready, so they can submit all of their materials as soon as the applications are available!

It's now easier to email NATS Intermountain Region

Students, your teachers have your judges comments sheets!

Results for the 2022 Intermountain Regional NATS Student Auditions. The following students who placed Top Five in their categories may advance to the online national preliminary round. Congratulations to all of the teachers and students who prepared, participated, and performed! Teacher have received and email and the students will be contacted by the Audition VP or Auditions Coordinator.