The 2024 Central Region Conference takes place Friday evening October 25 through Sunday afternoon October 27, at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Our theme is EXAMINING 21ST CENTURY PEDAGOGY.

The conference includes two performance classes on Friday evening (classical and musical theatre), interest sessions on Saturday and Sunday, a teacher breakfast on Sunday morning, an opera performance from the University of Missouri-Columbia, an art song recital by students featuring music from the NATS mentoring program for composers, presentation of a lifetime achievement award, and of course the region-level National Student Auditions on Saturday and Sunday.

NSA registration information and hotel information will be released by Labor Day.

Call for student participants in the Musical Theatre performance class
Closes: October 5, 2024

NATS members in the Central Region are invited to nominate their students to be included in the Musical Theater Performance Class held on October 25th, 2004 at University of Missouri-Columbia. We are excited to welcome Lisa Campbell Albert to this year's conference. Students of all ages participating at the conference will be considered. 

To nominate a student, please provide a letter of recommendation on behalf of the student. Each teacher may only nominate one student. Please provide information on the student's piece for the class, year in school, voice type, and why they would be a good selection for the class. 

A committee of three members will select who will sing for the class and will send out the list of students selected to participate no later than October 15th. The committee will consider a balanced slate of voice types, musical theater styles, and geographical location.

QUESTIONS?? Please contact Dr. Alyssa Becker at alyssa.becker@drake.edu.

Nominations are due no later than October 5th via this Google form: https://forms.gle/UTTCP1dSFhW7SPhq9

Call for student participants in the Classical performance class
Closes: September 30, 2024

NATS Past-President Donald Simsonson will headline the Classical performance class on Friday, October 25, 2024 at 7.30 PM. The call for performer participants is now open.

Full Information is posted here.
Application: https://forms.gle/m1MphXTMqamEtBXD7

Questions?? Email Timothy Bostwick, Classical performance class coordinator at tbostwick@hotmail.com.

Call for proposals for interest sessions
CLOSED

NATS 2024 Central Regional Conference Call for Interest Sessions Proposals

NATS members are invited to submit proposals for Interest Sessions to be presented at the 2024 Central Regional Conference, October 26-27 at the University of Missouri, Columbia. We can expect an invigorating full conference with Interest Sessions offerings on Saturday and Sunday. 

Our Governor, Dr. Jeffrey Carter, has themed our conference Examining 21st Century Pedagogy. Presenters may wish to consider Interest Sessions that focus on inclusive pedagogy, evidence-based teaching, emerging trends in literature, extended vocal techniques, managing a studio when students are running every direction possible, the role of a canon of trusted songs in a changing vocal landscape, or any number of other topics that broadly fit under the umbrella of 21st Century Vocal Pedagogy.

We invite you and your graduate students to begin submitting proposals on May 5, 2024 using this 2024 CR NATS Interest Sessions Submission Form. The interest sessions deadline is July 7, 2024. Presentations will be blind-selected by a committee equally representing each state in the Central Region.

Dr. Deborah Gover, Luther College, is Interest Sessions Chair, and welcomes questions.
Email govede01@luther.edu