Valerie,
I think you may have misunderstood the rules of the competition. You won't
be "picking three singers for the finals". You will simply score the
singers as you see fit. All the judges' scores are averaged and then the
winners and honors are announced. Singers who score above 25 receive honors
and can go on to the regionals. The highest scoring singer in each category
is the winner.
As for tips on judging - make sure that you include a positive comment and,
believe it or not, look pleasant. Positive comments can range from the
specific (The high note in the Debussy was lovely), to the general (I
enjoyed hearing you sing/I look forward to hearing you sing again). Looking
pleasant is tougher than you might think. You're madly trying to assess the
why's and wherefore's of someone else's student, write intelligently while
listening, and on top of this try to look pleasant. The students will
remember a little smile, even if it's between pieces. Young singers are
vulnerable creatures. *You* know you're concentrating and listening
intently - *they* know you're scowling and that you hate them.
BTW, be prepared for some of the singers to offer inappropriate literature.
Some teachers seem to think that tough, overly demanding literature will
impress the judges. You might want to think of a way to address this issue
in your comments. It's a sticky situation to deal with because the
literature is the teacher's choice and we really aren't to make comments on
it. You can get around it by saying things such as - you really seem to
like your French song. You might enjoy exploring Weckerlin's Bergerettes.
They aren't as challenging technically so you have the opportunity to
explore ____(fill in the blank) - character, vocal color, musical gesture -
or whatever you object to in the tough piece.
Enjoy yourself.
Cindy Donnell
I am going to be judging my first NATS competition this Saturday. I will be
judging the 19-20 year old female division and picking three singers for the
finals.
Valerie Williams
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