South Florida NATS

Dear South Florida Chapter Members,

I hope this note finds you well. I’m writing with some important updates for our South Florida NATS community.

🎶 2026 South Florida Chapter NATS Student Auditions – Updated Dates

We heard from many of you that early January would be difficult for your students, so we did our best to find new dates that might work for more of our studios.

The registration portal is open now and will remain open until Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Teachers may register their students through AuditionWare on the NATS.org website.

New Audition Dates:

Saturday and Sunday, February 7 and 8, 2026

Children, Youth, and High School on February 7 (9:00 AM start)

College, Advanced, and Adults on February 8 (1:30 PM start)

Location:

Florida Atlantic University

777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431

Registration Fees:

• Teacher fee: $30

• First student category: $25

• Each additional category: $15

Full event details, including the schedule, campus map, and category information, are available at sflnats.org/auditions.

I am also pleased to share that our chapter is experiencing growth. We now have 57 members, up from 43 members last February, representing a 32 percent increase. Please help us sustain this momentum by inviting colleagues and friends to join us. We would love to welcome more teachers into the chapter so their students can participate in our auditions.

📅 Chapter Meeting on Zoom

We will have a chapter meeting on Sunday, January 4, at 8:00 PM.

You may join using the link provided in your email:

Thank you all for everything you do for your students and for our chapter. I am looking forward to a wonderful weekend of singing and community in February.

Warm Regards,

Dr. Mitchell Hutchings
President, NATS South Florida Chapter
Associate Professor of Voice, Florida Atlantic University
Voting Member, Recording Academy® / GRAMMYS®
www.mitchellhutchings.com

🎶 Free Online Workshop – “Adjudicating with Insight”

Sunday, November 9, 2025
3:00–4:30 PM (EST)

Online via Zoom – Free with advance registration
This workshop offers practical insights for teachers, adjudicators, and students, focusing on how to support singers at different stages of vocal development.

Presentations include:
The Developing Voice: Hearing Potential, Not Perfection — Katherine Mohr

The Adolescent Male Voice: Navigating Change, Nurturing Confidence — Daland Cranston Jones

The Midlife Female Voice: Insight Over Assumptions — Dr. Vindhya Khare

Register here: https://fiu.zoom.us/meeting/register/E6QKlBiCTKKoiw5mWpn3_w

Thanks to Dr. Vindhya Khare for organizing this online event and to all presenters for sharing their expertise.

Mitchell Hutchings
President

Rachal Solomon
Vice President

Joanna Latini
Auditions Chairperson

Vindhya Khare
Treasurer
District Membership & Director, Florida District

Daland Cranston Jones
Membership Coordinator

🎶 Free Online Workshop – “Adjudicating with Insight”
Sunday, November 9, 2025
3:00–4:30 PM (EST)

Online via Zoom – Free with advance registration

This workshop offers practical insights for teachers, adjudicators, and students, focusing on how to support singers at different stages of vocal development.

Presentations include:
The Developing Voice: Hearing Potential, Not Perfection — Katherine Mohr

The Adolescent Male Voice: Navigating Change, Nurturing Confidence — Daland Cranston Jones

The Midlife Female Voice: Insight Over Assumptions — Dr. Vindhya Khare

Register here: https://fiu.zoom.us/meeting/register/E6QKlBiCTKKoiw5mWpn3_w

Thanks to Dr. Vindhya Khare for organizing this online event and to all presenters for sharing their expertise.

Mitchell Hutchings
President

Rachal Solomon
Vice President

Joanna Latini
Auditions Chairperson

Vindhya Khare
Treasurer
District Membership & Director, Florida District

Daland Cranston Jones
Membership Coordinator

🎶 2026 South Florida Chapter NATS Student Auditions
The registration portal for our 2026 South Florida Chapter NATS Student Auditions opens on Wednesday, October 29, and will remain open through Wednesday, December 10, 2025.

Dates: Saturday & Sunday, January 3–4, 2026
(Children, Youth, & High School on January 3)
(College, Advanced, & Adults on January 4)
Location: Florida Atlantic University
777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431

Teachers may register their students through NATS.org

Full event details, including the schedule, campus map, and category information, will be available at sflnats.org/auditions.

We look forward to another fantastic weekend of singing and community!

🎶 Free Online Workshop – “Adjudicating with Insight”
Sunday, November 9, 2025
3:00–4:30 PM (EST)
Online via Zoom – Free with advance registration

This workshop offers practical insights for teachers, adjudicators, and students, focusing on how to support singers at different stages of vocal development.

Presentations include:

The Developing Voice: Hearing Potential, Not Perfection — Katherine Mohr

The Adolescent Male Voice: Navigating Change, Nurturing Confidence — Daland Jones

The Midlife Female Voice: Insight Over Assumptions — Dr. Vindhya Khare

Register here: https://fiu.zoom.us/meeting/register/E6QKlBiCTKKoiw5mWpn3_w

Thanks to Dr. Vindhya Khare for organizing this online event and to all presenters for sharing their expertise.

🎶 Chapter Growth & Looking Ahead
You may have noticed that our auditions are expanding to two days this year, thanks to the exciting growth we have experienced as a chapter.

Since February 1, 2025, our membership has increased by nearly 28%, bringing us to 55 members.

Thank you all for helping make this growth possible! Please continue spreading the word and inviting your friends and colleagues to join. We have exciting plans ahead, and every new member helps strengthen our community and expand opportunities for both teachers and students.

More information about the auditions will follow soon. In the meantime, please share these opportunities with your students and colleagues.

Warm regards,

Mitchell Hutchings
President

Rachal Solomon
Vice President

Joanna Latini
Auditions Chairperson

Vindhya Khare
Treasurer
District Membership & Director, Florida District

Daland Cranston Jones
Membership Coordinator

🎶 Bold Voices, South Florida! 🌴✨
Step into the vibrant world of singing with the National Association of Teachers of Singing South Florida Chapter!

Our chapter is expanding rapidly and we want you to be part of it. Not yet a member? Join now and enjoy a free South Florida Chapter membership through the end of 2025! 🎤

👉 Use code freechapter at checkout. Offer valid through September 30, 2025.
Visit www.nats.org to join today!

Questions? We are here to help and excited to welcome you into a community dedicated to vocal excellence and growth.

Dear South Florida NATS Chapter Members,

I hope this message finds you well—this time of year is always such a busy one!

I’m writing to share some important leadership updates following our recent election:

• After serving two terms as our Auditions Chairperson, Rachal Solomon-Bautista has been elected as our new Vice President. This role carries a two-year term ending in 2027 and is eligible for one additional consecutive term by member vote.

• Joanna Latini has been elected as our new Auditions Chairperson. This position also carries a two-year term ending in 2027 and is renewable by member vote.

Please join me in congratulating Rachal and Joanna!

I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Lauren Hartmann for her outstanding service as Membership Coordinator. Lauren’s dedication and contributions to the chapter have been invaluable, and we are so grateful for the time, care, and commitment she brought to this role. While she has stepped down from the position, we’re happy she will continue as an active member and supporter of the chapter.

• I’m pleased to share the appointment of Daland Cranston Jones as our new Membership Coordinator. This position carries a one-year term through 2026 and is renewable.

Daland is a dedicated educator and NATS member who teaches at both the Bak School of the Performing Arts and Palm Beach State College. His students have been accepted to top programs such as Dreyfoos School of the Arts, Palm Beach Opera Studio, Manhattan School of Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and Florida State University, and have achieved recognition as competition winners. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Daland brings a wealth of experience, mentorship, and passion for nurturing young singers to this role.

Please join me in welcoming Rachal, Joanna, and Daland to their new leadership roles on the board!

Thank you to our members for your ongoing commitment to our chapter and its mission. I look forward to sharing more updates with you soon.

Warm regards,

Mitchell Hutchings
President, NATS South Florida Chapter

The National Association of Teachers of Singing South Florida Chapter, in collaboration with Florida Atlantic Opera Theatre, is honored to host a free master class with Dr. Matt Edwards, a leading expert in CCM and musical theatre voice.

This event is open to Florida Atlantic community members and NATS members/students and will feature FAU Opera Theatre students. The master class will take place on Monday, April 7, 2025, from 3:30 to 6:00 PM in the University Theatre at Florida Atlantic University.

Dr. Edwards is an Associate Professor of Voice at Shenandoah University and a specialist in contemporary commercial and musical theatre singing. This master class offers a valuable opportunity to gain insight into vocal technique, artistry, and industry trends from one of the top experts in the field.

For more information or to register, contact Dr. Mitchell Hutchings at [email protected].

Calling all NATS members!

We have a South Florida teacher who is unable to attend the Southeastern Regional Student Auditions in DeLand, FL, from March 6-8. If you’re available to step in as a substitute, please let us know by commenting on this post. Your help would be greatly appreciated!