Known nationally as one of the most prestigious awards for classical vocalists, the 41st National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Award (NATSAA) was won in 2010 by baritone Thomas Florio with stellar performances of Claggart's Aria (Billy Budd), Die Nebensonnen (Winterreise), and Aprite un po' quegli occhi (Le nozze di Figaro).

In addition to significant cash prizes, Florio's winnings include a New York solo debut sponsored by DCINY. He is slated to perform at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on Sunday, October 30, 2011. Florio's NATSAA Winner's Recital will be featured at the 52nd NATS National Conference on June 30, 2012 in Orlando, Florida.

The NATSAA win has opened many doors for Thomas Florio. He expounds, “Winning First Place in the NATSAA competition gave me a huge boost in applying for the next round of auditions and competitions. I was a bass-baritone when I auditioned for NATSAA, and have since made the transition to baritone. Through this year's audition season, having NATSAA listed on my résumé has served as a stamp of approval that I was a successful artist in transition, and has allowed me many opportunities to audition and perform. Additionally, the funding which was awarded with the NATSAA prize has allowed me to travel to those auditions without fear of breaking the bank - and the gift certificate awarded by Hal Leonard has allowed me to purchase all the scores I need for my upcoming season!”

In the year since Florio won NATSAA, he has won second place in the Houston Grand Opera Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers, taken first place in the Shreveport Opera Singer of the Year Competition, placed second in the Opera Columbus Irma M. Cooper Competition and the Orpheus Vocal Competition, was a member of the Merola Young Artist Program at the San Francisco Opera in 2010, and was named as a Metropolitan Opera National Council (MONC) Middle/East Tennessee District Finalist.

Furthermore, Florio has taken a position with the Internationales Opernstudio of the Hamburgische Staatsoper to participate in the program for the next two years. In his first season, he will sing Marullo (Rigoletto), Sciarrone (Tosca), Hortensio (La fille du régiment), 2nd Nazarene (Salome), Perückenmacher (Ariadne auf Naxos), Bischof von Feltre (Palestrina), 2nd Police Officer/Asylum Doctor (Bliss - premiered in 2010), Fiorello (Il barbiere di Siviglia), and Un sergente degli arceri (Manon Lescaut), all on the main stage. He will also sing Archibius in the Opernstudio production of Die unglückselige Cleopatra, Königin von Egypten oder Die betrogene Staats-Liebe.

Throughout its history, the purpose of the NATSAA competition has been to select, through a series of elimination rounds on the district, regional, and national levels, singers whose artistry indicates that they are ready for a professional career and to encourage them toward that goal with a cash prize and the opportunity for performance engagements. The biennial NATSAA competition culminates every other year in conjunction at the NATS National Conference.

Preliminary auditions for the 42nd NATS Artist Award will take place regionally during March and April 2012. National Semifinals and Finals take place at the 52nd NATS National Conference in Orlando, Florida. To learn more about NATSAA and how you can apply, visit http://www.natsaa.org. Online applications will be available in late August 2011, with a submission deadline of November 10, 2011.