Hall Johnson Competition
Due to the generosity of the Hall Johnson Estate, a $2,000 award will be given in each NATS National Conference year in seasons that conclude in June/July of an even-numbered year to the best performance of a Hall Johnson Spiritual at NATS biennial conferences from 2016–2036. Additional national 2nd and 3rd places prizes are awarded by NATS in this competition. All interested students will apply for this category as part of their region’s NSA. Singers placing 1st–5th with an eligible score in the region’s NSA event will advance to national preliminaries, as with all other NSA categories. NATS Chapters are encouraged to add this competition to their auditions. Whenever applicable, Chapter Auditions may serve to qualify student-singers to advance to their region’s NSA.
The first and second prize winners also receive full tuition grants for the American Spirituals Intensive Program at the Bay View Music Festival in northern Michigan. The American Spirituals Intensive is a 10-day program to study and perform repertoire from the American negro spiritual genre.
The intensive residency is led by Dr. Everett McCorvey, Director of The American Spiritual Ensemble, Director of Opera at University of Kentucky, and Artistic Director of the National Chorale of New York. Highlights include coaching and preparation with Dr. McCorvey, rehearsals and performances of a concert focused on the American Negro Spiritual, and community outreach performances.
Hall Johnson Spirituals (HJ) Regulations
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Regulation |
Requirement |
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Classical Style |
Spirituals must be sung in a classical style, with only mild deviations and interpolation from what is written in the music. Musical Theatre, pop, Gospel, contemporary Christian, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues expressions or vocal technique are not appropriate for this category. |
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Diction |
Because of the idiomatic nature of the Spiritual, diction restrictions are relaxed. Standard English pronunciations may be used; for more advanced singers, the scholarly study of diction in Spirituals is encouraged in the same way singers study lyric diction in other languages. |
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Judicious Cuts |
Cuts to piano introductions, interludes, postludes, and internal portions of a Spiritual may be made according to common performance practice. Verses may not be cut. In strophic selections, all verses traditionally included should remain. |
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Memorization |
All audition selections must be performed from memory. |
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Spirituals in English |
English must be the original language of the selection. |
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Transposition |
Copyright-compliant, purchased transpositions are allowed. |
Approved Hall Johnson Repertoire
The Hall Johnson Spirituals Competition uses a specific approved repertoire list based on research identifying the Spiritual arrangements verified as composed by Hall Johnson. Only selections included on this approved list may be entered in the competition, so teachers and singers should confirm repertoire eligibility before registering. Approved selections come from designated Hall Johnson publications, including the Carl Fischer Hall Johnson Collection, the Hal Leonard Digital Series: Hall Johnson Concert Spirituals, and the G. Schirmer 30 Spirituals arranged by Hall Johnson. Importantly, not every piece in the Carl Fischer collection is eligible—only the titles specifically identified on the approved list may be used.
