The National Association of Teachers of Singing is pleased to announce the 12 early-career voice teachers and four collaborative pianists selected for the 2026 NATS Intern Program, May 19-29, at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.

This immersive, 10-day professional development experience brings participants together in cohort groups and allows for a dynamic exchange of live feedback with veteran master teachers and fellow interns.

Representing 11 NATS regions — Central, Eastern, Great Lakes, International, Mid-South, New England, North Central, Southeastern, Southern, Texoma, and West Central — the 2026 class includes participants from both independent and academic teaching settings.

NATS Intern Program – Class of 2026

Collaborative Piano

Migeun Chung - Texoma Region
Katilyn Rittner - West Central Region
Mikayla Rogers - Eastern Region
Teresa Vaughan - North Central Region

Voice

Lindsay Kate Brown - Southern Region
David Clark - Central Region
Hailey Clark - Mid-South Region
Wesley Diener - Central Region
Alba Franco-Cancel - Southeastern Region
Desiree Howe - Mid-South Region
Erin Matthews - New England Region
Abigail McKay Cherry - Great Lakes Region
Michelle Pretorius - International Region
Benjamin South - West Central Region
Bradley Sowell - Southeastern Region
Carly Wingfield - Southeastern Region

Guiding the interns will be master teachers Conroy Cupido (South Africa, International Region), Jerry Elsbernd (Minnesota, North Central), Amanda Flynn (New York, Eastern Region), Jan McDaniel (Oklahoma, Texoma Region), and Yvonne Redman (Illinois, Central Region).

Randall Umstead (Furman University & NATS President-Elect) will serve as the local, on-site coordinator, and Tana Field (Murray State University) returns to serve as the vocal literature liaison.

Diana Allan, 2026 NATS Intern Program Director and Past President of NATS, praised this year’s class.

“The 2026 NATS Intern Selection Committee is pleased to announce that this year’s voice and collaborative interns represent an outstanding and diverse group drawn from 11 different NATS Regions, including our International Region,” Allan said. “They also come from a wide range of teaching environments, including both independent studios and university settings. Their varied professional backgrounds promise a rich exchange of ideas, perspectives, and pedagogical approaches.”

NATS interns frequently reunite at the biennial NATS conferences to maintain the close professional bonds formed during the program. At the 2024 NATS national conference in Knoxville, alumni gathered for an intern reunion event and the tradition continues at the upcoming 59th NATS national conference in San Antonio, July 3-7, 2026. Since its founding in 1991, the NATS Intern Program has built an alumni network of more than 300 voice-teaching professionals.

Thank you to our Donors

Thanks to generous gifts from our supporters, the NATS Intern Program is offered at no cost to interns. Contributions from several funds and grants, including the William “Bill” Vessels Endowment, James McKinney Fund, Barbara Doscher Endowment, Ellen Faull Master Teacher Endowment, NATS Intern Program Grants Established by the 2021 Master Teachers, and the NATS Foundation Heritage Fund help sustain this vital program.

To make a gift supporting the NATS Intern Program, please contact NATS Development Director Jen Jimenez.

Schools or facilities interested in coordinating/hosting a future NATS Intern Program can contact the NATS past president for details and facility requirements.

About the NATS Intern Program

The NATS Intern Program provides exceptional training for early-career voice teachers and collaborative pianists. By pairing interns with experienced mentors, the program fosters a vibrant exchange of ideas and techniques, improving teaching and coaching skills. Learn more by watching the NATS Intern Program playlist on YouTube.

The program is held annually, and application materials for the 2027 program will be available in late summer 2026.