Karen Brunssen

The National Association of Teachers of Singing is pleased to announce the endowment of the Karen Brunssen Award following a successful campaign to raise $25,000 in honor of Brunssen’s remarkable contributions to the organization, especially the National Student Auditions, and the teaching of singing.

This endowment will support an annual cash award of $1,600 to the first-place winner in Category 7 Upper Classical Treble at the NATS National Student Auditions. The award will be presented during the 2026 NSA Finals in July in San Antonio, Texas. This award supports the significant growth in participation and level of talent that NSA has seen since the national semifinals and finals began in 2014.

“Karen has been a cheerleader for NATS for decades and her leadership has been impactful in many ways," said NATS Executive Director Allen Henderson. “We are grateful to all the donors who helped us reach the endowment goal for this award in recognition of Karen’s legacy of teaching and leadership.”

A steadfast volunteer, loyal supporter, and 2024 NATS Impact Award winner, Brunssen has selflessly served NATS in several capacities over the past 35 years. She served as national board president (2018-2020), program chair for the 54th NATS National Conference (2016), NATS Intern Master Teacher (2013), governor of NATS Central Region, and vice president and president of the NATS Chicago Chapter where she started the annual voice competition. She is the author of The Evolving Singing Voice: Changes Across the Lifespan and is a frequent clinician, performance class teacher, panelist, adjudicator, and presenter worldwide. Currently, Brunssen chairs the advancement committee and is co-director of NSA Generations, the new NSA alumni program.

“Student Auditions have been part of NATS as far back as I can remember when I did my first auditions at the Iowa Chapter Auditions in 1971 as a freshman at Luther College,” Brunssen said. “Preparing, traveling, being in the midst of many fellow singers, and singing for those incredible NATS voice teachers now resounds for many more students who are children, youth, and young adults."

NATS sincerely thanks Brunssen and the many donors who made this endowment possible through their generous contributions. The endowment of the Karen Brunssen Award will ensure a legacy of singing classical repertoire for years to come as part of the National Student Auditions.

If you are interested in supporting the Karen Brunssen Award Endowment, please contact NATS Development Director Jen Jimenez at jen@nats.org.