NEW YORK — Mezzo-soprano Josefina Maldonado of Dallas, Texas, won first prize at the 49th National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Artist Awards competition on Sunday, January 4, 2026. Selected from a field of 14 semifinalists representing regions across North America, Maldonado received more than $13,000 in cash and prizes. She represented the NATS Texoma Region and is a student of Barbara Hill Moore.

The 2026 NATS Artist Awards were held in conjunction with the NATS Winter Workshop in Neidorff-Karpati Recital Hall at the Manhattan School of Music. Fourteen singers competed in the semifinal round earlier in the day, with five finalists selected to advance to perform in the final round.

2026 NATSAA first prize winner Josefina Maldonado with Brian Bentley, pianist. Photo credit: Toby Winarto.

Soprano Laura Nielsen of Toronto, Ontario, won second prize. Nielsen is a student of Torin Chiles and represented the NATS Great Lakes Region.

2026 NATSAA finalists (L to R): Erin Matthews, Laura Nielsen, Josefina Maldonado, Ye Ji Lee, and Veronica Robinson. Photo credit: Toby Winarto.

Additional finalists included soprano Veronica Robinson of Simi Valley, California (Cal-Western Region), who won third prize of $2,500, the Irma Cooper Award. Robinson is a student of Katharin Rundus. Soprano Ye Ji Lee of Tallahassee, Florida (Southeastern Region), received fourth prize of $2,000, the Berton Coffin Award, along with the $1,000 James Browning/Dorothy Kirsten Award for the “Singer with the Most Potential. Lee is a student of Sahoko Sato Timpone. Soprano Erin Matthews of Boston, Massachusetts (New England Region), won fifth prize of $1,500, the Herald Stark Award. Matthews is a student of Lynn Eustis.

2026 NATSAA first prize winner Josefina Maldonado. Photo credit: Toby Winarto.

As first prize winner, Maldonado received a $5,000 cash prize; a $4,000 scholarship to attend the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria; a $1,000 gift certificate from Hal Leonard Corporation; and a featured solo recital at the 2026 NATS National Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

Nielsen received $4,000 in cash, a $2,000 scholarship to attend AIMS in Graz, and a $500 gift certificate from Hal Leonard Corporation.

All five finalists will receive a complimentary one-year subscription to Appcompanist, an app offering thousands of customizable piano accompaniments recorded by professional collaborative pianists for singers.

Collaborative pianists performing in the final round included Brian Bentley with Josefina Maldonado; Jan McDaniel with Laura Nielsen and Veronica Robinson; Alexandru Prigalo with Erin Matthews; and Mikayla Rogers with Ye Ji Lee.

The NATS Artist Awards (NATSAA) competition is designed to support singers prepared to launch professional careers. The biennial NATSAA semifinal and final rounds are held in conjunction with the NATS Winter Workshop in New York City, in proximity to a wide audience of artist managers and industry professionals. Monetary awards are sponsored by the Foundation Heritage Fund of the NATS endowment. Event sponsors include American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Hal Leonard Corporation, Manhattan School of Music, and Appcompanist.

About Josefina Maldonado

Dallas-born mezzo-soprano, Josefina Maldonado, has been critically acclaimed as "vocally superb" with a "remarkably rich timbre." She made her professional debut with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in 2022 and has appeared with the Cleveland Orchestra, the San Antonio Philharmonic where she will return in May 2026, and the Houston Symphony. She will make her debut with the Dallas Symphony during the 2026-27 season. Maldonado holds a degree from the University of North Texas where she was a frequently featured soloist with the UNT Symphony Orchestra and Opera in roles such as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, Siebel in Faust, Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte and Ruggiero in Alcina. Maldonado is currently completing her master's degree at Southern Methodist University where she will be featured with the University Symphony as a Concerto Competition winner.