Semifinalists have been selected for this year’s National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Awards (NATSAA) competition. One representative from each NATS region will travel to Chicago to compete in this year's event in buildup to the 54th NATS National Conference, July 8-12.

The semifinal round will take place on Thursday, July 7, with the finals scheduled for Friday, July 8.

The winner is awarded more than $13,000 in cash and prizes, including: $5,000 cash, a New York Solo Debut in a major choral work with orchestra and chorus sponsored by DCINY; 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 solo recital at the next NATS National Conference.

Second prize includes more than $6,000 in cash and prizes: $4,000 cash plus a $2,000 scholarship to attend AIMS in Graz and a $500 gift certificate from Hal Leonard Corporation.

Sponsors of this year's event include Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY), AIMS in Graz, the Hal Leonard Corporation, and the NATS Foundation.

The 2016 semifinalists, by region, are:

• Cal-Western: Andrea Flores (Avondale, AZ)
• Central: Sean Stanton (Chicago, IL)
• Eastern: Rachel Schutz (Stony Brook, IL)
• Great Lakes: Mathilda Edge (Bloomington, IN)
• Intermountain: Stephania Romaniuk (Calgary, AB, Canada)
• Mid-Atlantic: Bridget Moriarty (Greensboro, NC)
• Mid-South: Alexandria Shiner (Knoxville, TN)
• New England: Britt Brown (Boston, MA)
• North Central: Tom Gunther (Grand Forks, ND)
• Northwestern: Rebecca Sacks (Portland, OR)
• Southern: Nathan Abbott (Lafayette, LA)
• Southeastern: Kathryn Drake Hedlund (Mobile, AL)
• Texoma: Heather Hawk (Fort Worth, TX)
• West Central: Emily Triebold (Lincoln, NE)

Throughout its history, the purpose of this 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 towards that goal with a cash prize and the opportunity for performance engagements.

For more information on the NATSAA competition, click here.