National Association of Teachers of Singing member Ian Howell was honored by the American Academy of Teachers of Singing with an AATS Award for his COVID-19 response. The Academy also presented awards to ENO Breathe and the International Coalition Performing Arts Aerosol Study for their contributions.

The Academy created the AATS Awards “to recognize, honor, and nurture outstanding accomplishment in the teaching of singing and in allied professions.” The Academy presented the awards on May 5.

Ian Howell

AATS Award for COVID-19 Response
Your work with low-latency platforms and associated technology, and broad dissemination of instruction in its use, has permitted widespread applications that have allowed us to teach and perform successfully in remote settings. These innovations will have a lasting impact on our profession.

“Ian Howell (and his team of colleagues, including Kayla Gautereaux, Nicholas Perna, Joshua Glasner, and Chadley Ballantyne, and a group of graduate students at NEC) worked both immediately and continuously for months to test the technology needed to accomplish sufficiently lagless virtual music instruction,” said Academy member Kenneth Bozeman. “He interacted with tech developers to stimulate targeted improvements that teachers needed and continued to test and evaluate new technologies and platforms throughout the summer and academic year, updating recommendations as needed. He shared this information in on-line documents and conversations, as well as in some short virtual courses (with Kayla Gautereaux).”

The Academy also presented awards to:

ENO Breathe

AATS Award for COVID-19 Response
Creating an innovative and compassionate effort between the arts and medicine to help relieve the suffering of individuals experiencing long term post-COVID respiratory and anxiety problems.

• Jenny Mollica, Director of English National Opera Baylis
• Sarah Elkins, Respiratory Consultant and Director of Integrated Care at Imperial NHS Trust, lead doctor
• Suzi Zumpe, Creative Director of ENO Breathe

International Coalition Performing Arts Aerosol Study

AATS Award for COVID-19 Response
Research on Aerosol Transmission to Inform Safety Protocol Measures for Music Performance Practices During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

• Mark Spede, Co-Chair, President of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), Director of Bands, Clemson University
• James Weaver, Co-Chair, Director of Performing Arts and Sports, National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
• Shelly Miller, Lead Researcher, University of Colorado Boulder
• Jelena Srebric, Lead Researcher, University of Maryland

Learn more about the American Academy of Teachers of Singing.