From the President
Lindsay Bowden
I am honored to serve as your new president after spending the past three years as Vice President of Musical Theatre Auditions. My sincere thanks go to Mikhail Smigelski for his outstanding service as president over the past two years. We are fortunate that he isn’t going anywhere; he will continue to serve on the board as our past president.
NATS auditions played a formative role in my own musical development, and I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to an organization that has meant so much to me, both personally and professionally.
I am excited to announce several new initiatives for the coming year:
- Updated website. Please take a look at the updates we have so far, which include a more streamlined navigation experience and a teacher and student audition guidebook! GHNATS Website and GHNATS Chapter Auditions
- Teacher Meet Ups. After attending the National Conference this summer, I came away inspired to help foster a stronger sense of community within our chapter. For many of us who teach in private studios, our work can be quite isolating, and meaningful opportunities to connect with colleagues are invaluable. One of our goals this year is to create several casual teacher meet-ups throughout the year. A special thank you to our new Vice President, Dr. Wagner Pastor, for organizing our first event!
NATS Teacher Meet Up
Saturday, September 5, 2026
5:00-6:30pm
El Tiempo Cantina
5602 Washington Ave, Houston, TX, 77007
Join us for a friendly and casual teacher meet up! RSVP information will be sent via email.
- Fall Masterclass and Chapter Meeting. As a board, we agreed that scheduling a masterclass during Chapter Auditions creates a rushed experience for both students and teachers. We are grateful to Dr. Michael Walsh and the faculty at LSCC Montgomery for partnering with us to host a dedicated Fall Masterclass this year for both Classical and Musical Theatre students. Please visit the GHNATS Events page page for additional details and information on how to submit your students to participate!
Fall Masterclasses and Chapter Meeting
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Lone Star College – Montgomery
10:00am-12:00pm Classical Masterclass
12:00pm-1:00pm GHNATS Chapter Meeting
1:00pm-3:00pm Musical Theatre Masterclass
- Spring Chapter Auditions. I am pleased to announce that SHSU has offered to host our 2027 Chapter Auditions again this year! We are thrilled and grateful for the ability to use their wonderful facilities.
Spring 2027 GHNATS Chapter Auditions
Saturday, April 10, 2027
Sam Houston State University
Categories: Classical, Musical Theatre, and Commercial Music
Ages: All ages children through adult. Please use NSA Categories of Entry for age range requirements.
- Audition Day Changes.
- While we are excited to hold our auditions at SHSU this year, we do face one significant scheduling challenge. Saturday, April 10, is the university’s only available spring date, and it also coincides with their spring opera performance. As a result, SHSU has required a firm 5:00pm end time for all NATS activities that day.
- After discussion at our summer board meeting, the board agreed that the most practical solution is to determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners based solely on the preliminary audition round rather than holding a separate finals round. First-place winners will be invited to perform in an afternoon Honors Concert, and all 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-place winners will be recognized publicly and presented with awards during the concert.
- Many of you may recall that following our Spring Auditions, I shared a proposal to reconsider the format of our audition day. As a reminder, you can review it here: NATS Audition Proposal
- We recognize that this represents a significant change, and we value feedback from our membership. The board will distribute an all-member survey later this week. Based on the results, we will determine whether to proceed with the proposed audition format or explore alternative options.
I wish everyone a happy and healthy start to the new school year!
From the Vice President of Classical Auditions
Aaron Vierkant
Hi everyone! My name is Aaron Vierkant, and I will be serving as the Vice President of Classical Auditions for GHNATS. I am a professor of music and Vocal Area Coordinator at Lone Star College Montgomery, as well as a doctoral student at Sam Houston State University. With this being my first year in this position, I look forward to the opportunity to meet and work with you all and am always happy to start a dialogue about our profession.
From the Vice President of Musical Theatre and Commercial Music Auditions
Dr. Wagner Mauricio Pástor
Dr. Wagner Mauricio Pástor is an Ecuadorian tenor, guitarist, educator, and crossover artist whose career encompasses opera, musical theatre, commercial music, and Latin American repertoire. A passionate advocate for vocal artistry and lifelong learning, he is dedicated to empowering singers through healthy technique, creative expression, and artistic confidence.
Dr. Pástor has performed with distinguished organizations including Houston Grand Opera, Portland Opera, the American Spiritual Ensemble, Kentucky Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Opera Saratoga, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador, and Teatro Nacional Sucre. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Performance from the University of Kentucky and continues advanced vocal studies with Robin Rice and Bethany Self at Rice University. As the new Vice President of Musical Theatre and Commercial Music Auditions for Greater Houston NATS, Dr. Pástor looks forward to collaborating with teachers and artists to foster new members, support their students, and create meaningful opportunities that celebrate innovation, inclusion, and excellence in today’s evolving musical environment.
From the Greater Houston District Membership Director
Dr. Michael Walsh
Dear GHNATS Colleagues,
What a privilege it is to welcome you into another year with Greater Houston NATS! Time and again, I find myself grateful for the generosity our members show one another and our membership’s willingness to share ideas and to celebrate each other’s successes. That spirit of mutual support is the heartbeat of our chapter, and it is what makes GHNATS feel less like an organization and more like a community.
As I begin my thirteenth year on the Board, I find myself reflecting not only on how far we’ve come, but on where we’re headed. Our field continues to evolve, and so must we. This year, I want to encourage all of us to stay curious and open to change. Trying new approaches, formats, and ideas isn’t a departure from who we are. It is how we stay relevant and keep our community thriving. I hope you’ll join me in embracing that spirit of experimentation, whether that means attending an event outside your usual comfort zone, proposing a new idea to the Board, or simply showing up with a fresh perspective.
I encourage each of you to take full advantage of the many resources and professional development opportunities NATS offers. There is truly something for everyone and exploring what is new among those offerings is a great place to start.
Our dedicated GHNATS officers volunteer their time and efforts to make sure our events are both meaningful and responsive to what our members need today. I am excited for what we have planned this year and I look forward to seeing you all at our upcoming chapter events this Fall and next Spring.
Be sure to follow our Facebook page, “Greater Houston Chapter of NATS (GHNATS)” for the latest updates, and please invite your colleagues in voice teaching to join our community. Here’s to a year of staying open, trying something new, and growing together! Go NATS!
