SUU Voice Students Win Top Honors at NATS

Published: November 24, 2025 | Author: Kol Gibson | Read Time: 3 minutes

Students pose onstage after their NATS competition.Southern Utah University voice students delivered an outstanding showing at the Las Vegas Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Competition on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Competing against talented singers from across the region, SUU students earned numerous top placements across classical, musical theatre, and commercial music divisions.

Founded in 1944, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Inc. (NATS) is the largest professional association of singing teachers in the world, with more than 7,000 members across the US, Canada, and more than 35 other countries. Its mission is to advance excellence in singing through teaching, performance, scholarship, and research. NATS competitions showcase rising singers, performers, and composers, celebrating diverse vocal styles and the future of the art form.

"We are incredibly proud of all the students who participated in the NATS competition," said voice teacher Kristin Chamberlain Briggs. "They have worked with exceptional dedication to prepare for this event. Each category requires students to prepare three songs, and many of our students chose to challenge themselves by competing in multiple categories. Their achievements reflect countless hours in lessons and in the practice room. We are thrilled to see their hard work recognized and to celebrate these well-deserved accomplishments."

SUU proudly recognizes the following winners:

Classical 4 High School Division

  • 1st Place: Brigham Hardy (studio of Kristin Chamberlain Briggs)

Musical Theatre 4 High School Division

  • 1st Place: Trason Hayden (studio of Jackie Jackson)
  • 3rd Place: Brigham Hardy (studio of Kristin Chamberlain Briggs)

Classical 5 Lower College Women Division

  • 1st Place: Ralayna Amy (studio of Carol Ann Modesitt)
  • 2nd Place: Emily Mabb (studio of Carol Ann Modesitt)
  • 3rd Place: Janet Crane (studio of Matthew Clegg)

Classical 6 Lower College Men Division

  • 1st Place: Galvin Escalona (studio of Matthew Clegg)

Commercial Music 5 Lower College Division

  • 1st Place: Hayden Mortensen (studio of Kristin Chamberlain Briggs)

Musical Theatre 5 & 6 Lower College Division

  • 1st Place: Hermione Pressgrove (studio of Jackie Jackson)
  • 2nd Place: Emma Carr (studio of Matthew Clegg)
  • 3rd Place: Sheila Rains (studio of Jackie Jackson)

Musical Theatre 7 Upper College Division

  • 1st Place: Kate Felt (studio of Kristin Chamberlain Briggs)
  • 2nd Place: Mia Ellingson (studio of Jackie Jackson)
  • 3rd Place: Illyra Joseph (studio of Kristin Chamberlain Briggs)

Classical 7 & 8 Upper College Men and Women Division

  • 3rd Place: Zachary Smith (studio of Matthew Clegg)

Commercial Music 7 & 8 Upper College Men and Women Division

  • 1st Place: Illyra Joseph (studio of Kristin Chamberlain Briggs)
  • 1st Place: Kate Felt (studio of Kristin Chamberlain Briggs)
  • 3rd Place: Sophia Nelson (studio of Jackie Jackson)

“This is actually my first year competing at NATS,” said junior Commercial Music major Kate Felt. “It was a great experience to get real, live feedback, and the showcase was so much fun. There’s always something new to learn about your own voice, and NATS is an experience all about that learning.”

With strong mentorship from SUU’s distinguished voice faculty—Kristin Chamberlain Briggs, Jackie Jackson, Carol Ann Modesitt, and Matthew Clegg—these students exemplify the high caliber of SUU’s vocal training and performance programs. For more information about studying Voice at SUU, please visit www.suu.edu/pva/music.

 

About the College of Performing and Visual Arts

The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Southern Utah University comprises 41 academic programs including liberal arts (BA/BS) and professional (BFA, BM, BMEd) degrees in art, design, dance, filmmaking, music, and theatre. It includes graduate programs in the fields of arts administration (MFA, MA), music education (MME), and music technology (MM). More than 60 full-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 900 majors in the College. CPVA presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year which are complemented by the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) and Shakespeare Studies at SUU, and is affiliated with the Tony award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF). Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) making SUU the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.

Tags: Music Education Music College of Performing and Visual Arts Competition

Contact Information:

Kol Gibson
435-865-8667
kolgibson@suu.edu