08/13/2025
Dear GPNATS Members,
We want to take a moment to update you on the final outcome of the situation involving our student Haily Watson at this year's NATS National Student Auditions.
After a formal review, the NATS National leadership has determined that no changes will be made to the original adjudication decision. The final ruling is that Haily was not eligible for a monetary award due to the presence of background vocals in her accompaniment track, which was deemed a violation of competition rules. In place of a monetary award, she was given an Honorable Mention.
As your GPNATS Board, we want to acknowledge how disappointing this outcome is. While we strongly advocated for a reconsideration and continue to have serious concerns about how the situation was handled-especially in the light of the track being used through multiple earlier rounds-we have accepted this as the final determination.
Despite our disagreement, we remain hopeful that this incident will serve as a catalyst for more precise, transparent, and equitable regulations in future auditions. Our goal is to always ensure fairness for our students and clarity for our teachers.
We thank you all for your support and your continued dedication to excellence in teaching. We remain committed to advocating for our members and their students in all levels of the NATS community.
Warmly,
Lisa Willson DeNolfo on behalf of the GPNATS Board
