Shenandoah Conservatory was well represented at this spring’s Virginia Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) conference at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia, on Feb. 23, and Feb. 24. Students of Professor of Voice Byron Jones ’04, D.M.A.; Associate Professor of Voice (Soprano) Fotina Naumenko, D.M.A.; and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Voice Melissa Chávez ’15, D.M.A., participated in the student adjudications. Twenty-three students scored high enough to be eligible for the next round of competition, Mid-Atlantic Regional NATS, held March 8 and March 9 at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.
Five singers won their respective categories and sang in the honors recital at VCU:
- Skyy Carter ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance), Naumenko’s Studio
- Maximiliano Fernández Escalona ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education), Jones’s StudioSofia Stankiewicz ’24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance),
- Naumenko’s Studio
- Maria Mantalvanos ’25 (Bachelor of Arts in Music), Chávez’s Studio
- Jonathan Margrave ’24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance), Chávez’s Studio
Placing students included (name, place in category, studio):
| Category | Singer | Place | Teacher |
| HJ 7 | Skyy Carter ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 1st | Naumenko |
| CL 5A-2 | Erin Finnigan ’27 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 2nd | Naumenko |
| CL 5A-2 | Alexa Fillalan ’27 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting) | 3rd | Chávez |
| CL 5A-2 | Brooke Frampton ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | Honors | Chávez |
| CL 5A-2 | Mary Groesbeck ’27 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | Honors | Naumenko |
| CL 5B | Greylynn Waite ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) | Honors | Chávez |
| CL 5B-1 | Skyy Carter ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 3rd | Naumenko |
| CL 5B-2 | Shannon Fowler ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 2nd | Naumenko |
| CL 5B-2 | Kaitlyn Flebbe ’25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | Honors | Naumenko |
| CL 6A | Caleb Athey ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | Honors | Jones |
| CL 6B | Maximiliano Fernández Escalona ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) | 1st | Jones |
| CL 7A | Riley Taylor ’24 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) | 2nd | Chávez |
| CL 7A-1 | Sofia Stankiewicz ’24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 1st | Naumenko |
| CL 7A-1 | Cassidy Holmes ’25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | Honors | Jones |
| CL 7A-2 | Maria Mantalvanos ’25 (Bachelor of Arts in Music) | 1st | Chávez |
| CL 7A-2 | Sally McGrath ’25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 3rd | Chávez |
| CL 8A | Jonathan Margrave ’24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 1st | Chávez |
| CL 8A | Emanuel Singletary ’25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 3rd | Jones |
| MT 5A | Zoie Foster ’27 (Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre Accompanying) | 2nd | Chávez |
| MT 5A | Alexa Fillalan ’27 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting) | Honors | Chávez |
| MT 5B | Grace Ashby ’25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) | 2nd | Naumenko |
| MT 6 | Maximiliano Fernández Escalona ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) | 3rd | Jones |
| CM 7 | Natalie McCrowell ’24 (Bachelor of Music Therapy) | 1st | Chávez |
At the regional event, Emanuel Singletary ’25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) and Jonathan Margrave ’24 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) qualified to proceed to the first round of the national student adjudications.
In Richmond, Dr. Jones gave the masterclass, “Finding the Opposite: Unlocking the Unexpected in a Song or Aria.” In Greenville, Dr. Chávez presented a voice masterclass.
Chávez also serves on the VA-NATS board as vice president and auditions chair, and Jones serves as a board member at large.
