The National Society of Arts and Letters
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Washington DC Chapter
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National Career Awards
The 2012 National Career Award Competition will be in the artistic category of Musical Theater
2012 Washington DC Chapter Musical Theater Chairs Dr. Gail Humphries Mardirosian and Brenda Brody
$4,000 Washington DC Chapter First Place Prize Helen Lee Henderson Award ____________________________
$10,000 National First Prize Award
Washington DC Chapter Competition Sunday, March 25, 2012 Steinway Recital Hall, Steinway Piano Gallery Tysons Corner Center 1961 Chain Bridge Road
NSAL would like to thank Steinway for generously donating their Recital Hall for this event.
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The National Career Awards, along with the Winston Art and Voice Scholarships, are competitions that are considered the “heart” of NSAL.
The National Career Awards competition rotates from year to year in one of the six artistic disciplines supported by NSAL: art, dance, drama, literature, music, and musical theater. All local chapters are invited to conduct a regional competition in the designated category.
Along with monetary awards gained by emerging artists, the National Career Awards afford the opportunity for young people throughout the United States to be heard and seen by professional critics, managers, producers, teachers, the media, and patrons of the arts. All competitions are adjudicated by locally and nationally known professionals in the chosen discipline. In addition, renowned judges of the National Career Awards conduct Master Classes for the contestants during the national competition.
The Washington DC Chapter will honor its local chapter winners on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 1:30 during our final meeting of the season!
$10,000 National First Prize Award The winner of the local Career Award competition will compete at the National Competition in El Paso, Texas Thursday, May 17 through -20, 2012 For more information on the National Competition please click on http://www.arts-nsal.org/competition.html
────── Following the competition you are invited to join us from 2:00 till 4:00 for The Washington DC Chapter’s Piano Master Class Fundraiser with Christopher O’Riley Classical Pianist and Public Radio Show Host as part of our NSAL Musical Marathon Festival
For Master Class tickets and information please contact Susan Merritt at 703-683-4340 or you can visit our Master Class link at http://www.nsalwashington.org/masterclass.htm
2012 Musical Theater Competition Chapter and National Competition Rules
Eligibility
· Contestant must be at least 18 and no older than 29 years of age on the date of the National Competition, May 18, 2012. · Contestant must be a citizen of the United States of America. · Contestant must not be under exclusive professional management or representation. · To be eligible to compete at the National level, a contestant must first compete at the NSAL Chapter level and be declared the first award winner. · Contestant must enter a competition of the NSAL Chapter nearest to his or her home or his or her school or be assigned to a Chapter by the National Career Awards Chair. Contestant may compete in only one Chapter competition. Contestants of the Washington Chapter Competition must reside in or attend an educational institution within Washington DC, Maryland, Delaware or Virginia north of Fredericksburg. The Washington, D.C., Chapter Competition will be held on Sunday, March 25, 2012, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with winner announced at 1:30 p.m. at the following location: Steinway Recital Hall Steinway Piano Gallery Tyson’s Corner Center 1961 Chain Bridge Road McLean VA 22102 · Washington, D.C., Chapter winners must perform at the May 2, 2012, meeting of NSAL at 2:00 p.m. · Winning local contestant must travel to El Paso, Texas, on May 17, 2012, and remain through the Career Awards Banquet on the evening of Saturday, May 19 where 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners are required to perform. Contestant must participate in the Master Class on Saturday, May 19, 2012. For more information on the National competition please click on http://www.arts-nsal.org/competition.html · Contestant must have submitted and been approved of all required materials as stated in the application form including chapter application/registration fee (paid by the Chapter).
Performance Requirements
· Contestants must submit a completed NSAL application. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. · The contestant will present a five (5) minute musical theatre audition. · The total performance time must not exceed five (5) minutes total time for the selections. · Upon entering the stage, the contestant will announce the number assigned to him/her and the titles of his/her pieces. Do not state your name. This introduction will not be counted in the five-minute limit. · The presentation must consist of two contrasting songs and a monologue. · Choice of songs must be from musical theatre literature. The monologue may be from either a musical or a contemporary play. View the five minutes as a complete performance with a beginning, middle and end. · An accompanist will be provided at the competition. · A photo copy of the contestant’s music choices must be included with the application. Music should be legible, clearly marked and in the correct key. Music should also be three-hole punched. · A copy of the contemporary monologue must be included in the submission. · Music and monologue choices may be different than what was performed at the local chapter. However, once choices are submitted to National, there may be NO changes. · Contestants may not use hand props, recorded music, or sound effects. Costumes for a particular character from a musical should not be worn. Appropriate audition attire: Black shirt and slacks or skirt. · An invited audience will be present but will not be allowed to respond to the performance. · On the National level, in addition to the five minute individual performance, contestants will participate in a mandatory dance class. The class will begin with a jazz/ballet warm up followed by a musical theatre combination. The dance class will be weighed into the judges’ rankings. No dancing is required for Chapter competition. Adjudication
· Performance will be judged as a whole. However, the following points will be considered: a. Mastery of songs and characterization b. Voice and speech c. Revelation of character and action d. Stage presence e. Overall presentation f. The dance class will also be considered in the judges’ rankings. (National competition only) · There will be three (3) qualified judges plus a fourth who will serve as an alternate. The Judges for the Washington Chapter competition will be:
David Loud is a graduate of Yale University and teaches at the Yale School of Drama. His Broadway musical director credits include Ragtime, Curtains, Sondheim on Sondheim, and revivals of many productions. Currently he is musical director of Porgy and Bess at Harvard’s ART (American Repertory Theater) and will be taking the production to Broadway this winter.
Christopher Denny has spent his career as a musical director, arranger and pianist for internationally acclaimed cabaret artists. He has won multiple awards for outstanding musical direction. His film credits include producing the recording sessions for Placido Domingo for the Oscar-winning musical, Moulin Rouge. He divides his time between New York City, San Francisco, and Paris teaching Master Classes for singers.
Laurie Mufson is Director of Theatre, Palmer Chair of Fine Arts, at Mercersburg Academy. She is also the President of the Lessac Institute. She is a professional director of musical theatre, serious drama, the classics and children’s theatre.
Lea Archer (Alternate Judge) is a dance instructor for Impact Entertainment and Joy of Motion in the Washington Metropolitan Area and has performed with “Show in the Sky,” the Las Vegas Metropolitan Ballet, the Opus Dance Ensemble, and in many productions at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
· Judges will not see any contestant’s name or school affiliation. · Judges will be separated from the audience and from each other during the performance. Judges should not confer between performances. · The judges shall confer after the last performance to consider the option of call-backs before making their final decision. In the event of a call-back, the contestant will be asked to perform the material previously presented. · Each judge will rank the contestants in numerical order with the top contestant listed as #1, the second contestant as #2, and so forth. The three judges’ rankings will then be averaged together giving a final ranking for award placement. In case of a tie, the three judges will rank the tied contestants. The 4th judge’s rankings will only be used in the event one of the three judges has to recuse himself or herself for knowing a contestant. · Judges’ score sheets may include comments on performances. Score sheets may be sent to the contestants following completion of the competition at the discretion of the judges. Awards will not be split, and only one award winner per placement will be allowed. · The decision of the judges is final.
To download Competition Rules please click on
To download an Application Form please click on
To download a Competition Flyer please click on
For further information please contact: Dr. Gail Humphries Mardirosian
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The 2011 National Career Award was in the artistic category of Dance “Choreography: The Art of the Solo”
An open invitation for ballet, modern, and jazz choreographers to perform their work…
2011 Washington DC Chapter Dance Chair Janice Nevin
The Washington DC local competition was held on Sunday, March 20, 2011 at the Maryland Youth Ballet
Chair Janice Nevin and Award Presenter Robert Hanson with Kate Jordan and Lara Friedman
——— First Place Winner ——— Lara Friedman $4000 JoAnne D. Hanson Memorial Award Lara’s winning modern dance choreography is entitled All That Remains Lara won the 6th place prize in NSAL’s National Career Award Competition receiving the $1,000 Paul Brockman Award
Lara is a 19-year-old student at Towson University. She is from New Jersey and in 2008 won the New Jersey Governor's Award in Arts Education for Excellence in Dance. At the 2011 ACDF Northeast Conference Adjudication Concert, she was chosen by the faculty to represent Towson University with All That Remains solo.
Kate Jordan $2,000 Second Place Winner Kate’s modern dance choreography is entitled Defrost
Kate is a performer and teacher who resides in Washington, D.C. She presently performs with the Karen Reedy Dance in Arlington and also performs with DancEvert. Kate teaches modern dance and choreography at City Dance Ensemble, The National Cathedral School, and the Washington Ballet School.
Collage by Catherine Rogers
Top row: Maryland Youth Ballet Principal Michelle Lees Larson, Judge Susan Shields, Judge Doug Yeuell, Judge Fabian Barnes, Judge Harriet Wilson and NSAL 2011 Washington DC Dance Chair Janice Nevin Middle Row: Contestant Eve Holmes Front row: Contestants John Long, Kate Jordan, David Hyun Yi, Rachel Wolfe, Marissa Molnar, Lara Friedman, Margaret Kudirka, and Marsha Bonet-Savechenko
The 2011 Choreography Dance Competition Judges
Fabian Barnes is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Dance Institute of Washington. He was a soloist with The Dance Theatre of Harlem and has devoted himself to improving the lives of underserved children through the arts.
Susan Shields is the recipient of the 2006 Choo-San Goh Award for Choreography. She has created dances, performed, and taught for many professional companies and universities throughout the world. She is currently a professor in George Mason University 's School of Dance.
Douglas Yeuell is an accomplished dancer and dance educator and an active participant in the Washington, DC dance community since 1982. Yeuell currently serves as the Executive/Artistic Director of the Joy of Motion Dance Center one of Washington's leading dance education institutions. He is considered one of the city's most highly acclaimed jazz dance instructors.
Harriet Williams was not only a judge but also led the warm-up class for the contestants. Williams has been on the faculty of the Maryland Youth Ballet since 1982, teaching at all levels. She is also the conservator for the choreographic work of the late Eric Hampton.
The 2011 local competition was held at the Maryland Youth Ballet compliments of Principal Michelle Lees Larson, an NSAL member. We appreciate her support in allowing us to use MYB’s beautiful new facilities in Silver Spring, MD. Please visit their website at
The Washington DC Chapter invited aspiring young choreographers to participate in its 2011 Choreography Dance Competition. NSAL’s purpose in mounting competitions is to assist young people with career potential in the arts.
The 2011 Dance competition was in choreography and could be in jazz, modern or ballet. The contestant choreographed and performed his or her own work. The running time of the piece could not exceed six minutes. No costumes or props were allowed and contestants had to bring their own music (CD).
After competing at the local Chapter level the first place award winner automatically competes on the National level. In addition to the National first award of $10,000 there will be other cash awards. The contestant must be at least 18 years of age and must not have reached the age of 33 on the date of the National Competition on May 20th, 2011 in Birmingham, Alabama. All expenses for the Chapter winner to attend the competition will be paid by the Chapter.
The Washington DC Chapter will honor its local chapter winners at the May meeting.
To view our 2010 National Career Award Competition in Literature – Short Story please click on ————————— ● ————————— To view our 65th Annual National Conference and the 2009 National Career Award Drama Competition please click on ————————— ● —————————
PREVIOUS FIRST PLACE WINNERS FOR THE NATIONAL CAREER AWARD
2011 Winner in Literature – Short Story – David Scrivner 2010 Winner in Literature - Mehdi Okasi 2009 Winner in Drama - John "Jack" Holloway 2008 Winner in Voice - Sarah Mesko 2007 Winner in Art - Jenny Davis (also a Washington, DC Chapter winner) 2006 Winner in Dance - Krista Ettlinger 2005 Winner in Comedy Acting - Robbie Collier Sublett 2004 Winner in Musical Theater - Megan Hilty 2003 Winner in Literature - Susanna Childress 2002 Winner in Piano - Andrea Baiocchi 2001 Winner in Small Sculpture - Gary W. Mark 2000 Winner in Ballet - April Taylor 1999 Winner in Drama - Michael Aaron Linder 1998 Winner in Literature - Laura Kopchick 1997 Winner in Voice - Jeffrey Buchman 1996 Winner in Art: Ceramics - Leo Saul Berk 1995 Winner in Modern Dance - Galen L. Lambert 1994 Winner in Drama - Rob Johansen 1993 Winner in Literature - Ben
Madden 1981 Winner in Art - Laura Ryan John Stanley Echlin (14-18 age
division) 1969 Winner in Drama - Diane
Young 1961 Winner in Art - Kay
Hoffmann Schwartz
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FUTURE CAREER AWARD COMPETITION CATEGORIES AND WASHINGTON CHAPTER CHAIRS
2013 Art Washington DC Chapter Chairs Anne Rullman and Dr. Geraldine Slaughter National Competition to be held in Pittsburgh, PA
2014 Music Washington DC Chapter Chair: Jane Taylor
2015 Drama ——————— ● ———————
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