Four Missouri State University vocal performance students placed in the final rounds of the Central Regional National Association of Teachers of Singing (CRNATS) student auditions Oct. 31-Nov. 1.

Veronika Yerina, a junior vocal performance and biology double major, placed first in the upper division treble category. She sang Mozart’s “Dove sono i bei momenti.”

Senior vocal performance major Kyleigh Hendrix placed second in the upper division treble category, while sophomore vocal performance major Mara Bannister placed third in lower division treble. Payton Ballinger, who is pursuing a master’s in vocal performance, placed third in advanced division.

All four now advance to the national semifinals, which will be held in the spring of 2026.

Other students participating in the CRNATS competition were Abigail Teberian, Allison Britt, Aryan Neece-McHaffie, Ella Greninger, Noah Maddox, Jacob Leath, Parker Ohman, Kaitlyn Wilson and Wade Bogart. Eight of these students advanced to the semifinal rounds.

Several members of Missouri State’s music faculty traveled with the students. They were Dr. Carol Chapman, voice area coordinator; Dr. Perry Mears, assistant professor of collaborative piano and accompanist; Dr. Chris Thompson, professor of vocal music; Dr. Ann Marie Daehn, professor of vocal music and Opera Workshop; Visiting Artist Kara McBain; and Dr. Paula Patterson, head of the Department of Music.

“We are all very proud of the students that participated in the auditions,” Chapman said.

Nerve-wracking experience yields joy

Competing in CRNATS is not for lightweights. It is a grueling and stressful process that requires patience, determination and discipline.

For starters, singers must prepare several pieces ahead of the competition, Bannister explained. Some students need to prepare three pieces, she said, while others are expected to prepare five or more.

Each competitor first performs in preliminary rounds, then waits to learn if they advanced to the semifinals. Those who advance to the semifinals perform the following day. The top three singers from the semifinals move to the final round, where they perform in a recital hall and are ranked first, second and third.

Despite the stress, Yerina, Bannister and Ballinger expressed surprise, gratitude and joy over their CRNATS performances.

Veronika Yerina

This was Yerina’s third year competing at CRNATS. She did not advance to the finals during the previous years, so it was “an absolute shock” to hear she made the final cut.

“I walked on the stage with a mindset to just enjoy it, knowing that I would never get another chance to sing on that particular stage, in that particular moment in time, with that particular voice,” she said.

Upon hearing that she had won, Yerina recalled her first thought was to find Chapman, her instructor and mentor, to “share the victory.”

“I consider that win a team effort, as she has encouraged me to grow and pushed me in just the right ways to get me where I am today,” Yerina noted. “She has seen my voice through so many stages — the good, the bad, and the ugly. I know that whether I win first, third, or not at all, she will always be an advocate for my voice and my vocal journey.”

Yerina also praised Mears. “[He] has performed with me at many events and has been a positive presence and joy every time,” she said. “The trust built between the singer and accompanist is an integral part of a good performance.”

Yerina plans to go to graduate school for opera after graduating from Missouri State. “The ultimate goal is to be able to perform while doing voice-related scientific research,” she explained. “The voice is a fascinating science; there is so much to learn about each person’s unique instrument.”

Mara Bannister

Bannister competed in CRNATS for the second time this year. She was thrilled to place third.

“Last year, I made the semifinal round, but not the finals,” she said. “Making it to the finals was significant for me because it is an outward indicator of growth in my voice. This means I am going in the right direction with my voice, and I now have tangible goals for my growth in the future.”

She expressed gratitude to Chapman for “nurturing this growth” and to Mears for his consistent support as accompanist.

After graduation, Bannister hopes to perform professionally “in any medium that I can: choir, opera and beyond.”

“Classical singing is still an area of my voice that I am exploring,” she said. “It is still a vulnerable experience for me to perform. This year at CRNATS, I learned the ways in which I can have more confidence in performing.”

Payton Ballinger

Ballinger is completing her first year in Missouri State’s voice performance master’s program and is a graduate assistant in the voice and opera department. She hopes to perform professionally in opera and choir after graduation.

“I am not naive and know that a full-time performance career is highly unlikely,” she said. “But I would also love to find a way to serve whatever community I end up in through the intersection of music and psychology, such as in music therapy.”

This was Ballinger’s first time to participate in CRNATS. She previously competed in the west coast region NATS as an undergraduate.

“Winning third place was a nice bonus, but that is not why I sing,” Ballinger said. “My job is to tell stories and, hopefully, allow people to feel or understand some element of the human experience.”

Dedicated to growth

The students also admitted they learned from their fellow competitors.

“There is always something to learn from the other people in the same room as you, and CRNATS was no different,” Yerina said. “Although it was a competition, it was also an opportunity to learn and grow by observing others perform. Everyone’s vocal journey looks different, and it is inspiring to have the opportunity to support each other as musicians.”

“Competing is always difficult, mentally more than anything,” Ballinger said. “There are always the feelings of ‘am I good enough,’ ‘have I worked hard enough,’ and ‘what if they don’t like me.’ But it is always so rewarding.”

 

---

Photos provided by Carol Chapman.