New York Singing Teachers' Association.

The New York Singing Teachers' Association (NYSTA), a professional organization for vocal teachers, was founded and incorporated in 1906 under the direction of Anna E. Ziegler and Dr. Arthur de Guichard.

First named the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the organization acquired its current name officially in 1917. Among its founding members were Enrico Caruso, Emma Eames, Geraldine Farrar, Mary Garden, Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Antonio Scotti, Marcella Sembrich, and Luisa Tetrazinni. The NYSTA strives to encourage high standards of musicianship, artistic singing, voice production and vocal instruction. Another major goal of the Association is to promote American vocal music and the craft of singing in English. NYSTA encourages youthful talent through the distribution of recital awards. It also furthers its goals through its Discussion Group meetings, at which many papers have been presented on such subjects as breathing, diction, tone production, interpretation, ethics, and acting for singers. General meetings are held monthly, October through May. At each annual luncheon, a citation for meritorious achievement is awarded to an outstanding American singer of American training. Past honorees have included Roland Hayes, Eleanor Steber, Walter Cassel, Risë Stevens, Leontyne Price, Robert Merrill, Eileen Farrell, James McCracken, Regina Resnik, George Shirley, and Marilyn Horne.

The New York Singing Teachers' Association (NYSTA), first named the National Association of Teachers of Singing, was founded and incorporated in 1906 under the direction of Anna E. Ziegler and Dr Arthur de Guichard; it acquired its current name officially in 1917. Among the founding members were Enrico Caruso, Emma Eames, Geraldine Farrar, Mary Garden, Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Antonio Scotti, Marcella Sembrich, and Luisa Tetrazinni.

The NYSTA stated objectives are "to establish and maintain a standard of voice production and vocal instruction based on scientific principles", "to encourage the highest standards of musicianship and artistic singing" and "to promote American vocal music and the craft of singing in English." These objectives are drawn from its code of ethics--adopted in 1936 and later revised in 1964--for the guidance of the members in their relationship with one another, with their pupils, and with the public.

NYSTA encourages youthful talent with the many recital awards that it has organized. The New York Debut Recital Award (formerly The Town Hall Recital Award), The Shull Bequest Recital Award, and The Young Artists Concert Award were prominent competitions (primarily annual competitions). These awards and other prize monies are now given through the bi-annual Gaeumann Competition and the Musical Theater Competition that awards three prizes annually.

NYSTA provides a forum for exchange of ideas and elaboration of the principles of good singing through its Discussion Group Meetings, when teacher members discuss various aspects of vocal art. Many papers have been presented on such subjects as breathing, diction, tone production, interpretation, ethics, acting for singers, the operatic situation, the art song, etc.

General meetings are held monthly October through May where sometimes an outstanding musical personality is invited to speak or a musical program is presented. At the annual luncheons in March a citation for meritorious achievement is awarded to an outstanding American singer of American training. So honored have been Roland Hayes, Eleanor Steber, Walter Cassel, Risë Stevens, Leontyne Price, Robert Merrill, Eileen Farrell, James McCracken, Regina Resnik, George Shirley, and Marilyn Horne.

Nearing its 100th Anniversary, NYSTA is still providing many of these programs, some in an updated fashion, and some very new ones, to service the growing and changing demands of singing and teaching in our times.