Lincoln, Neb.--BinBin Ni, a doctoral vocal performance student in the Glenn Korff School of Music from Qingyang, China, is a national semi-finalist in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) 2025 national student auditions.
Ni is one of 10 semi-finalists in the College Advanced Tenor, Baritone and Bass Voices division. He previously won 1st place in the advanced/graduate classical tenor, baritone or bass category at the West Central NATS auditions last fall.
The semi-finalists were selected from nearly 1,200 qualifying student-singers in the preliminary auditions. They will compete in the national auditions in-person from June 26-28 at Temple University.
“I was truly excited and grateful when I learned that I had advanced to the national semi-finals,” Ni said. “This recognition feels like a meaningful acknowledgement of the hard work I’ve put into my vocal studies.”
At the national semi-finals, Ni will be performing “Bright is the Ring of Words” by Ralph Vaughan Williams; “Ging heut’ Morgen über’s Feld” by Gustav Mahler; “Mache, dich, mein Herze, rein” from “Matthäus-Passion” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; “Donne mie, la fate a tanti” from “Cosi fan tutte” by Mozart; and “When Will the Spring Flowers and Autumn Mood End” (春花秋月何时了), a Chinese art song based on the poetry of Li Yu.
“My repertoire covers four languages—English, German, Italian and Chinese,” Ni said.
He is excited for this opportunity to perform at the national semi-finals.
“This is a valuable opportunity for me to further develop my performance skills,” he said. “I also look forward to connecting with other talented vocalists from different regions and learning from their artistry.”
Ni is a baritone currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts in vocal performance at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He earned his Master’s degree in opera performance with distinction from the Royal Northern College of Music in the United Kingdom and completed his Bachelor’s degree at Xi’an Conservatory of Music in China.
He has received numerous awards on the international stage, including First Prize at the 2025 NATS Midwest International Vocal Competition, a Silver Prize in Art Song and a Bronze Prize in Opera Aria at the Urbani International Vocal Competition in Italy (2018), First Prize at the Hong Kong International Piano Open (2017) and First Prize at the 2019 Comprehensive Music Skills Competition in China. As a performer, he has appeared in concerts and operas in Italy, the U.K., the U.S. and China.
Ni said several factors drew him to study at Nebraska.
“I chose UNL because the DMA program offers both a rigorous academic structure and a strong emphasis on the integration of vocal technique and artistic expression. It’s an ideal fit for someone like me who is interested in not only refining my vocal performance but also exploring stage presence and vocal pedagogy,” he said.
He was also drawn to Glenn Korff School of Music Professor of Voice and Vocal Pedagogy Kevin Hanrahan’s teaching philosophy.
“He is a patient, insightful educator and performer, who tailors his approach to each student’s unique vocal qualities,” Ni said. “Whenever I encounter a vocal challenge, he provides thoughtful, effective guidance that helps me move forward. Studying at UNL under Dr. Hanrahan’s mentorship has felt like a deep, ongoing journey of discovering my voice and artistic identity. This learning experience has undoubtedly become one of the most meaningful parts of my musical life.”
Ni is grateful for all of the support he has received.
“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported me throughout my musical journey,” he said. “Their encouragement continues to inspire me every day.”
