HS State Solo & Ensemble Festival participation offers students the opportunity to express themselves through creating beauty, building self confidence and to be affirmed as a singer. Performers learn from the mentoring of an adjudicator and through preparation in a solo or ensemble event, students gain insights into the music as they continue their musical journey.
Eligibility
- Qualifying performance of Division I - Excellent at HS District Festival
- Soloists with a raw score of 23 or higher
Repertoire
- Soloists and ensembles must sing two selections of a contrasting nature. Only one selection may have been performed at District Festival.
- Soloists may sing one opera aria.
- Soloists must perform one selection in its entirety from the Soloists’ Approved Repertoire list. Click link to view the Approved Repertoire list.
- Popular, show/musical tunes, vocal jazz, barbershop or novelty selections are not acceptable.
- Changes in literature must be made by one week before the Festival.
- If Public Domain or purchased online copies of music are used, proof of music origin is required.
Performance
- Soloists must perform from memory to receive a final determination.
- Ensembles may use music.
- Ensembles desiring MYAF consideration must perform one a cappella selection.
- Instrumental accompaniment other than piano is allowed but must not detract from the performance.
- Small ensembles consist of 2 – 5 singers.
- Large ensembles consist of 6 – 20 singers.
- The personnel of the ensemble shall not change between the performance and sight reading rooms.
- The personnel of the ensemble shall not change from one selection to the other.
- Performance time may not exceed 8 minutes.
- Choreography is not allowed.
- Original octavos of each piece with measures numbered must be provided for the use of the judge(s) and the accompanist for a final determination to be issued.
- Directors and accompanists may not conduct and/or play for more than 5 events on Friday, and no more than 5 events on Saturday morning or afternoon.
- Students may participate in up to 5 events, with no more than 3 occurring on Friday, Saturday morning or afternoon.
Sight Reading for Soloists
- Following performance, each soloist will proceed to the sight reading room.
- Only the soloist's director will be allowed in the sight reading room and may instruct the soloist.
- Prior to singing the passage, the soloist will be given time to study the exercise
- Each exercise will be 8 measures long.
- The adjudicator will establish the key as the soloist requests - starting pitch and/or tonic.
- The levels of proficiency are Primary, Intermediate and Advanced.
- Soloists may chose the level of sight reading to be performed. MYAF candidates must sight read at the Intermediate or Advanced Levels.
- The sight reading score will reflect the soloist’s knowledge of music fundamentals and sight reading ability.
- 9th grade soloists must adhere to senior high sight reading guidelines.
Sight Reading for Ensembles
- Prior to singing the passage, the ensemble will be given time to study the exercise.
- The key may be established by having the students sing scales or chord patterns.
- The director may change the key to best support the vocal abilities of the choir.
- Intervals contained in the exercise may be sung as long as they are not done in the sequence of the written material. For example, random intervals or patterns such as 1-3-5-3-1,1-6,1-4, etc. may be sung by the students in preparation. Directors may call attention to places where these occur in the exercise. They may not be rehearsed in the sequence in which they appear.
- The group may speak aloud the solfege, letter or number names preparatory to singing.
- Singers are allowed to discuss and/or vocalize with their neighbors during the prep time. The director may not assist by illustrating intervals or rhythms.
- The practice of "neighboring" shall not be a unified effort by a section or group of more than three students.
- The ensemble’s performance will reflect its ability to understand and sight read the following:
Rhythm: note and rest values, feeling of pulse/tempo - appropriate and steady
Pitch: pitches, tonality and intonation
Other: Technique (either fixed or movable do, using either sollfege, numbers, letter names, or neutral syllable(s)), concentration of group members, expression, phrasing, tone, quality
Rubrics
Final Determinations
Scores will be calculated by multiplying the performance judge's score by three and adding the sight reading judge's score.
| Division I |
Excellent |
120 - 96 |
| Division II |
Good |
95 - 72 |
| Division III |
Fair |
71 - 46 |
| Division IV |
Developing |
45 - 24 |
Medals
Medals are available for purchase for $4 each.
Missed Event Policy
- The student's director is the only person that can ask for a change to the schedule. No parents or students are allowed in the headquarters. If the student's director is not there, the student has no option to be rescheduled.
- The individual in charge of the master schedule will work with the director to determine if an opening is available that will accommodate the student and the accompanist.
- A fee of $10 shall be paid at the acceptance of the rescheduled opening or the event will not perform. Payment will be made by cash or director's check payable to MSVMA.
Student Conduct
In signing the registration form, the principal and the director agree to supervise the students from their school to ensure proper conduct at the Festival. Sanctions may be imposed by the MSVMA Executive Board upon schools whose students' behavior is inappropriate.
Michigan Youth Arts Festival
Soloists and ensembles interested in being considered for the Michigan Youth Arts Festival should click on the following links for important information.
MYAF overview
ยท MYAF S&E information
Transfer Request Guidelines
Registration
- Completed and signed registration form postmarked or hand delivered to Festival Scheduler by February 21, 2017.
- Non-refundable fees must be paid at the time of registration by school check or director’s personal check payable to MSVMA and postmarked by February 21.
- Purchase orders are acceptable. Event supervisors must receive payment for one week prior to the Festival.
- Schedules will be sent when payment is received.
Fees
| $35 |
Solo |
|
| $50 |
Small ensemble |
2 - 5 singers |
| $80 |
Large ensemble |
6 - 20 singers |
| $90 |
Large ensemble - MYAF consideration |
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Deadline for registration and payment is February 21, 2017.
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Director of State Events
Bert Van Dyke
bertvandyke@msvma.org Supervisor of State S & E Festivals
Cindy Hunter
cindyhunter@msvma.org
Central April 20 & 21, 2018
Districts 1, 2, 7 & 9 District 5: Bay, Clinton, Gratiot, Isabella & Midland Counties Festival Coordinator
Kathy Cunningham
KathyCunningham@MSVMA.org Host
Jill Neverth
jinev@mcbain.org McBain Rural Agricultural School
107 East Maple Street
McBain, MI 49657
East April 13 & 14, 2018
Districts 3, 15 & 16
District 5: Shiawassee, Saginaw counties
District 8: Ingham, Eaton counties east of US127
Leo Humbach
Festival Coordinator
leohumbach@msvma.org Kevin Cornwall
Host
big_kc99@yahoo.com
Avondale HS
2800 Waukegan Street
Auburn Hills, MI 48326
South April 20 & 21, 2018 Districts 4 &12
District 8: Hillsdale, Jackson & Lenawee Counties
TBD
Festival Coordinator Matt Laura
Host
mattlaura@msvma.org Fordson High School
13800 Ford Road
Dearborn, MI 48126
UP April 20 & 21, 2018
Districts 13 & 14
Jan Brodersen
Festival Coordinator & Host
jbrodersen@mapsnet.org
Lake Superior Christian Church
393 State Highway M533
Marquette, MI 49855
West April 13 & 14, 2018 District 8: Ingham and Eaton Counties west of US127
District 6, 10 & 11 Festival Coordinator Needed
Festival Coordinator Emily Verdonk
Host
verdonkemi@apsfalcons.net Allendale High School
10760 68th Avenue
Allendale, MI 49401
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