Levels and Voicing

Choral festival entries must sight read in their school category, i.e. HS must read HS and JHMS must read JHMS. The director must choose the voicing of festival sight reading to match the voicing of one of the two performance pieces. The director may choose any level. 

Rules and Procedures

• When the choir enters the room, the singers may organize themselves as they wish.  
• The adjudicator will confirm the level and voicing to be read with the director.
  
• Singers will open the sight reading books when instructed to do so.
  
• The director and singers may discuss all of the exercises at the beginning of the session or may address each exercise separately.
  
• The director and singers may discuss any of the musical elements of the exercises. During the performance, the director may not sing, clap or in any way perform the exercise with/for the students.
  
• If the director chooses to conduct the exercises, they may only conduct the basic meter of the exercise.
• The director may use conducting and/or unvoiced assistance such as clapping, snapping or tapping in maintaining a steady tempo.
• The director is discouraged from giving verbal assists during the performance of exercises. Verbal assistance from the director while the students are performing will be evaluated as part of the overall performance.
  
• Rhythmic exercises must be sung using an effective reading system. Singers may not clap any of the rhythmic exercises.
  
• The director may transpose the key to best support the vocal abilities of the choir. The director should inform the adjudicator of the key change. 

Performance Instructions

The performance should be sung using an effective reading system. Ensembles will read three exercises.

• Exercise 1 will sung with rhythm only.
• Exercise 1 will be performed with melody and rhythm.

• Exercise 2 will be sung with rhythm only of the starred line.
• Exercise 2 will be performed with melody and rhythm.

• Exercise 3 will be performed with both melody and rhythm.