Virginia ACDA All-Virginia Middle Schl Hnr Chir 2017-2018 Applicatin Packet General infrmatin and deadlines... Page 2 Singer applicatin... Page 3 Singer/Parent FAQs... Page 4 Recrding Yur Applicant... Page 5-6 Registering Yur Applicant... Page 7-9 Cmmn Errrs... Page 10 Scales & America sheet music... appendix 1
General Infrmatin and Deadlines Directrs must be members in gd standing with the American Chral Directrs Assciatin in rder t submit auditins fr the All-Virginia Middle Schl Hnr Chir. There are TWO chirs: The Treble Chir (TC) is fr 6 th and 7 th grade girls and 6 th -8 th grade bys with unchanged vices The Mixed Chir (MC) is fr 8 th grade girls and 6 th -8 th grade bys with changed vices (tenr r bass) Deadlines and Schedules: January 23, 2018 All applicants must be registered nline by 11:59pm. Yu will nt mail the individual applicatin frms as there will be a checkbx nline t certify that the parent and chaperne have signed. The nly item yu will mail is a single spnsring rganizatin check made payable t VA-ACDA t cver each applicant s $10 nn-refundable applicatin fee, pstmarked January 23. Send t: Philip Keirstead Marsteller Middle Schl 14000 Sudley Manr Dr. Bristw, VA 20136 Snw Dates If any part f Virginia has ne r tw snw days frm Jan. 16-23, the new deadline fr submissins will be January 25. If three r mre snw days ccur in that same time frame, the new deadline will be January 31. N ther extensins will be made. February 13, 2018 Ntificatin letters f acceptance int the 2018 Virginia ACDA Middle Schl Hnr Chir mailed t directrs fr distributin. February 27, 2018 Registratin fee f $100.00 per accepted participant (directrs shuld send ne spnsring rganizatin check made payable t VA-ACDA t cver all f their participants) mailed t Tim Drummnd Mdy Middle Schl 7800 Wdman Rd. Henric, VA 23228 March 8, 2018 April 5, 2018 April 7, 2018 Music and instructins n hw t access practice tracks mailed t directrs f participating students. Participants travel t First Baptist Church in Richmnd, VA fr registratin and first evening f rehearsal under the guest cnductrs. Perfrmance time anticipated fr 3:00pm (may change). Directr s Expectatins fr Students: Directrs shuld nly nminate students wh are strng in all f the fllwing categries: 1) music reading skills, 2) tne quality, 3) scial skills, 4) willingness t wrk with peers and adults, and 5) ability t maintain fcus in lng rehearsals. 2
2018 Virginia ACDA Middle Schl Hnr Chir Applicatin Frm Phtcpy this frm as needed. Yu will NOT mail this applicatin. When registering each applicant, yu will cmplete the nline frm with this infrmatin and certify that the student, parent, and chaperne have signed the frm. Singer Infrmatin: Please print legibly! Applicants must currently be enrlled in grades 6, 7, r 8. First Name (t be printed in prgram) Last name Name peple call yu (fr name-tag and t-shirt) Chir and Vice Part Treble Chir (TC) 6 th and 7 th grade girls 6 th -8 th grade bys with unchanged vices Mixed Chir (MC) 8 th grade girls 6 th -8 th grade bys with changed vices TC Spran 1 TC Spran 2 TC Alt 1 TC Alt 2 MC Spran 1 MC Spran 2 MC Alt 1 MC Alt 2 MC Tenr 1 MC Tenr 2 MC Bass 1 MC Bass 2 Grade: 6 7 8 Height in inches: Gender: M F Parent/Guardian Name Hme/Cell Phne (whichever is best) Chaperne Name (must be 21 years f age) Chaperne CELL Phne T-shirt size Yuth Medium Yuth Large Adult Small Adult Medium Adult Large Adult XL Adult 2XL Chaperne Statement f Obligatin: If selected, I will chaperne this applicant t Richmnd April 5-7, 2018. I understand that ACDA is nt respnsible fr the csts f my transprtatin, ldging, r meals, and that I am respnsible fr the student(s) at all times, including rehearsals and meals. I certify that I am at least 21 years f age as f April 7, 2018. Chaperne s Signature: Date: Parent and Applicant Statement f Obligatin: We have read the entire applicatin frm and understand that selectin fr the 2018 Virginia ACDA Middle Schl Hnr Chir brings with it significant musical and financial bligatin. We understand that as a member f the Hnr Chir, the applicant must pay a $100 participatin fee, and that ACDA is nt respnsible fr the csts f the applicant s transprtatin, ldging, r meals. We understand that the applicant must arrive in Richmnd fr registratin and first evening rehearsal n Thursday, April 5, 2018, and that the applicant must attend ALL Hnr Chir rehearsals and the perfrmance n Saturday, April 7, 2018. Failure t participate in rehearsals will result in dismissal frm the chir. The applicant will be cmmitted t having the music fully prepared accrding t the instructins prvided and may be spt-tested at rehearsal. Student s Signature: Parent/Guardian Signature: Directr s Signature: Date: Date: Date: Directrs, because yu are nt mailing this applicatin, yu d nt need t include yur cntact inf here. Hwever, when yu register yur students nline, yu ll need yur ACDA number and rganizatin s address. STOP! Directrs, d nt mail this frm. Register yur students at www.frmdesk.cm/virginiaacda/msauditins 3
All-Virginia Middle Schl Hnr Chir Parent and Singer FAQs What is the All-Virginia Middle Schl Hnr Chir? The All-Virginia Middle Schl Hnr Chir is a gathering f the best singers frm grades 6-8 frm the entire Cmmnwealth f Virginia. Hw d I apply? Yu must be spnsred by a member f the American Chral Directrs Assciatin. This culd be yur schl s chrus directr, church s music minister, r cmmunity chir directr. He r she will recrd yu singing three things: a majr scale, the first verse f America, and a minute f an apprved sng. Prfessinal judges will then scre that auditin and the highest scres will be selected fr the event. Des it cst? Yes. There is a $10 auditin fee. This ges twards paying the judges and the sftware that hsts all the auditin files. If yu make it, there is als a $100 registratin fee. Yur directr will instruct yu n hw t pay. Hw cmpetitive is the auditin prcess? There are tw chirs this year. The Treble Chir is fr 6 th and 7 th grade girls and 6 th -8 th grade bys with unchanged vices. The SATB Chir is fr 8 th grade girls and 6 th -8 th grade bys with changed vices. Over 1000 auditins will be submitted and apprximately 280 will be chsen. When is the event? April 5-7, 2018. Rehearsal starts apprximately at 1:00pm n April 5. The final cncert will be early afternn n April 7. Hw d I find ut if I made it? Yur spnsr will receive a package n r arund February 13 with a letter addressed t each f his/her participants infrming yu f whether yu were accepted. Sme singers will be named alternates and will g in the place f an individual wh cannt attend fr whatever reasn. Where is the event? Rehearsals and perfrmances will be at First Baptist Church in Richmnd. Mre details will be sent t participants. What d we d there? Abut a mnth prir t the event yu ll receive a packet f music. Yur directr will help yu learn the ntes fr these sngs but yu will als have access t practice tracks yu can dwnlad t an mp3 player r listen t nline. When yu arrive fr the first rehearsal, yu ll meet yur guest cnductr. It s their jb t get yu cncert ready with apprximately 12 hurs f rehearsal! What if I live far away? If yu re accepted, yu ll receive a list f lcal htels with which we ve negtiated grup rates. The vernight trip is part f the fun f this event! D I g alne? N. Every singer must have a chaperne. Usually, that s a parent. That generally means s/he will need t take tw full days ff wrk. Smetimes, schls that have multiple students accepted can duble up students with chapernes. That s up t yur directr. 4
Recrding Yur Applicant Read and fllw instructins exactly!!! All recrdings must be cmpleted in mp3 frmat and upladed t FrmDesk fllwing the instructins n pages 7-9. CD s r ther recrding media will nt be accepted. Each sectin f the auditin (scale, America, and sng) must be n a separate.mp3 file. Any auditin recrding that has been electrnically enhanced in any way (reverb, aut-tune, etc.) will be disqualified. If yu recrd in GarageBand, please nte the vcal default is t add reverb. Yu must change this setting. General Recrding Tips Use the best equipment available t yu. Audacity is a free sftware prgram that allws yu t use yur cmputer with built-in micrphne t make recrdings. Yu can get it at http://audacity.surcefrge.net. Make sure yur recrding device, whatever it is, has the fllwing settings.mp3 recrding, NOT.wav Sample rate f at least 44.1 khz 192 kbps (r CD quality) Any quality setting lwer than these will negatively affect the recrding quality Ask yur IT persn r any f yur students t help yu with this Place the micrphne clser t the singer than the pian Recrd as many takes as necessary t get the best perfrmance pssible. In the past, auditins have been submitted with sneezes, PA interruptins, ringing phnes, etc. One Octave Majr Scale 40 pints Must be sung a cappella ascending and descending. Accmpanied singers will receive zer pints fr this sectin. The judges will assess Tne and Intnatin (20 pints each). Singer must use slfege. Use a temp between 60 and 90 bpm and sing quarter ntes. The starting pitch shuld be played after pushing the recrd buttn s the judge can hear the given pitch. Use the fllwing starting pitches: Singing in a key ther than thse assigned may result in an Intnatin scre f Zer. 5
America 60 pints Must be sung a cappella. Accmpanied singers will receive zer pints fr this sectin. The judges will assess Tne, Intnatin, Dictin, and Phrasing (15 pints each). Sing nly the first verse (the ne everyne knws) beginning with My Cuntry tis f Thee starting n the pitches listed belw. Cautin yur singers t use an apprpriate chral sund rather than pp. The starting pitch shuld be played after pushing the recrd buttn s the judge can hear the given pitch. Use the fllwing starting pitches, paying careful attentin t the different keys in the Sprans. All tenrs, regardless f divisi, start n G. All basses start n D. Singing in a key ther than thse assigned may result in an Intnatin scre f Zer. Sng 100 pints The judges will assess Tne, Intnatin (30 pts each), Phrasing, and Dictin (20 pts each). Guide yur singers int selecting an apprpriate sl. D nt let them chse n their wn. The sng sectin must be at least 45 secnds but the judges will stp listening after 1 minute 15 secnds. The singer shuld sing the prtin f music that best exemplifies his r her vice. The tessitura f the sng shuld be relative t the vice part fr which s/he is auditining. Sprans shuld nt be belting. Past judges strngly recmmend using an accmpanied sng (limit intrductin t 5-6 secnds) but a cappella is acceptable. Yu may use a recrded accmpaniment. If accmpanied, it is mre imprtant fr the judge t hear the vice than an equal balance f vice and accmpaniment. Keep the micrphne clse t the singer. IMPORTANT When finished recrding Name each file fllwing these guidelines: chir abbreviatin, perid, vice part abbreviatin, perid, Lastname, perid, Firstname, perid, and the auditin cmpnent: "scale" "america" r "sng" MC.S1.De.Jane.scale TC.A2.Jhnsn.Sam.america MC.B2.Smith.Mark.sng 6
Registering Yur Applicant Read and fllw instructins exactly!!! 1) Yu may register yur students as yu cmplete their auditins r yu may wait until they are all cmplete and register all at nce. 2) G t www.frmdesk.cm/virginiaacda/msauditins 3) The first time yu visit, yu ll have t register. Yu ll see this screen. Click n the Register buttn at the bttm. If yu remember last year s lgin, use it. Step 3 Step 4 4) Enter yur first and last name and e-mail address. Create a User name (I suggest yu use yur e-mail address minus the @schl.edu prtin). Create a passwrd. There are n restrictins n the passwrd. Click Next. Write yur User name and passwrd here fr safe keeping: User name: Passwrd: 5) Yu ll see the fllwing screen. It is yur auditin submissin summary. Right nw it is empty because yu ve nt submitted any yet. Click Fill ut a new frm. Step 5 7
Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 6) Enter infrmatin directly frm the student s applicatin page. If any part is left blank, FrmDesk will nt let yu submit. Nickname is the name by which the student is usually called. D nt type nne in Nickname. D nt type n/a. Retype the student s first name if it is blank. 7) By checking here, yu certify that the student, parent, and chaperne have all signed the applicatin. This eliminates the need t mail the applicatins t me. 8) Uplad the three mp3 files, ne at a time, here. BE SURE THE FILES ARE NAMED ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS at the bttm f page 6. 9) Enter yur infrmatin at the bttm f the screen. If Ckies are enabled in yur brwser, yu shuld nly have t d this nce and the rest f yur submissins will be pre-filled. Fr Name f Organizatin, please put the full schl r church name, nt a chir name unless it is a cmmunity chir. 8
10) Click Send. Prcessing the frm may take a few mments. When finished, yu ll see this message alng with the entire cmpleted frm belw it. An autmated e-mail will als be sent t yu. It cntains all the infrmatin yu just input including the mp3 files yu attached. 11) Click Next at the bttm f the screen and yu ll be returned t yur submissin summary page. It will list the first and last name, chir/vice part, and all three files yu submitted. FrmDesk adds a 7-digit index number t the frnt f each file autmatically; disregard it. Frm this screen yu have several ptins: A) Click the edit icn t edit a submissin (yu may d this up t 11:59pm, January 23). B) Click the mp3 links t make sure yu upladed the crrect files and that they wrk. C) Click Fill ut a new frm buttn t cntinue registering yur students. D) Click Stp t end yur sessin. Yu may cme back later t uplad mre. 12) This summary page will be the first page that pens when yu lgin each time. 13) If yu have any tech questins, please ask yur IT specialist t help. DO NOT wait until January 23 t begin this prcess. Applicatins will nt be accepted after January 23 (except in the case f snw dates). Yu may send general questins t philip.keirstead@gmail.cm. 14) ONE rganizatin check fr all f yur students auditins fees ($10 each) shuld be mailed t the address n page 2. The pstmark deadline is als January 23. D NOT mail the paper applicatins. 9
Cmmn Errrs Fllw instructins t avid these When directrs fllw instructins n hw t recrd and register students precisely, the auditin chairpersn s jb is very simple. All mp3 files are alphabetized autmatically and everything is standardized fr the judges. When mistakes are made, the chairpersn has t first figure ut what the mistake is and then fix it, and that takes time. T encurage directrs t pay clse attentin t instructins, each mistake will incur a $10 suggested dnatin bill. This is nt a fine. Yu may chse t pay the entire amunt, a prtin theref, r nt at all. Because it is nt budgeted, any funds raised by this will g twards an added treat fr the event itself. Misspelled names Cmmn Errrs that can be fixed but might cst yu $10 The last and first name submitted t FrmDesk must match exactly the last and first name used in naming the auditin files. Flipped names When naming the auditin files, last name ges first. Auditin file name des nt include chir This is new this year. TC r MC ges first in the file name. Vice part desn t match The vice part yu selected n FrmDesk des nt match the vice part in the auditin file. Yu labeled a Treble Chir auditin as a Mixed Chir vice part. Rman numerals instead f Arabic Use S1 and A2, nt SI r AII Spran 1 sang the wrng key fr America If they sing in F, they will be switched t Spran 2. Keys dn t match selected vice part If a labeled Alt 1 sings the Spran 2 key, s/he will be switched. Missing a file Yu upladed Jhn s sng n Jane s frm. Yu upladed Jhn s sng twice instead f America. Cmmn Errrs that cannt be fixed and might ruin yur student s chance Keys dn t match selected vice part If the key n the recrding matches nne f the vice parts (C majr, fr example), the student will receive a scre f zer fr intnatin fr that sectin. Scale r America are accmpanied Play the starting pitch at the beginning then remve yur hands frm the keybard. Accmpanied singers will receive a zer fr that entire sectin. Singer s name n mp3 des nt match the singer Yu named Jhn s sng with Jane s name. Yu didn t listen t the files befre uplading. This des nt get caught until adjudicatin day when it s t late t fix. Recrding is blank Yu didn t listen t the files befre uplading. Als des nt get caught until adjudicatin day. 10
60-90 bpm Scales & b & # # Mixed and Treble Chir - All Sprans All-Virginia middle Schl Hnr Chir Auditin d re mi fa sl la ti d Mixed and Treble Chir - Alt 1 Singers must be unaccmpanied, œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ d ti la sl fa mi re d, œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ d re mi fa sl la ti d d ti la sl fa mi re d Mixed and Treble Chir - Alt 2 & bb, œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ d re mi fa sl la ti d d ti la sl fa mi re d Mixed Chir - Tenr 1 #, & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & b d re mi fa sl la ti d d ti la sl fa mi re d, œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Mixed Chir - Tenr 2 d re mi fa sl la ti d d ti la sl fa mi re d Mixed Chir - Bass 1,?# # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ d? b b re mi fa sl la ti d d ti la sl fa mi re d Mixed Chir - Bass 2, œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ d re mi fa sl la ti d d ti la sl fa mi re d
60-90 bpm Mixed and Treble Chir - Spran 1 America All-Virginia Middle Schl Hnr Chir Auditin Singers must be unaccmpanied 3 & # # # 4 œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ My cun - try, 'tis f thee, sweet land f li - ber ty, œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ - f thee I sing. Land where my & # # # fath - ers died, land f the Pil - grims' pride, frm ev - 'ry mun - tain- side, let free-dm ring! Mixed and Treble Chir - Spran 2 3 & b 4 œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ My cun try, œ œ œ - 'tis f thee, sweet land f li - ber- ty, f thee I sing. Land where my & b fath œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ - ers died, land f the Pil - grims' pride, frm ev - 'ry mun - tain- side, let free-dm ring! 3 & # # 4 & # # fath Mixed and Treble Chir - Alt 1 œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ My œ œ œ cun - try, 'tis f thee, sweet land f li - ber- ty, f thee I sing. Land where my œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ - ers died, land f the Pil - grims' pride, frm ev - 'ry mun - tain- side, let free-dm ring!
Mixed and Treble Chir - Alt 2 3 &b b 4 œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ My cun try, Singers must be unaccmpanied - 'tis f thee, sweet land f li - ber- ty, f thee I sing. Land where my &b b œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ fath - ers died, land f the Pil - grims' pride, frm ev 'ry - mun - tain- side, let free-dm ring! œ œ œ # 3 & 4 & # fath Mixed Chir - All Tenrs œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ My cun - try, 'tis f thee, sweet land f li - ber- ty, f thee I sing. Land where my œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ - ers died, land f the Pil - grims' pride, frm ev - 'ry mun - tain- side, let free-dm ring!?# 3 4 Mixed Chir - All Basses œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ J J # œ œ œ œ My cun - try, 'tis f thee, sweet land f li - ber- ty, f thee I sing. Land where my?# œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ fath - ers died, land f the Pil - grims' pride, frm ev - 'ry mun - tain- side, let free-dm ring!