Rules & Responsibilities

For All Parties Involved in KMEA All-State Ensembles:

To help clarify qualifications and responsibilities for all parties concerned with each year’s KMEA All-State Groups, the following rules and regulations were adopted by the KMEA Board of Directors.

The KMEA President appoints All-State chairpersons, and the KMEA Board can approve or disapprove the appointments.

The All-State Chairpersons have the authority to:

  1. Organize the All-State groups that will perform at the annual KMEA In-Service Workshop, which will include securing the services of clinicians each year.
  2. Organize the audition selection committee to select the participants in All-State groups.
  3. Determine the number of students who will be eligible to participate in the All-State groups each year; (recommended guideline should be approximately a 100 piece band, 100 piece orchestra, 250 voice choir, and jazz determined by arrangement.)
  4. Work coordinately with All-State group clinicians to select music for the KMEA In-Service Workshop.
  5. Supply the needed information to secure all equipment pertaining to the performances of any given year, for example, stands, percussion equipment, etc.
  6. Organize an audition committee for the purpose of final seating at the KMEA In-Service Workshop.
  7. Host and supervise All-State group rehearsals and performances at the KMEA In-Service Workshop.

Each school will be responsible for the supervision, conduct, and behavior of its students during the entire KMEA In-Service Workshop.

All instrumental woodwind, brass, strings and percussion students who participate in the instrumental groups at the District Mini-Conventions are eligible to audition for any KMEA instrumental All-State group. The student will participate in all rehearsals and the concert for the KMEA In-Service Workshop.

KMEA District Responsibilities

Each district:

  1. will determine its own policy on auditions for district level performances;
  2. will supply an eligibility list to the chairperson for choir, band, orchestra, and jazz band immediately;
  3. will host and supervise district group rehearsals and the performances at the District Mini-Conventions. Each School will be responsible for the supervision, conduct, and behavior of its students during the Mini-Conventions and during the entire KMEA In-Service Workshop.
  4. will not allow students to audition, participate, or be selected to both the choir and instrumental groups; and,
  5. will be responsible for providing to the teachers in the district, information (rules, regulations, and guidelines) concerning district and state groups.
School Responsibilities

Each School:

  1. will be a member of the KSHSAA or a KSHSAA Approved School and be in good standing with the organization;
  2. will be eligible to enter students as determined in the rules and guidelines established by each KMEA District;
  3. will not allow students to audition for both KMEA state choir and state instrumental groups. All instrumental woodwind, brass, and percussion students who participated in the instrumental groups at the District Mini-Conventions are eligible to audition for any KMEA Instrumental All-State group; and,
  4. will be responsible for the supervision, conduct, and behavior of its students during the entire KMEA In-Service Workshop.
  5. All students auditioning for a KMEA instrumental All-State ensemble must have their director present at the auditions with them, allowing the director be available to assist with the audition process, if needed. A 0 fine will be assessed to the home school if the director fails to attend.
Student Responsibilities

Each Student:

  1. will be in good standing according to the rules and guidelines for participation established by the KSHSAA and the resident school;
  2. must be a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior in high school to be a member of a high school district or state ensemble;
  3. must be a 6th, 7th, or 8th grader to be a member of the All-State Middle Level Choir;
  4. must be a 3rd, 4th, or 5th grader to be a member of the All-State Elementary Choir;
  5. vocalist must be enrolled in a choral performance area, if one exists in the school, at the time of auditions; and the student must be enrolled in a choral performance area, if one exists in the school, at the time of the KMEA In-Service Workshop;
  6. instrumentalist must be enrolled in an instrumental performance area, if one exists in the school, at the time of auditions; and the student must be enrolled in an instrumental performance area, if one exist in the school, at the time of the KMEA In-Service Workshop;
  7. will audition for the state groups according to the rules and guidelines established by the KMEA Board; and,
  8. will participate in all rehearsals and the concert for the District Mini-Convention.
Membership limitations and privileges

  1. to participate in a high school All-State group, the student must be a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior in high school.
  2. a vocalist selected as a participant in the All-State Choir cannot audition for or be a member of an All-State instrumental ensemble
  3. an instrumentalist selected as a participant in the All-State orchestra, jazz ensemble or concert bands cannot be a member of the All-State Choir
  4. band students from 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A schools may only audition for the 1234A All-State Band
  5. band students from 5A and 6A schools may only audition for the 56A All-State Band
  6. instrumentalist from all six KSHSAA classifications may be members of the All-State Jazz Ensemble and All-State Orchestra
  7. virtual school students must meet KSHSAA eligibility guidelines for participation in a KMEA All-State Ensemble. This includes attendance requirements at a KSHSAA approved school
  8. home schooled students must meet KSHSAA eligibility guidelines for participation in a KMEA All-State Ensemble. This includes attendance requirements at a KSHSAA approved school.

Any instrumentalist who meets all of their KMEA District’s eligibility and participation requirements may audition for any instrumental All-State Ensemble, with the exception of limitations for 1234A and the 56A bands as stated above.

***Exception: Any student involved in individual school performances for the KMEA In-Service Workshop will be excused from rehearsal one hour prior to the school performance and return to the rehearsal one hour following the completion of the school performance.

***Exception: Any exception or any absence due to an emergency conflict that will affect the rehearsals or performance of the state groups at the KMEA In-Service Workshop must be approved by the KMEA Festival Chairperson.

***Exception: Any absence due to an emergency conflict that will affect the rehearsals or performance at the District Ensembles must be approved by the KMEA Executive Committee for the student to be eligible for All-State Ensembles.

***Exception: The KMEA Board authorizes the release of varsity basketball players from the KMEA All-State and Honor Ensembles rehearsals to participate in their 1A Regional basketball tournament. This policy will be in effect for both boys and girls. Players’ participation must be verified by their school’s Administrator and they must be listed on the official KSHSAA roster form for the tournament. The school’s Administrator will send a copy of the official KSHSAA tournament roster form to the All-State Ensemble Manager.

While no restriction on absence time has been indicated, the student MUST be at all KMEA rehearsals as much as absolutely possible. “KMEA recognizes the importance of the students to their community and school events but will not tolerate apparent abuse of this policy. The appearance of abuse may lead to reconsideration of this policy on the part of KMEA. KMEA WILL take precedence on Saturday and release for 1A regional basketball WILL NOT be considered.” Prior to the first KMEA All-State and Honors Ensembles rehearsal, the All-State Ensemble Manager will provide the All-State Chairpersons a list of students to be excused.

***Exception: The KMEA Board authorizes the release of varsity basketball players from the KMEA All-State and Honor Ensembles rehearsals for the 2025 In-Service Workshop to participate in their 2A or 3A Sub-state Quarterfinal basketball game. This policy will be in effect for both boys and girls. Players’ participation must be verified by their school’s Administrator and they must be listed on the official KSHSAA roster form for the tournament. The school’s Administrator will send a copy of the official KSHSAA tournament roster form to the All-State Ensemble Manager.

While no restriction on absence time has been indicated, the student MUST be at all KMEA rehearsals as much as absolutely possible. “KMEA recognizes the importance of the students to their community and school events but will not tolerate apparent abuse of this policy. The appearance of abuse may lead to reconsideration of this policy on the part of KMEA. KMEA WILL take precedence on Saturday and release for 2A and 3A Substate Quarterfinals basketball game WILL NOT be considered.”

Prior to the first KMEA All-State and Honor Ensembles rehearsal, the All-State Ensemble Manager will provide the All-State Chairpersons a list of students to be excused.

***Exception: The KMEA Board authorizes the release of varsity bowlers from the KMEA All-State and Honor Ensembles rehearsals to participate in their Regional bowling tournament. This policy will be in effect for both boys and girls. Players’ participation must be verified by their school’s Administrator, and they must be listed on the official KSHSAA roster form for the tournament. The school’s Administrator will send a copy of the official KSHSAA tournament roster form to the All-State Ensemble Manager.

While no restriction on absence time has been indicated, the student MUST be at all KMEA rehearsals as much as possible. “KMEA recognizes the importance of the students to their community and school events but will not tolerate apparent abuse of this policy. The appearance of abuse may lead to reconsideration of the policy of the part of KMEA. KMEA will take precedence on Saturday and release for Regional Bowling WILL NOT be considered.”

Act of God Policy
Students are required to attend all District ensemble rehearsals and performances to be eligible for audition and participation in All-State Ensembles. In the case of an “Act of God” the KMEA Executive Committee will make a decision as to what the status is for the student auditioning for State Groups. An “Act of God” is deemed to include inclement weather, fire, emergency facility incapacity, or any other event resulting in limited or cancelled participation of the honor groups by the attendee. Exceptions to this policy, although not normally granted, may be approved by a majority vote of the KMEA Executive Committee.