Online auditions and judging for the KMEA All-State Elementary Choir will use the Festival Scores audition management system. Students will audition on a unison voice part.
Audition material
The required literature will be posted by May 1st during the year of auditions. Auditions will be taken from America. Use the following excerpt for all auditions:
America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee) – voiced in F
Dual Auditions
5th grade students are permitted to submit auditions for both the KCDA Treble Choir and the KMEA All-State Elementary Choir.
Audio Sample
The following audio sample is the recording of a student selected for the 2016 KMEA All-State Elementary Choir. This sample does not represent a complete audition. This is only a guide to help you get started.
The starting pitch must be played on the recording.
— A single pitch is all that is allowed to be on the recording before the student begins to sing.
— Allow the pitch to decay/cease prior to the student beginning to sing.
No talking is allowed on any part of the recording.
— Do NOT announce the name of the student, teacher or school on the audition recording.
— Do NOT speak to the student at the end of the recording.
— Do NOT provide vocal support for the student. This includes, but is not limited to, singing with them or humming along.
The students must record this song with NO accompaniment or other instrumental support.
Attention should be given to:
— Detailed pitch and rhythm accuracy
— Phrasing
— Singing with a confident and pleasant vocal tone
— Starting on the correct pitch as indicated in the audition excerpts
The starting pitch must be played and recorded and it is all that is allowed on the recording before the students begin to sing.
Scoring Rubric
| Category | Low Value | High Value | |
| 1 | Pitch | 1 | 8 |
| 2 | Tone | 1 | 8 |
| 3 | Rhythm | 1 | 8 |
| 4 | Expression | 1 | 8 |
| Totals | 4 | 32 | |
Auditions will be disqualified for:
— Failure to include the starting pitch on the recording
— Failure to start on the indicated pitch in the audition excerpt
— Recording multiple pitches at the beginning of the recording
— Singing with accompaniment or other instrumental support
— Singing/humming while the starting pitch is playing
— The presence of any talking on the recording
Be sure to follow the audition process completely and meet the audition deadline to ensure that your student(s) recordings are heard and evaluated. There will be a non-refundable audition fee per student. Auditioning students must be part of a school vocal group during the fall and spring semesters. Those selected for the choir will incur a student participation fee.
School Responsibilities
Each School District:
1. will be a member of the KSHSAA and be in good standing with the organization;
Each School:
1. will be eligible to enter students as determined in the rules and guidelines established by KMEA Board policies;
2. will be responsible for the supervision, conduct, and behavior of its students during the entire KMEA In-Service Workshop.
3. the director is a “member in good standing” of NAfME and KMEA.