Rules & Regulations
Solo & Ensemble Festival Eligibility and
Regulations:
Purpose:
To encourage the study and performance of solo and ensemble literature.
Through students' practice and performance and a review of
adjudicators' constructive comments, improved individual and group
performance may result.
Eligibility:
- Any student attending West Virginia Schools in grades 4-12
is
eligible. Elementary level is grade 4, Middle School is 5-8, and Senior
High is 9-12. Students may enter through a private or school
instructor. The teacher must be a member of WVMEA.
- Fees are due with the application. If the Festival is
postponed, fees will not be returned. If it is cancelled, fees will be
returned minus expenses. The fee schedule is as follows:
- solos $7;
- ensembles (2-6) $9;
- ensembles (7-17) $12.
Application dates and dates of festivals will be announced by each
Region Chair.
- Large ensembles may not have more than 18 students.
Instrumental ensembles are urged to follow the guide of 1 player per
part. Ensembles of 6 or less should not be conducted; ensembles of 7 or
more may be conducted if desired. Any elementary or middle school
ensemble may be conducted if desired.
- Students receiving a "1" rating and
recommended by a judge may submit a tape (or CD) recording to the State
Honors Recital Committee for consideration. Students in grades 4-12 are
eligible. If the music calls for a piano accompaniment, it must be used
to qualify for selection in the Honors Recital.
Regulations:
- Memorization of solos is encouraged, but not required.
Ensemble music does not need to be memorized. There is no required
music list.
- If the music calls for a piano accompaniment, you are urged
to
use it. If this is not possible, the rating will not be affected by the
lack of accompaniment. Use live accompaniment whenever possible.
- Six minutes will be allowed for each performance. If the
time
is exceeded, it will be up to the judge's discretion to stop the
performance. The judge is not permitted to coach any student or
ensemble.
- Entries will receive a rating unless the judge is notified
that you want COMMENTS ONLY. In this case the judge must be in formed
BEFORE the student(s) perform.
- The judge must be furnished with a copy of the music with
measures numbered. Because of copyright laws, photocopies should not be
used.
- Judges will adjust rating levels as follows: Elementary
(4th grade), Middle School (5-8), and Senior High (9-12). All soloists
will be judged Elementary (4th grade), Middle School (5-8), and Senior
High (9-12) regardless of the grade level in the county. An ensemble
that has a mixture of 8th and 9th graders or below will be judged at
the Middle School level. Any ensemble that has 10th graders or above
will be considered Senior High level. This applies to Region and State
Festivals. The rating scale is 1-4, 1=Superior to 4=Fair, will be used
for each division.
- Certificates should be awarded for "1" ratings.
- Judges are urged to make their comments as constructive as
possible. Judges must sign the ratings sheets. Region chairs should
collect the ratings sheets.
- Students are encouraged to listen to performances of others
will attending the Festival.
- Judges may choose as many exemplary solos or ensembles to
submit for possible inclusion in the State Solo and Ensemble Honors
Recital as they wish. Only those with "1" ratings are eligible.
State Solo and Ensemble Honors Recital Regulations:
- Adjudicators at the Region Festivals may nominate exemplary
solos or ensembles that have received a "1" rating. They may nominate
as many or few as they feel deserve the honor.
- Memorization of solos is encouraged but not required. Solos
and ensembles do not need to be memorized to be nominated.
- Region Chairs will give the nominated students or ensembles
and Official State Recital Application blank as soon after the Festival
as possible.
- Music teachers or any other MENC
member may fill out the application; send it with a $6 fee and a
cassette tape or CD of the nominated performance to the State Solo and
Ensemble Chair. The deadline will be set by the State Chair.
- All movements and times of each movement must be listed.
The Committee has the right to limit the number of movements performed.
- Live accompaniment must be used. The accompanist is an
integral part of the performance and should be the person listed on the
application. The same accompanist should be the one to play on the
State Recital. In special situations changes in accompanists may be
made by contacting the State Chair.
- There will be 2 Honors Recitals, one for Winds and
Percussion and another for Voice, Piano, and Strings.
- Use a good quality cassette tape or CD. Sound quality is
very important in the selection process.
- Certificates will be presented to all soloists and
ensembles at the WVMEA
Conference.
- Tapes/CD's will be returned by mail or at the convention.
For
those mailed, a fee of $1.50 for one tape, and $2.50 for 2 and above
tapes.
- Selected students will be contacted by telephone and
letters will be mailed to all those who have been accepted.