District+5

Summarize your District's processes.

District 5 Responses to PMEA Prompts:


 * 1. Mission of the PMEA Festival System**

The Festival System exists to give music students an opportunity to: · Work with a top notch conductor · Experience a larger, more balanced ensemble than their school ensemble(s) · Meet other students with the same interests in music · Gain and develop leadership experiences to take back to their home ensemble(s) · Provide the opportunity to advance on to the next level of the Festival hierarchy · Networking for all involved


 * 2. Length of Festivals:**

Many of my colleagues feel that 2 days is long enough for a successful festival.

//Colleague #3 (band director): Would like to see Thurs. morning auditions through a Friday evening concert, taking in to account appropriate concert repertoire for the rehearsal time.//

//Colleague #4 (Band Director): I would like to see more clinic opportunities for students – instrument/vocal master classes – in lieu of the concert being the be-all/end-all of the festival. Steve Gage did an excellent student/director clinic at the 2009 District Band Festival – it was a valuable educational experience for all!//


 * 3. Should students have the same opportunity for admittance into the festival system at all levels?**

Current System for Admittance:

Honors Band and Honors Chorus selection is through audition only. There is no quota for each school. District Festival participation is through director selection using a rotation system of the 4 counties. Honors Band and Honors Chorus top seats are placed into the District Festival as automatics, which come off of the school’s quota, but each school still has their first choice honored. Region selection is through audition at the District Festival. //Colleague #4 (band director): All directors need to have opportunity for placement into District Festival. Our Honors Festival rewards programs with outstanding students, yet does not preclude all schools from having the opportunity to participate in the District Festival.//


 * 4. Do we need to maintain a three tiered festival system?**

About 5 years ago, someone in my district mentioned that there had been some talk about going straight from Districts to the State level and getting rid of the Region Festival. I was totally against this. I thought that this would not allow students the opportunity, through audition, to advance. I now think that this would not drastically change the balance of students moving on to the next level. The smaller schools, in my opinion, would not suffer.

// Response from a colleague #1 (choir director): We might in the future look at minimizing the required time that the accompanying director needs to attend, by doubling up duties or rotating chaperoning responsibilities after the required audition process is over. (This might save the districts the cost of an additional day for a substitute in some instances.) There are many ways to cut costs to the districts, but I believe that we should keep the three-tier system if at all possible. //

//Response from colleague #2 (choir director):// // Your answers are right on and all sounds good except that I strongly disagree with eliminating the Regional Festival level. // // Response from colleague #3 (band director): Thinks that the county system works! If anything, go to a Region/State Festival //

5. **Is there a duplication of services-County Festivals, Honors Bands and Choirs, etc.?**

It is becoming more and more difficult to get students out of school and to be permitted to take these days as a director. School administrators are closely looking at the days the music department teachers are out of the classroom. We may need to look closely at the County and Honors Festivals.

//Colleague #3 (band director): It would be nice to see more elementary festivals.//


 * 6. Issues of housing and hotels?**

Moving to commuting festivals pose some problems. A festival (especially at the district level) that is all commuter should address the rehearsal schedule to allow for those who have the farthest drive ample time to commute. With the need to secure host families eliminated, a potential host may now volunteer their school for a festival.

At the Region level, the option to house the students at a hotel for a higher cost is a good idea but again, the rehearsal schedule must allow for those who are commuting, ample time to do so. Schools may not cover the cost of housing students at a hotel.