District+1

DISTRICT 1 PROCESS FOR SELECTION TO DISTRICT FESTIVALS

CHORUS - Audition & Representation

District Chorus members are selected through two means; audition and representation. A district-wide audition is used to determine the majority of members in the choir using a common audition piece announced in advance. A school that did not have a student make the ensemble through audition is permitted to place one student into District Chorus (provided they brought more than once voice part to the audition).

ORCHESTRA - Application (strings) and Audition (winds & percussion)

District Orchestra is selected through a combination of applications and audition results. The strings are selected by a selection committee through director applications. Size of school is considered when selecting strings for the ensemble (the larger the school, the better chance of having addition numbers in the ensemble). The winds and percussion are selected through a separate audition process (Honors Band) that doubles as the Orchestra auditions. A student must indicate on their audition materials that they wish to be considered for District Orchestra and submit an application to the host to be eligible.

BAND - Application and Audition (hybrid)

Beginning in the 2009-2010 school year, district band employed the "hybrid" system for selecting students to both East and West bands. Essentially, a set quota of students from both East and West receive "automatic bids" to District band according to their placement at PMEA Honors Band auditions. The remainder of the band is selected in the traditional application process until the band is complete. The quota of automatic bids is as follows: Flute - 4 Oboe - 1 Bassoon - 1 Clarinet - 5 Bass Clarinet - 1 Alto Sax - 2 Tenor Sax - 1 Bari Sax - 1 Trumpet - 4 Horn - 3 Trombone - 3 Baritone - 2 Tuba - 2 Percussion - 2

¨ ALL students are required to submit a paper application for District 1 Band even if they auditioned for Honors Band and receive an automatic bid. ¨ Applications are processed by the date the host receives the applications. ¨ The first round of selections will be processed in order of the application postmark. ¨ Any student selected by Honors Band Audition that pulls out of the District 1 Band festival is NOT replaced by a member of that school's program but will be selected from the remaining paper applications. ¨ All attempts will be made to give A and AA schools 2 students, AAA schools 3 students, and AAAA schools 4 students (This will not always be possible because of instrumentation) Any school that gets over there quota from the auditioned Honors Band students will not have more students placed into the band by the paper selection unless they have instruments that are needed that no other school has submitted.

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONNAIRE:

While I only received two written responses to the formal questionnaire, it was quit obvious that the festival system is an important component to all District 1 directors, and the underlying thread of most communications was to maintain //functionality//. Any changes in the system should address current problems and not create bigger and more complex problems in the future.

The two written responses are below

District Band Director A

1. The Mission of PMEA Festivals, as I see it, is to provide an enriching musical experience for a variety of students. For the more advanced students, these festivals provide an opportunity to rehearse and perform literature the students may not see in their school rehearsals at home, to experience working with outstanding – and hopefully inspiring – guest conductors, to socialize with peers from other school districts, and to compete for advancement to the next level. Students who may not be proficient enough to advance to the next level still benefit in the first three ways. I see these festivals as real musical enrichment for the students, whatever their ability level. 2. Personally, I like the festivals that begin on Wednesday evening and conclude on Friday evening. I think that’s just enough time to provide a rewarding experience for the students. More and more it seems that missed class time is becoming an issue, even with my own students. For that reason, starting on Thursday evening and concluding on Saturday in the late afternoon or evening seems to be a smart idea, but I don’t believe directors should ever be required by the host school – or PMEA – to be in attendance for the __entire__ festival, particularly if it extends into a Saturday. 3. I guess it would be great if there were uniformity, but I don’t see this as a pressing issue. I like the hybrid system we are using in District I because I think at the initial level, at least, it’s important to maintain representation from every school district while still rewarding the more proficient players who have demonstrated superior performance skills in auditions for the District I Honors Band. If we are ever required by the state to go to “audition only” for District Band, it would exclude representation from every school and make our Honors Band Festival redundant. 4. Strengths: A common sense progression from one level to the next and more opportunities for student participation. Weaknesses: The policy that predetermines from what region particular instruments will come for the state ensembles – instruments such as E-flat soprano clarinet; timpani, etc. – regardless of the students’ audition scores. 5. If we are mandated by the state to go to “audition only” for district festivals, then the honors festivals are redundant and no longer necessary. As it stands now, they’re fine. At my school, County Band no longer holds any interest for most of my very top tier players. They don’t want to miss two days of school for this festival, a “dead end” festival in their opinion. But County Band does give many of our “second tier” players a chance to get the festival experience, so it’s fine for that reason. 6. I much prefer student housing in hotels, as do my students. Even if that means shortening the festival by one day, it’s worth it, whatever the cost.

District Band Director B 1. The mission of PMEA festivals is to provide students an advanced ensemble experience, which is not always possible at their own schools. Students should have the experience of working with an incredible guest conductor, who will inspire them to achieve greatness. They should also experience high quality literature with other students that are prepared to perform at a superior level. This experience will hopefully motivate them to go back to their own schools and inspire other students to want to excel.

2. I believe that festivals should take place over two days with auditions taking place the night before the festival begins. (For example: Wednesday night audition, Rehearsals all day on Thursday and Friday, and concert on Friday evening.)

3. Students should have the same opportunity for admittance into the festival system uniformly across the state. Because these festivals are to be advanced ensembles beyond the typical high school experience, I feel as if students should audition for all festivals that have the potential to advance to the state level (ie. District - Region - State). If it is a county group, or Jr. High or elementary group, then paper application is fine.

4. The strengths of a three-tiered system are the number of performance opportunities that are available, as well as the increased level of ability at each level. The weaknesses are the travel/host arrangements for the region and state festivals, as well as the amount of school students miss to participate.

5. PMEA does offer duplicate festivals. I think there is a place for them if they are controlled. Some of these festivals serve great purpose for students who do not make the auditioned groups. They also serve a purpose of combining smaller groups (split districts) into larger groups (Honors Groups). However, we need to watch that we do not have too many festivals that take away from the festival system leading up to the All-State Ensembles. We need to make our All-State Ensembles the best performing groups in the state, and that means auditioning at every level (district-region-state), and selecting the best musicians.

6. The issues of High School festivals housing in hotels is cost and providing chaperones. It obviously cost more to stay in hotels, and more chaperones are needed to monitor the students. School with smaller budgets may not be able to afford these costs, and it is a liability any time students are left alone or without adequate supervision.