NYSSMA MUSIC FESTIVALS
Spring 2016
Every year the New York State School Music Association sponsors NYSSMA Solo Festivals throughout the state. These
festivals provide wonderful opportunities for students to perform prepared pieces for judges and receive written evaluations of
their work. For older students, these marks will weigh heavily on their acceptance into next year’s All County, All District and
All State organizations. This information sheet outlines basic requirements for festival participation. Also, included below is the
2016 Festival Schedule.
Music should be chosen from the current NYSSMA Manual Edition 31, which is in every school music office. If your child
is taking private lessons, he/she should consult the private teacher regarding the selection of a piece; otherwise the school music
teacher can help the student choose one. In the event the private teacher assigns the piece, the student must have the school
music teacher check for it in the NYSSMA Manual 31 and approve it. Students are required to provide original music for
themselves, the accompanist, if needed and the judge. Xeroxed copies may not be used. Every All-State candidate should
have an accompanist, however, if a pre-recorded accompaniment is used, the student must provide the equipment on which it will
be played.
Because music preparation requires consistent effort, students wishing to prepare a piece at school must demonstrate interim
progress, which will be periodically evaluated by their music teachers. Every music student must play or sing his/her selection
for the school music teacher prior to the festival adjudication. We always encourage students to take lessons from private
teachers as well.
NYSSMA Festival – Spring 2016
Level I – VI Non All State
Non All State Jazz
Jazz Piano
Sewanhaka High School, Floral Park NY
Saturday, March 19th, 2016
Piano
Great Neck North High School, Great Neck
Friday, March 18th, and Saturday, March 19th, 2016
Classical Guitar
Kellenberg Memorial High School
Friday, April 15th, and Saturday, April 16th, 2016
All State Festival
Herricks High School, Herricks
Friday, April 8th, and Saturday, April 9th, 2016
All-State Jazz
All Vocal Jazz
Valley Stream Central High School
Friday, May 20th, and Saturday, May 21st, 2016
Harp
Syosset High School, Syosset
Friday, May 13th, and Saturday, May 14th, 2016
**Students auditioning for All State must be in the tenth or the eleventh grade.
If your son/daughter is interested in participating, please fill out the attached Contract/Permission Form and return it, along
with the appropriate fee no later than Friday, January 15, 2016. (Checks are to be made payable to your Home School.
Please speak to your Home School Director for specific instructions). Assigned times will be posted in the Music
Department as soon as students are scheduled. Grades will NOT be posted at festival sites. Students will receive their
evaluation forms and grades from their school music teachers in school approximately one week after the festival.
NYSSMA CONTRACT
Student’s Name:
School:
Music Teacher:
Instrument or Voice Part:
Phone:
Name of Solo:
Grade:
NYSSMA
Solo Level
Composer:
FESTIVAL SITES: (Circle one)
All State Festival
April 8th & 9th
All State Jazz
All Vocal Jazz
May 20th & 21st
Non All State I-VI
Jazz Piano
March 19th
Harp
Syosset H.S.
May 13th & 14th
Piano
March 18th & 19th
Classical
Guitar
April 15th &
16th
Accompanist’s Name:
Indicate preferred time ONLY if you have a time conflict.
(Every effort will be made to accommodate time preferences; however, due to the complexities of the schedule, NYSSMA
cannot promise that every request will be honored.)
Please check one of the following:
No preference of date or time
Time or date conflict, please try to schedule on: Date:
Time:
Sibling participating at same festival, please schedule together.
Sibling Name:
Fee enclosed:
Instrument:
$26 All State
$21 Level 5 & 6
$26 Piano (5 & 6)
$19 Piano (1-4)
NYSSMA Level:
$14 Level 1 – 4
My son/daughter
has my permission to participate in the 2016 NYSSMA
Festival as indicated above. I have discussed the requirements with him/her and understand that students who
do not meet the criteria will be disqualified from the festival without the benefit of a refund.
Student Signature
Parent Signature
Date
Are you auditioning in more than one slot at the same festival? Yes/No (Submit one form for each slot requested.)
Please return this form, with a check made payable to your home school by Friday, January 15, 2016.