Weber County Junior High Solo & Ensemble Festival

March 21, 2017

Orion Jr. High Performance Times will be Assigned

Encore and Performing Girls Choirs will be attending this event as part of our curricula during Term 4. We will take a bus to Orion Junior High on March 21, and leave Roy Jr. at 4:00 pm. returning around 6:00 pm. Students should wear their choir uniforms and be at the school by 3:45 on March 21.

Objective: To provide students the opportunity to perform in vocal and piano solos, and in small vocal groups in the presence of a qualified music adjudicator and receive positive feedback on their performances as well as receiving a rating based upon the UHSAA guidelines for vocal and piano performance. Students will also receive helpful information in improving and developing musical skills and abilities.

Entries: Each school is allocated a set number of entries.2 large ensembles, 1 of which young men are involved; and 6 solos or small ensembles. The goal is to provide quality performances for the festival and to ease strain upon the choral director’s limited time. It is not designed to be restrictive. If a school has more than 8 qualified entries, prior arrangement must be made with the festival chair.

Small ensembles should be balanced with a maximum of 4 voices on each part.

Large ensembles will be limited to a maximum of 24 performers.

Judging: Adjudicators will score each entrant a score from I+ to V as per the UHSAA assessment rubric for vocal solos, small ensembles, large ensembles, and piano performances. This information can be found on the web at

Appropriate Repertoire: Art songs, classical music, madrigals, and folk songs are suitable for this event. Popular songs, country western music, or Broadway tunes should not be prepared for the solo & ensemble experience.

Student Responsiblities:

  1. Prepare appropriate music.
  2. Perform memorized music.
  3. Provide judge with an original copy of the music they perform, with each measure numbered.
  4. Arrange to have an accompanist play the music at the festival for their solo or group.
  5. Dress in concert attire.
  6. Be on time to their event.
  7. Be able to pronounce titles and composers; speak slowly and loudly enough to be understood.
  8. Be receptive to audience applause.
  9. Be courteous to accompanist and give acknowledgement to them during their applause.
  10. Avoid loitering in the hallways.
  11. Be a good representative from their school.
  12. Listen to other performers as they wait for their turn to perform, and be a respectable audience.
  13. Avoid conversation with the judge unless invited by the judge for a conference.
  14. Conduct themselves so that music activities will be welcomed by the host school.
  15. Avoid eating or drinking in the performance area.
  16. Remember that they are guests of the host school.
  17. Resolve to improve their musicianship and citizenship.

Director Propriety:

  1. Invite your administration and the parents of your participants to attend the solo & ensemble festival.
  2. Plan to attend the festival with your students.
  3. Directors may not direct or assist the ensembles at the festival.
  4. Directors may be accompanists for students.
  5. Promote the idea that all participants at festival are winners.
  6. Promote musicianship, discipline, self-control, good stage presence, etc.
  7. Improvement of the individual, not competition between students or schools, is the goal.
  8. Be positive in comments to other individuals or groups in determining what is good in each students’ performance. Students often take the attitude of their director. Make sure it is a positive one.
  9. Receive judging sheets at the end of the festival. Instruct students that their judging sheets will be given to them after you have received them.

Awards/Certificates: Each director will be responsible to obtain and distribute certificates or awards to their students at their discretion. Every entrant should receive the satisfaction of accomplishment of a courageous feat. Soloists & ensembles of six performers or less should receive individual certificates of merit; ensembles. Larger ensembles will receive only one certificate for the group.

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Student Name ______

I have received notice of the District Solo/Ensemble Festival and understand that it is part of the curricula for Term 4 of this school year. I give permission for my child to ride the bus to Orion Jr. High for this event. I understand the bus leaves Roy Jr. at 4:00 pm and returns around 6:00.

______

Signature of Parent Signature of Student