THE NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL MUSIC ASSOCIATION

Maria Schwab Zone 12 (New York City) NYSSMA Representative

Phone: 516 680 7934 E-mail:

MEMORANDUM

TO: Paul King, Barbara Murray, Principals, Assistant Principals, Supervisors, and Teachers of Music

FROM: Maria Schwab, NYSSMA Zone 12 (New York City) Representative

RE: 2015 New York State School Music Association New York City Adjudication Festivals

The New York City Department of Education Blueprint for Instrumental and Vocal music encourages the use of the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) repertoire for fostering and assessing musical performance skills. 12th grade students seeking to earn a Chancellors endorsement of their regent’s diploma must participate and may earn as many as 20 points depending upon the level of performance and grade earned. The narrative which accompanies each assessment is invaluable in providing encouragement and guidance to students and their teachers. Students participating at the All State Level can use the results to participate in ensembles at the State and National Level. For more information visit http://www.nyssma.org.

The New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Adjudication Festivals in Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan have been scheduled as follows”

Note: The application deadline for all major ensembles for all festivals is March 1. 2015. All applications for major ensembles must be done online only via the NYSSMA web site. “Form A Solo and Ensemble Application” can be downloaded and printed at the NYSSMA.org website after January 1 2015. Click on “Documents” on the left, and choose the appropriate form. An additional on line application by the High School Ensemble Director is required for All State Adjudications. Mail applications to the appropriate festival chair in time to arrive by the deadlines listed.

BRONX

Friday and Saturday March 20th and 21st, 2015

All-State Regular Solos and Small Ensembles Only

The Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music at Walton High School Campus

2780 Reservoir Avenue

Bronx, New York 10468

Send all applications to the above address:

Attention: Penelope Smetters-Jacono, Festival Chair

(718) 733 -3781

Deadline for Applications February 6th 2015

BRONX- MAJORS ONLY

Tuesday May 19th 2015

Lehman College

Send all correspondence to

Penelope Smetters-Jocono at Celia Cruz High School as listed above. Deadline March 1 2015

QUEENS

Wednesday and Thursday April 15th and 16th 2015

All State, Regular Solos and Small Ensembles Only

Marie Louis Academy

176-21 Wexford Terrace

Jamaica New York 11432

Send all applications to the above address

Attention: Brian Siemers, Festival Chair

(718) 297 2120 Deadline March 4th 2015

BROOKLYN

Thursday and Friday May 7th and 8th 2015

Major Ensembles

Saturday May 9th 2015

Regular Solos and Small Ensembles (No All State)

Marine Park Junior High School

1925 Stuart Street

Brooklyn N.Y. 11234

Send all applications to the above address

Attention: Candice Pohl, Festival Chair

BROOKLYN CONTINUED

Candice Pohl

(718) 258-0433

Deadline for Applications March 27th 2015

(Major ensembles March 1, 2015)

STATEN ISLAND

Friday and Saturday May 15thth and 16thst, 2015

All State Regular Solos Small and Major Ensembles

Tottenville High School

100 Luten Avenue

Staten Island New York 10312

Send all applications to the above address

Attention: David LaMorte, Festival Chair

(718) 668-8800 X 41302

Deadline for Applications April 2nd 2015

(Major Ensembles March 1, 2014)

MANHATTAN

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

June 3rd, 4th 5th and 6th, 2015

Major Ensembles only June 3rd & A.M. only on June 5th

Piano only June 4th

All State, solos, piano, small ensembles, instrumental and vocal jazz. June 5th P.M and June 6th 2015

New York University

Steinhardt School of Education

35 West 4th Street

New York, N.Y. 10012 Suite 777

Registration via NYSMUSICFEST.com ONLY!

Attention: Ira Shankman, Festival Chair

(212) 998-5244 Deadline April 24th 2015

(Major Ensembles March, 1, 2015)

Manhattan

Saturday April 18th 2015

Regular Solos, for LaGuardia Students Only

Ms. Bernice Fleischer, Festival Chair

(212) 496 0700

Eligible Participants: The festivals are open to all instrumental and vocal students grades K-12, including those student musicians not registered in school music classes (All State applicants MUST participate in school ensembles and All State applications can only be filled out on line by the students ensemble director. All State applicants from the same high school MUST audition at the same festival site.

Performance Materials: Only soloists and ensembles performing music from the latest NYSSMA Manual Edition XXX (July 2012) will receive a rating and a numerical score. Consult the Manual for specific requirements for music, scales and sight reading. Students may choose to play music from any source if they wish only a written evaluation, without a rating or score. Such students will uniformly receive a comments only rating in the grading box. No credit on the New York City Music Exit Exam will be earned for comments only rating or participation at levels 1 and 2.

Fees: New York City Public Schools at all levels are members of NYSSMA, as the Office of the Arts and Special Projects pays a fee to NYSSMA for that purpose; Schools therefore do not have to pay NYSSMA School Participation Fees. However, all schools and students participating in festival evaluations are responsible for Registration/Participation Fees as indicated

Registration/Participation Fee Schedule

MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS

NYSSMA Manual Levels 1-3 (30 minute audition) $ 130

NYSSMA Manual Level 4 ( 35 minute auditions) $ 150

NYSSMA Manual Level 5-6 (45 minute audition) $ 195

All WIND, STRING, PERCUSSION , VOCAL SOLOS AND ENSEBMLES LESS THAN 16 MEMBERS

NYSSMA Manual Levels 1-4 (10 minute audition) $ 14

NYSSMA Manual Levels 5-6 (15 minute audition) $21

NYSSMA All State Level 6 (15 minute audition) $26

ALL PIANO SOLOS

NYSSMA Manual Levels 1-4 (10 minute audition) $19

NYSSMA Manual Level 5-6 (15 minute audition) $26

All registration/participation fees are due in advance. Scheduling will be on a first paid, first scheduled basis. Applications must be accompanied by a single school check or money order made out to NYSSMA to cover fees for all students. No personal checks will be accepted.

TO ALL MUSIC STAFF: IMPORTANT PLEASE READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This program is totally reliant upon music educators who serve as adjudicators. The shortage of adjudicators in NYC is acute, and can impact on the quality of the feed back children receive. These are paid positions.

Training to become a NYSSMA adjudicator and location training sites are listed in School Music News, and on the NYSSMA.org web site.

NYU is the only festival at which Jazz solos may be heard.