JUNIOR HIGH ALL-REGION CHOIR MANUAL

(REVISED SUMMER, 2006)

ARTICLE I - ORGANIZATION

4.1.1. The preeminent concern is to select the finest possible musicians from  the eligible junior high/middle schools in Arkansas .

4.1.3.  Entrants must be members of a choral group at their respective school provided such is available.

4.1.4. Entries from private voice teachers are not eligible to participate, except when the student is registered by his/her respective school.

4.1.6.  The all region clinician will be determined by a vote of the directors of the region one year in advance.

4.1.8. The music to be performed by the junior high all region choirs will be chosen by the clinician, subject to the approval of the region chair, and the event manager.

4.1.9. Region clinicians and their contact information should be reported to the executive director as soon as those clinicians are confirmed. Material should be selected and reported by the region chair and executive director prior to February 1.

4.1.10. Selections not reported by the deadline date may be chosen by the region chair in consultation with the region directors.

4.1.11. The region chairman and at least two other directors will determine those selections to be used for region level tryouts.

4.1.13.  JUNIOR HIGH AUDITION CHAIRMAN - GENERAL DUTIES

1. Provide information necessary for the preparation of the all region practice tape.

2. Discuss with the clinician, the technical aspects of the music prior to the production of the practice tape.

3. Secure and provide adjudication sheets and tally forms from the ArkCDA executive director.

4. Oversee the general management of each audition area.

5. After consulting with the region chair serve as the final authority in decisions at the audition, unless a rules committee is requested.

6. Provide for the preparation of the final audition tape for each section after taking a poll of the directors, of the starting and stopping points of each  selection to be used at the audition.

7. Make the tryout material available to the directors 24 hours prior to the beginning of the auditions.

8. Provide the necessary audition tapes for each voice part, including spare tapes that may be used in case of failure of the original.

4.1.14. REGISTRATION/AUDITION AREA - GENERAL DUTIES AND INSTRUCTIONS

1. Compile and provide each of the region’s directors with necessary forms and information concerning tryout procedures, and maps, hotel , and restaurant information.

2. Acquire a certified list of students from each director participating in the tryouts.

3. Compile a complete registration list by section, of each student’s name, school, and assigned audition number.

4. Prepare numbered audition tags for each student. Audition numbers should be assigned impartially or drawn at random prior to registration.

5. Provide workers for the registration tables.

6. Oversee the registration process.

7. Provide for the lining up of each section following the completion of the registration process.

8. Provide guides to lead each group into the adjudication room. These may be the same people who were responsible for registration.

9. Assign judges to each part, including a head judge in each room, and assign a tally chairman and the tally room workers.

10. Assemble judges packets (including form I) for each student auditioning, and one ranking sheet-form IV, and copies of the music, for each of the judges on each part.

11. Meet with and issue instructions to the judges prior to the audition.

12. Provide room managers to run the tape, announce student numbers, and perform other assigned duties within each audition room.

13. Provide runners (may be students) to periodically bring completed individual scoring forms from the audition room to the tally room.

14. Insure that judges conduct the audition in a consistent and professional manner.

15. Distribute the audition results to each individual director.

16. Make certain that all required equipment is present in each area and be responsible for  securing the following materials; numbered tags, master registration list, signs for registration area, pencils, audition rooms, screens, music stands, cassette tape decks, one numbered adjudication sheet (form I) for each student auditioning (for each judge), and one ranking form (form IV) for each judge, extension cords, audition tapes, and signs identifying each audition room and the tally room.

4.1.15. AUDITION ROOM  AREA - GENERAL DUTIES

1. Bring groups into their audition room for warm up, then bring each individual student into the room in proper numerical order.

 2. Announce each student’s number to the judges.

3. Operate the tape equipment.

4.1.16. TALLY AREA - GENERAL DUTIES

1. Prepare the master section lists showing the student’s number, name, and school.

2. Meet with tally workers and explain the procedures for all region placement.

3. Be responsible for securing and organizing the following supplies and equipment; tally room, adding machines or calculators, individual tally cards or forms, pencils, and the master section report.

4. Tally and record each student’s scores.

5. Compile the final and official list of all auditioned students showing each student ‘s number, name, school, rank score, raw score, and final rank.

4.1.17. Each directors final registration list should be submitted no later than two weeks prior to the audition.

4.1.18. Fees must be paid for all students who are registered for the audition even if there are some students who cancel before the audition.

4.1.19. Directors are encouraged to mail all fees with the initial registration but will be required to submit all fees upon arrival at the audition site.

4.1.20. There will be no refund of audition fees, however, the chairman should be notified of any cancellations at least one week prior to auditions where possible.

4.1.21. Any director who has students participating in the auditions shall be required to participate the entire day of the audition in an assigned position as needed. Failure to do so will result in a letter of notification to the proper school administrator. Director absences must be excused at least two weeks in advance by the chairman unless an emergency arises that the chairman deems acceptable.

ARTICLE II - AUDITION PROCEDURES

4.2.1. Upon arrival, each student will register by voice part and will be assigned a number.

4.2.2. Throughout the audition, students will be referred to strictly by their assigned number. At no time will  the student’s name or school be mentioned.

4.2.3. The room manager will be the only person to address the auditioning student except in situations which require immediate communication and then only the designated head judge should speak to the student.

4.2.4. The auditioning student should not speak while in the audition room except when asked to do so by the head judge.

4.2.5.  Students will be called to the audition in groups of ten as follows;

1. 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, 31-40, etc., for each voice part.

2. Each group of ten students will enter the audition room and perform a “warm up” of the material with the tape, as it will be performed in the individual audition.

3. Following the “warm up” performance, the student with the lowest audition number will remain in       the room where he or she will then audition. All other students will line up in numerical order outside the door. Each student will then be called into the room one at a time, in numerical order.

4.2.6. Details concerning the actual sections of the all region music on the audition tape will remain the confidential information of the event manager and those individuals used to prepare the tape for audition and will not be released until 24 hours before the scheduled auditions.

4.2.7. The material selected for the audition will be the same for each auditioning student (of a particular voice part) and will be performed by all students who audition on a given part.

4.2.8. A student will not be allowed to repeat any part of the audition process unless the head judge determines that a technical difficulty with the equipment or an unusual disturbance occurs in or outside the room which was not caused by the auditioning student.

4.2.9. The head judge shall make immediate and final decisions regarding interrupted auditions.

4.2.10. The volume level of the solo audition tape will be determined by the judges in each room prior to the first solo audition and may only be adjusted to accomodate the “warmup” performance.

4.2.11. All ArkCDA auditions should be scored using the computer program developed by the ArkCDA for this purpose. In the event that computerized scoring is not available, the following eight procedures will be used in ranking students.

4.2.12. Using judging forms provided by the ArkCDA (form I), each student will be assigned a raw score from 1-99.99 by each of the five judges.

4.2.13. Judges will record each student’s audition number beside the assigned raw score on the ranking sheet.

4.2.14. The tally committee shall compile each student’s raw score and place them in order, according to the student’s audition number.

4.2.15. Upon completion of the audition, tally committee members shall meet with the judging panel of each voice part.  Each student’s audition number will be called off and each judge will state his or her RANK number for that student. The highest and lowest rank score, and the corresponding raw scores will then be eliminated, and the remaining three raw and rank scores will be totalled to determine the student’s final scoring. If three judges are used the rank and raw scores are simply totalled.

4.2.16. The student with the lowest rank score in each voice part will be assigned first chair in their respective part.

4.2.17. Ties in rank scores will be broken by comparing the raw scores of the students involved. Should further comparisons be needed to break the tie, the scores in knowledge of music, tone quality, etc., shall be considered, in the order listed on the scoring form.

4.2.18. All Region Choirs will have a maximum of 160 students except when the total number is affected by corrective measures prescribed in rule  4.2.19.

Regions may include additional choirs such as male and/or female choruses chosen from students who fail to make the all region mixed choir.

4.2.19. Results of the audition will be announced to the directors and will be considered official with the only corrections being made in the form of additions to the choir.

4.2.20. Audition results will be distributed to each director and will show each student’s name, audition number, school, and rank and raw scores assigned by each judge, as well as the total rank and raw scores.

4.2.21.  Alternates may be moved into the All Region Choir to compensate for cancellations.

4.2.22. The chairman shall be notified of any cancellations where possible, at least 48 hours prior to the clinic, by the director of the students involved.

4.2.23.  All region juries shall consist of a minimum of 3 judges per part.

4.2.24. All junior high regions will use uniform adjudication forms provided by the ArkCDA through the executive director.

ARTICLE III - ALL REGION CLINIC

4.3.1. ALL REGION CLINIC HOST - GENERAL DUTIES

1. Secure the facility and necessary equipment for rehearsals and performance of the All Region  Choirs.

2. Provide accompanist(s) for the rehearsals and performance.

3. Make lodging, food and travel arrangements for the clinicians.

4. Compile and provide each participating school with the necessary correspondence concerning the all region clinic-concert, including maps and hotel information, and restaurant and recreational information (if requested).

5. Be responsible for securing all region patches and/or certificates and for their presentation at the all region event.

6. Be responsible for providing printed programs for the concert.

7. Make arrangements for the final concert to be recorded

4.3.2. The concert may be commercially recorded. The region host will serve as representative of the region in bid negotiations and will make decisions pertaining to the assignment of the bids.

4.3.3. The concert may be recorded as a non-profit effort where the region host will make available a copy of the tape on a “for cost” basis.

4.3.4. Each student selected for the choir will be expected to be punctual and to attend all rehearsals and the performance of the choir.

4.3.5.  The ArkCDA junior region sponsoring the event shall assume the responsibility and reserve the right to dismiss a delinquent student from the choir.

4.3.6.  A delinquent student is defined as one who has become a discipline problem relating to the all region event or one who has failed to fulfill the attendance requirements.

4.3.7. Procedures for due process shall be the same as found in rule Article VII (Due Process) of the bylaws.

ARTICLE IV - AWARDS AND PENALTIES

4.4.1. Each student who is selected to the All Region Choir shall receive a patch and/or certificate from the junior region.

4.4.2. An individual student found to be using illegally photocopied music at tryouts or clinic will be disqualified from that event.