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District News

Junior Festival Auditions
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Tenney Grammar School
75 Pleasant Street, Methuen, MA 01844

There are new Audition Procedures in place. Please read below or download the pdf.

What to Bring:
In accordance with MMEA policies, all students must be chaperoned to the audition by their own school music personnel, or other authorized agents of the school.  The chaperone(s) must remain on site for the duration of the audition process.  Students who arrive without a chaperone forfeit their right to audition.

• Principal Form – Completed with required signatures
• Payment – (1) Check per school for audition fees.
                 If making on-site changes, fees must be paid at check-in time.
• Originals – Students must use originals of the music to audition.  No photocopies.

Registration: Opens at 8:00AM
(1) Chaperone reports to the registration desk with the Principal Form and Payment.  All students remain on the bus. At this time we will be checking the Principal Form for cancellations/substitutions/new registrations/other changes. We will also review the new online scoring system and checkout process.

Once registration is completed you will receive the following:

• Audition Card – This card replaces the score sheet.  There will be one card per audition.
                        Each card will have:  Student’s ID#/Student’s Name/School Code/ Instrument
                        Percussionist may have more than one if performing multiple auditions
                        (1 per audition)
                        On-site registrations will have cards created before going to warm up.
  
• Checkout Card – This card will be used by the chaperone to checkout after auditions are                                 completed.
                                     
  
• Building Map – This will indicate the warm-up locations, hospitality room, concessions, etc…

Audition:
Students will enter the building and go to the designated warm up areas with their Audition Card and begin warming up.  Each warm up area has a Manager present that will facilitate the audition process.  When the student’s school code and instrument/voice part are announced, they will walk up to the manager with their Instrument, Music (original) and Audition Card and a volunteer will show them to the audition room.  Upon entering the room the student will hand the Audition Card to the adjudicator and begin the audition.  The adjudicator will be completing the evaluation directly online rather than a paper score sheet.  Once the audition is complete, the student will return to the warm up area to pack up and proceed to meet up with your chaperone. The Band Parents Association will have refreshments on sale and there is a Hospitality Room for chaperones.
Absolutely no teachers or parents are allowed in the audition areas.

Checkout:
(1) chaperone will go to the check out table (without students) and hand the staff the Checkout Card. The staff will check to confirm that all sections (solo & scales) of the audition have been completed.  If a section is incomplete, the student may have to go back to the audition room to complete the missed section.  The manager will be notified and the student will be taken directly to the room.  Once completed, the chaperone returns to the checkout table to confirm that all auditions are complete.

Results:
After the ensembles have been selected based on student scores, results will be made available on the district webpage:  www.northeasterndistrict.org.  The director will have to login to access the Junior Audition Results and Junior Score Forms (individual student score sheets). No score sheets will be mailed.  For those students that are accepted, additional information will be posted on the website. Good luck to all your students and thank you in advance for your assistance and cooperation.

Non-Traditional Music - from Classroom to Concert - registration form

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 8:30 – 2:30pm and Friday, March 16, 2012 8:30 – 2:30pm

Algonquin Regional High School
79 Bartlett Street
Northborough, MA 01532

Tuesday, January 17, 2012:
Applications of Handbells and Handchimes in School Music Programs with Griff Gall
This hands-on workshop will explore the diverse possibilities for including ringing instruments in your music program. During the morning session, participants will explore techniques to build a traditional handchime or handbell ensemble. These ensembles challenge students from upper elementary through college level, building rhythmic reading skills and developing musicality and ensemble skills. Participants will gain an understanding of basic ringing techniques, explore resources available to support handbell and handchime education and perform repertoire that is appropriate for developing handbell ensembles. The afternoon session will continue the focus on non-traditional performance ensembles by exploring creative classroom room activities that can be transformed into student centered performances pieces. With a focus on principals of Orff Schulwerk, participants will use classroom instruments and handchimes to create arrangements and compositions that can be shared on the stage for your next school concert.

Friday, March 16, 2012:
Making Magic with Marimbas with Becky Tellyer
This hands on workshop is inspired by the Zimbabwean marimba music composed by Walt Hampton and featured in his books Hot Marimba and Marimba Mojo. This workshop features hands-on experience performing a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional marimba repertoire, handouts, and instructions on how to set up a marimba group of your own. The day will also feature a demonstration by the JFK Xylos from the JFK Elementary School in Canton, MA. Special attention will be placed on adapting materials and music for classroom use for grades 3 through 8.

General Music Festival - Co-Sponsored by MMEA Northeastern District - registration form

What is the General Music Festival?
The Eleventh Annual General Music Festival is sponsored by the Society for General Music in Massachusetts, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, and individual districts throughout the state.

The festival is an opportunity for musically inclined children in grades 3-8 to come together for a day of singing, dancing, and instrument playing under the direction of some of the state’s finest music educators.

The festival provides fellow educators the opportunity to observe peers in action, build their own repertoire of activities, songs, chants, dances, and other creative experiences, gain further insights into their students, earn PDPs, and more!

Featured Clinicians:
Dr. Tom Malone: World Music
Prof. Janet Welby: Vocal Music
Prof. Pam Yanco: Recorders

Registration Fee:
$15/student (includes recorder)
Checks payable to: SGMM
($25 if not postmarked by April 21)

Send one packet per school with checks, completed parent/guardian registration forms and completed teacher registration forms to:

NE-GMF Registrar
Brian Spignese
9 Moss Street
Burlington, MA 01803

An email letter of confirmation will be sent upon receipt of registrations.

For more information contact:
Donna Nagle, Faculty Coordinator
Donna_nagle@uml.edu
Michael Kaskiewica,
Michael_Kaskiewicz@student.uml.edu

District Festival Handbook - download here
The hanbook includes all Junior and Senior Festival guidelines, procedures & necessary forms.