2013 IMEA Choir & Vocal Jazz Auditions Info
Before the AUDITION
· EGHS IMEA Workshops will take place in the Choir Room during 0 hour from 7:15-8 A.M.. Workshops are not required; however, they are strongly recommended for eligibility to audition. See schedule online.
· EGHS Mock Auditions will take place in the Choir Room on Thurs, September 19 immediately after school. You must take a mock audition in order to be considered to represent the EG Choirs at the IMEA Auditions.
· The EG Audition List will be posted on Friday, September 20. If you decide not to audition after you have already done your mock audition, you will owe $5 for the missed audition.
The CHOIR AUDITION – Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013 – Libertyville HS (4-10p)
The VOCAL JAZZ AUDITION – Tues, Oct. 11, 2011 - Niles North HS (4-9p)
· You must provide your own transportation to the auditions.
· Dress nice (and appropriately) for your auditions. No tennis shoes, t-shirts, jeans, etc.
· There will probably be concessions sold at Libertyville H.S and Niles North HS.
· When you enter each room, be sure to smile, say hello, and introduce yourself. DO NOT, however, identify which school you are from. They want to keep that anonymous. You have no reason to be nervous, just do your best!
Following the AUDITION
· If you are selected for the IMEA District VII Choir, the festival and concert takes place on Saturday, November 9, 2013 at Crystal Lake Central HS.
· If you are selected for IMEA District VII Vocal Jazz, the festival and concert takes place on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at Lakes Community H.S.
· You must attend this festival in order to be eligible for the All State Choir and the Honors All State Choir, which rehearse and perform in Peoria, IL on January 22-25, 2013.
· The Honors and the All State Choirs are comprised of the top JUNIOR and SENIOR scores in each voice part (BI, BII, AI, AII, etc.) from all 9 districts across the state.
Choir Audition Procedures (from IMEA state website)
Electronic Devices Prohibited: The student use of all electronic and/or mechanical devices to include, but not limited to, metronomes, tuners, cell phones, and audio/video recording devices is prohibited in all IMEA audition rooms.
The audition consists of a performance test totaling 100 points, and MUST be administered with these procedures:
*** Two prepared selections
*** Sight-reading
*** Tonal skills
*** Tone quality
1) A brief vocalization is permitted, depending on the time factor of the District.
2) PREPARED SELECTIONS - 40 Points Maximum Possible:
A) A passage from one of the required selections will be selected by the Chorus Division Vice President.
B) A passage from one of the District selections, or a required selection, will be selected by the District Chorus Representative.
C) Evaluation will be based on the following:
Note Accuracy: 8 Points - 4 Points for Each Piece
Rhythmic Accuracy: 8 Points - 4 Points for Each Piece
Intonation: 8 Points - 4 Points for Each Piece
Diction: 8 Points - 4 Points for Each Piece
Musicianship: 8 Points - 4 Points for Each Piece
D) PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTORS
SUPERIOR: Performance with minor error(s), outstanding preparation, excellent musicianship demonstrated. Categorically clean and accurate with attention to musical detail.
GOOD: Solid performance with a few minor errors, some details overlooked. Good preparation but not as defined musically as it could be.
FAIR: Lacking musical definition; more frequent errors, exhibiting little attention to musical details.
POOR: Demonstrating little attention to musical details and probably a lack of preparation by the student; many errors.
3) SIGHT-READING - 16 Points Maximum Possible:
A) Judges will be provided with two exercises of 4 measures each, allowing 2 Points for each measure sung correctly. Partial credit may be given, but do not use decimals or fractions.
B) Play ONLY a tonic chord and the starting note before asking the student to begin. A reasonable amount of time may be allowed so the student may survey the complete exercise before singing it. DO NOT PLAY any portion of the exercise.
C) The student may use a neutral syllable, solfege, numbers, or letter names, but is NOT permitted to hum.
4) TONAL SKILLS - 16 Points Maximum Possible:
A) Each student will sing the Major triad on E (2 Points)
B) Each student will sing two (2) of the other three root position triads (minor, diminshed, augmented), selected by the Chorus Division Vice-President (3 Points for each triad). It is suggested that F and D are used as the root tones of these triads. PARTIAL CREDIT IS NOT ALLOWED FOR TRIADS. The student must sing the triad correctly to receive any points.
C) Each student will sing one major scale and one minor scale. Soprano/Tenor will sing F Major and d minor. Alto/Bass will sing Db Major and bb minor.
The minor scale WILL BE selected from any one of the natural, harmonic or melodic forms. The student is responsible for all three minor forms though ONLY ONE will be performed for the audition. That form will be selected annually by the Chorus Division Vice-President and will be consistent throughout the State.
The scales will be sung one octave up and down with the top note sung only once. (8 Points - 4 Points per scale (2 Points per scale ascending and 2 Points per scale descending). Partial credit may be given.
D) Numbers, solfeggio, or a neutral syllable may be used. Humming is not allowed.
5) TONE QUALITY- 28 Points Maximum Possible:
This item represents a total evaluation by the judge of the vocal quality the student has presented throughout the audition.
A) PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTORS
SUPERIOR: Well developed tone, clear, controlled, well-supported throughout the vocal range showing consistent beauty.
EXCELLENT: Pleasant and clear tone, lacking some refinement of control; still solidly supported through most of the range but occasionally less control at the extremes of the vocal range of the music.
GOOD: Average vocal production, lacking focus of tone, clarity or support.
FAIR: Airy, harsh, or unpleasant tone quality which may be unsupported, lacking control of the range; immature.
POOR: Under-developed voice.
FINALLY:
When the audition is completed, the judge will total the score on the line provided. Judges MUST affix a signature to each form. ALL SIGHTREADING and TONAL SKILLS EXCERCISES, as well as the COMPLETED NOMINATION FORMS, MUST BE returned to the DISTRICT CHORUS REPRESENTATIVE at the completion of the auditions.
VOCAL JAZZ Audition Procedures (from IMEA state website)
Electronic Devices Prohibited: The student use of all electronic and/or mechanical devices to include, but not limited to, metronomes, tuners, cell phones, and audio/video recording devices is prohibited in all IMEA audition rooms.
The audition will consist of four parts, with 100 Points possible:
1) required selection(s)
2) sight-reading
3) scales
4) improvisation
The final score should be totaled, and the Adjudicator must then enter the student's rank within his/her section of like voices. The Adjudicator must sign and date the Audition Form.
TIE BREAKER - Should a tie occur between students, the INTERPRETATION (style) score will be used to break the tie. Should a tie still exist, TONE QUALITY will be used as the second determining factor.
1) Required Selection(s) - 65 Points possible:10 Points given for each category except 5 points for Diction and 20 points for Tone Quality
A) At the time of auditions, the Adjudicator will receive a list of required passages of the two required numbers for each singer to sing a capella.
B) The Adjudicator will evaluate: pitch accuracy (notes); intonation; rhythmic accuracy; diction; interpretation; and tone quality.
2) Sight-reading - 10 Points possible:
A) A special sight-reading sheet will be given each Adjudicator at the time of the auditions. This sheet will be previously prepared by the Vocal Jazz Ensemble Chair or his/her designee. In order not to compromise the sight-reading test, this material will be a controlled item and will not be distributed to Adjudicators until the time of the test.
B) All sight-reading material will appear in both treble and bass clefs.
C) The student will be asked to sight-read one swing rhythm pattern. The Adjudicator will use the same sight-reading examples for all students auditioning.
D) The Adjudicator will play a tonic chord and the starting note before a student begins to sing.
E) The student may use a neutral vowel sound, solfege syllables, numbers, or letter names. The student may beat time if desired; however, he/she may not hum the exercise.
3) Scales - 10 Points possible:
A) The student will sing a one octave half step scale, ascending and descending. The Adjudicator will give the starting pitch: Sopranos and Tenors begin on Eb; Altos and Basses begin on C. The student may use a neutral vowel sound, solfege syllables, numbers, or letter names.
B) The student will sing a one octave blues scale, ascending and descending. The Adjudicator will give the starting pitch: Sopranos and Tenors begin on Eb; Altos and Basses begin on C.
4) Improvisation - 15 Points possible:
A) The Adjudicator will play the Jamey Aebersold - Vol. I, Fifth Edition "A New Approach to Jazz Improvisation", Blues in Bb.
B) The student may listen to at least one chorus of the blues progression to hear the chord progressions before beginning.
C) Neutral syllables or any method of "scat" singing may be used. Humming is not permitted.
D) Each student should sing two or more choruses of the blues progression.
E) The Adjudicator will award points based on how well the improvisation fits harmonically with the blues progression and based on style.
DISTRICT VOCAL JAZZ ENSEMBLE SELECTION:
The size of the ensemble may range from 16 to 32 voices.
ALL-STATE VOCAL JAZZ ENSEMBLE SELECTION:
The All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble of 32 voices, is chosen by the All-State Vocal Jazz Selection Committee, which consists of all District Vocal Jazz Ensemble Chairpeople and the State Vocal Jazz Ensemble Chair. The number of singers selected from each District will be proportionate to the number of schools and number of students auditioning for Vocal Jazz Ensemble at the District level. Students will be selected for All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble based on their audition rank and score and on the recommendation of their District Jazz Festival Director.