The California Choral Directors Association board is pleased to announce auditions for the fifth Junior High All-State Honor Choir (grades 6-9). The honor choir will be part of CASMEC, the California All State Music Education Conference. We are using an online audition format through opusevent.com, similar to Western Division and National ACDA Honor Choir. Please see below for more information. If you have any questions, please e-mail Amanda Isaac at amanda.isaac4music@gmail.com. We are so excited to be able to offer this wonderful opportunity for your singers!

2020 Junior High All State will be part of the CASMEC conference in Fresno, February 20-22, 2020.

This year’s conductor is composer, conductor, scholar, and educator Dr. Andrea Ramsey! 

Timeline:

September 1, 2019:  Online auditions open (Go to Opusevent.com, click on Opus Audition, click on California Junior High All-State Honor Choir on the drop down menu)

October 15, 2019:  Auditions close at midnight

November 15, 2019:  Sponsors notified of audition results

November 30, 2019: Fees to be paid online (website TBA)

December 2019: Music sent to singers upon receipt of required materials via email and payment

February 20, 2020: Honor Choir Registration & Rehearsal at CSU Fresno

February 20-22, 2020: Rehearsals

February 22, 2020: Junior High, High School SSAA & TTBB Honor Choirs Concert (1:30pm) in the Saroyan Theater.

Eligibility

All applicants must sing under the direction of and be recommended by a current member of the American Choral Directors Association or Southern California Vocal Association, who is herein referred to as Sponsor.

Financial Commitment

Audition fee: $15 (non-refundable)

Participation fee: $360 (non-refundable) includes expenses for housing (all students must stay at the honor choir hotel, even local students), meals, music, t-shirt, recordings and transportation from the hotel to rehearsals and performances (transportation to and from Fresno is NOT included).

PLEASE NOTE: The structure of All State has changed for 2020. We will be following the CODA/CBDA model, which includes the financial changes listed above and the addition of chaperones for the students during the event. 

The supervision pyramid runs four layers deep, starting with an immediate chaperone (teacher or fingerprinted adult), followed by the ensemble lead, then the chaperone coordinator, then the all state chairs. The immediate chaperone is only in charge of 12-16 students (3-4) rooms, and adults will be doing bed checks and hallway patrols throughout the night. There are very serious consequences for students who break the rules, including being sent home. We are confident that our chaperones will be vigilant and our singers will all make good choices during the honor choir weekend! 

Parents/Guardians/Directors are responsible for travel and supervision of the student(s) to and from Fresno (prior to Orientation following Registration and after the Concert on Saturday).

Concert

The Junior High and High School SSAA & TTBB Honor Choirs Concert will be presented in the Saroyan Theater (730 M St, Fresno, CA 93721). Information regarding tickets will be announced ASAP.

Online Application Information

Up to 200 singers for each Honor Choir will be selected by audition. All applicants must be sponsored by a current member of ACDA or SCVA and may be members of school, church, and/or community choral organizations.

Required Vocal Audition Elements

Element 1

Upper Range Vocalization (determine your highest best pitch and sing an a cappella ascending major scale up to that pitch from low “do” to high “do” and stop). Either solfége or a neutral syllable is acceptable. 

Element 2

Lower Range Vocalization (determine your lowest best pitch and sing an a cappella descending major scale down to that pitch from high “do” to low “do” and stop). Either solfége or a neutral syllable is acceptable.

Notes on scales:

-Sing on quarter notes with a tempo of 70-80 bpm

-each scale must be done in one breath

-each scale should be to the student’s highest or lowest BEST note, not possible note.

-each scale must be recorded on its own track

-when completing the online application, you will be asked to select your starting pitch for each scale separately.

Element 3

“My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” (America): Sing the first verse a cappella beginning on the pitch designated according to your chosen voice part.

Soprano: G

Alto: Db

Tenor: G

Baritone: E

Bass: C

Notes on “My Country Tis of Thee”:

Tempo: 80-90 bpm

Phrasing matters – breathe in appropriate places (not in the middle of a word)

Embellishments, liberties with pitch/rhythm, etc. are NOT allowed

Diction can make the difference – enunciate clearly.

Helpful hints for recording: 

-Files must be in .mp3 format in order to upload to Opusevent

-Please make sure that all effects are OFF when you are recording. Garage Band can default to a reverb effect when you are recording voices, which can distort the audition recording.

-LISTEN to your uploads after you put them on Opusevent to make sure you have the right tracks uploaded in the right place.

-No talking at all on the recording

-Accompaniment of any kind on the recordings will disqualify the audition (starting pitches are accepted)

-Tempos outside the stated range will disqualify the audition 

We are looking forward to having your singers audition!

Amanda Isaac

Junior High (6-9) All-State Chairperson

Director of Choirs, Bakersfield High School, Bakersfield, CA