MCDA District Choir and All-State Choir 2020–2021 COVID-19 Pandemic Response Statement

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the ambiguity surrounding Missouri school districts’ varied administrative decisions regarding learning platforms, the MCDA Executive Board has moved the District and All-State Auditions to a completely virtual process. Both District and All-State Choirs will be in name only for the 2020–21 school year. Any ensembles that are formed by way of the District and All-State Choir Audition Process will not meet in person for rehearsals, clinics, or performances. The audition procedures have changed in many ways, which are highlighted below:

Virtual Audition Calendar 2020–21

District Choir
January 1 - Submission Window Opens
February 1 - Submission Window Closes
February 15 - District Choir Named
All-State Choir February 15–March 15 - Sight-reading Audition through Video Conferencing Software***
***Coordinators will select a singular date within this window for All-State sight-reading auditions to occur in their respective districts.
February 15 - Exultate justi Submission Window Opens
March 15 - Exultate justi Submission Window Closes
April 1 - All-State Choir Named

What Has Changed for This Year?

Both District and All-State auditions will be held in the spring semester.  District Auditions must be completed February 1, 2021 and named by February 15, 2021  All-State Auditions must be completed by March 15, 2021 and named by April 1, 2021 Both District and All-State Choirs will be in name only for the 2020–21 school year.   Any ensembles that are formed by way of the District and All-State Choir Audition Process will not meet in person for rehearsals, clinics or performances. Any MSHSAA eligible student who is enrolled in a MSHSAA-sponsored high school in 11th or 12th grade and who has been selected for District Choir through the 2021 MCDA Virtual Audition Process will be allowed to audition for the 2021 Missouri All-State Choir.  Enrollment in a choir course is not a requirement for this year’s Virtual Audition Process. This is intended to allow virtual learning students to also participate. Each district will continue to set their own grade level requirements for their District Choir process. Sight-reading will not be a component in the District Choir virtual audition process, but sight-reading has been moved to the All-State audition, melodic sight-reading example only. The District and All-State Choir Coordinator Handbook will only be available in a virtual format this year. Coordinators will not receive a printed copy. There will not be a Sight-Singing Bee this year.

District Choir Virtual Audition Process

District Choir Audition Elements: Submission of an MP3 File Format recording of a Vocal Solo. Selected solo should be 90 seconds of your best singing in any style, no more, no less. Selections may be accompanied live or unaccompanied; either format is acceptable. Karaoke tracks are not acceptable. Judges will listen to recordings and submit adjudication scores electronically. Judges will not have musical scores to look at while adjudicating soloists for the District Choir virtual audition. Judges will be trained to adjudicate based solely upon singing technique/vocal quality and not repertoire selection. Judges will not score a student lower or higher based upon their repertoire selection. Each soloist will be adjudicated by 3 independent judges.
** Note:  Sight-reading will not be a component in the District Choir virtual audition process. Sight-reading has been moved to the All-State audition, melodic sight-reading example only. 

District Choir Virtual Audition

Recording Submission Guidelines for Choir Directors
Step 1: Familiarize students with the components of the virtual audition. The recording should only contain the student’s singing.  The recording should not contain any speaking or identifying information whatsoever.  Recordings must be submitted in MP3 File Format only. It is the choir director’s responsibility to check the recordings for quality before submitting. Identifiable information will only be shared with the District Choir Coordinator. The audition process is a blind audition process.   Recordings should be unedited, defined as a recording that receives no pitch or rhythm alteration and no studio enhancement or alteration of any type  through post-production efforts. Step 2: Establish a process for you (director) to gather the required information and recordings.  In addition to the .mp3 file, you will need to have each student’s first and last name, grade level, voice part, birth date month and day, and school name to complete the submission.    Step 3: Set a deadline for students to submit audition recordings to you (their director). Step 4: Collect and rename each individual recording file.  Files are to be named in the following format: S.0322.mp3 (VoicePart.BirthdateMMDD.mp3) Recordings must be submitted in MP3 File Format only. Note that iOS voice memos do not export as .mp3 files, and will need to be converted. Step 5:  Complete the Audition Submission Google Form sent by the District Coordinator for each student by the February 1, 2021 deadline. This form will end in a file submission, so be ready with the renamed files prior to completing the form.  This form should not be completed by the student.
A Submission Could Be Disqualified If: A recording file is submitted with identifying information. A recording file is not named in the correct format (See Step 4). A recording file is not submitted in the correct MP3 File Format. A recording file is edited in post production.

All-State Choir Virtual Audition Process

All-State Choir Audition Elements: Element One: Part-Omitted Performance Recording (Exsultate justi, Viadana/Sateren) Submission of an MP3 File Format recording of Exsultate justi, Viadana/Sateren with appropriate part-omitted track.  Exsultate justi Audition Tracks, Rehearsal Tracks, and Score A secondary sound source is required. The student should perform with the part-omitted track playing audibly in the recording. Element Two: Melodic Sight-Reading Sight-Reading, Melodic only completed via video conferencing with screen sharing. 1 Virtual Room Monitor and 1 Sight-Reading Judge in each call. Scoring:   Judges will listen to recordings of Element One and submit adjudication scores electronically. Each soloist in Element One will be adjudicated by 3 independent judges. Judges will listen live to evaluate Element Two via video conferencing software. To ensure that the audition process remains blind, judges will not see students’ video feed. A Virtual Room Monitor will be present to conduct each video conference audition via screen sharing. All-State audition scores will be cumulative, and will include the District Audition Solo Performance score + Part-Omitted Performance score (Viadana, Exultate justi) + Melodic Sight-Reading score.

All-State Choir Virtual Audition Recording  Submission Guidelines for Choir Directors

Element One: Part-Omitted Performance Recording (Viadana, Exultate justi)
Step 1: Familiarize students with the components of the virtual audition The recording should contain the student’s singing with the part-omitted track playing audibly in the recording. The recording should not contain any speaking or identifying information whatsoever.  Recordings must be submitted in MP3 File Format only. It is the choir director’s responsibility to check the recordings for quality before submitting. Identifying information will only be shared with the District All-State Choir Coordinator. The audition process is a blind audition process. Recordings should be unedited, defined as a recording that receives no pitch or rhythm alteration and no studio enhancement or alteration of any type through post-production efforts.
Step 2: Establish a process for you (director) to gather the required information and recordings.  In addition to the .mp3 file, you will need to have each student’s first and last name, grade level, voice part, birth date month and day, and school name to complete the submission. Step 3: Set a deadline for students to submit audition recordings to you (their director). Step 4: Collect and rename each individual recording file.  Files are to be named in the following format: S.0322.mp3 (VoicePart.BirthdateMMDD.mp3) Recordings must be submitted in MP3 File Format only. Note that iOS voice memos do not export as .mp3 files, and will need to be converted. Step 5: Complete the Missouri All-State Choir Student Information Sheet (attached at this link) and submit it to your District All-State Choir Coordinator by the March 15, 2021 deadline. Step 6: Complete the All-State Choir Submission Google Form sent by your District All-State Coordinator for each student by the March 15, 2021 deadline. This form will end in a file submission, so be ready with the renamed files prior to completing the form. This form should not be completed by the student.
A Submission Could Be Disqualified If: A recording file is submitted with identifying information. A recording file is not named in the correct format (See Step 3). A recording file is not submitted in the correct MP3 File Format. A recording file is edited in post production.

Element Two: Melodic Sight-Reading Step 1: Familiarize students with the components of the virtual audition. Students will sight-read a 5-measure melodic example. First, the scale and starting pitch of the example will be played for the student. Then the student will be given a short practice period of 30 seconds where students can practice outloud. Finally, a basic chord progression in the key will be played, and a count off will be spoken for the student to begin. Each measure is worth a maximum of 2 points. 1 point is awarded for correct melodic accuracy, and 1 point is awarded for correct rhythmic accuracy. In order to receive points, a student must attempt to sing. Students will not receive points if they only speak or chant during the sight-reading performance. Auditions should occur in a quiet space in the home or at school to limit background noise and other distractions. Step 2: Your District All-State Coordinator will choose and communicate a singular date within the February 15–March 15 window for All-State Sight-Reading Auditions to occur within your district.  Auditions will be conducted synchronously. Your District All-State Coordinator will create and communicate a schedule with specific times for students to enter the video conference. 1 Judge will adjudicate each voice part (total 4 Judges). 1 Virtual Room Monitor will be present for each voice part (total 4 Virtual Room Monitors) to conduct each video conference audition via screen sharing.
​A Submission Could Be Disqualified If: A student is not present at the assigned time of their All-State Choir Sight-Reading Audition. A student attempts to capture or share any of the All-State Choir Sight-Reading Audition material. A student attempts to use any secondary source (instrument, cell phone app, etc.) to aid their audition.​