There are two types of performance opportunities for concert groups: Concert Festival or Clinic Experience. Either of these can be used to meet the qualification requirements for WSMA Accreditation.
Concert Festival Requirements
- There is no minimum number of schools or concert groups required to form a WSMA Concert Festival.
- Participating schools establish concert festival dates. All concert festival dates must be submitted to WSMA by October 1 of the current school year. WSMA Concert Festivals may not be held on the following dates:
- State Marching Band Championships (Saturday)
- Wisconsin State Music Conference (Wednesday – Saturday)
- Friday or Saturday of WSMA State Solo & Ensemble Festival weekends
- Additional dates as determined by WSMA
- A subsidy amount based on registration fees as approved by the WSMA board is sent to the festival manager after WSMA has received all payments from participating schools in the concert group festival.
Comment: WSMA assigns all adjudicators, collects fees, implements rules, provides a subsidy and offers awards to purchase for concert group festivals. - Registration procedures for WSMA Concert Festivals include the following:
- All events must be registered online via the Festival Registration App at least four weeks prior to the Concert Festival.
- Concert festival managers have the option to deny late entries. If a late entry is permitted, an additional cost per entry applies.
- No refunds will be made for the withdrawal of any entry within four weeks of the festival.
- Sight-reading is not required; however, directors may request a sight-reading experience as part of the concert festival.
Comment: The festival manager should provide sight-reading music if time and space are available. Concert groups requesting to sight-read must submit an additional fee as outlined by the Dues and Fees Schedule found on the WSMA website. - All WSMA Concert Festival events are open to the public. Except for the optional sight-reading event, it is not appropriate to clear any room prior to or during a performance.
- The recording of the adjudicators’ critique or clinic is not permitted under any circumstance. The recording of the student performance is at the discretion of the parent and/or teacher but must be in accordance with federal copyright laws.
Concert Festival Performance Requirements
- Each concert group must perform one selection from the current WSMA Festival Music List.
- Each concert group must perform two additional selections, for a total of three. If the combined performance time equals or exceeds the minimum times listed below, a concert group may perform only two selections.
Additional scheduling information:Ensemble Type Class B, C, M Class A Instrumental 10 minutes 15 minutes Choral 8 minutes 10 minutes
Ensemble Type Recommended Set-up Time Recommended Verbal Clinic Time Recommended Scheduled Time (including performance) Instrumental 10 minutes 10 minutes Class, B, C, M = 30 min.
Class A = 35 min.Choral 5 minutes 10 minutes Class B, C, M = 25 min.
Class A = 30 min. - Concert groups that perform one multi-movement selection from the current WSMA Festival Music List that meets the minimum time requirement should perform another short selection.
- Teachers may adapt ensemble music to accommodate students identified with special or exceptional needs. All adapted music must be submitted to WSMA for permission.
- Each concert group must perform two additional selections, for a total of three. If the combined performance time equals or exceeds the minimum times listed below, a concert group may perform only two selections.
- Students or adults may perform published accompanist parts for choral groups in a WSMA Concert Festival. Pre-recorded, taped, or sequenced accompaniments are not permitted for concert festivals.
- The adjudicator(s) must be provided with a complete score of all music to be performed. The required selection must be the matching, correct edition.
- All choral scores must be original or legal electronically printed music.
- Instrumental scores may be photocopies for the adjudicator(s).
Comments:- Music saved to an electronic device (such as an iPad) is not permissible for the adjudicator.
- Label all scores with school name, class entered, and director’s name. Number all measures to facilitate judging procedures.
- A brief pause between numbers is allowed and is at the discretion of the director.
- Teachers and students should follow federal copyright laws in providing music for all performers.
- A student member of the ensemble is expected to introduce the performance, including school name, title of selection (and movements if appropriate), composer and a significant aspect of the selection (style, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or technique).
Comment: The introduction does not need to be memorized nor is it part of the overall rating. - Students are required to listen to a minimum of one other performing group and to evaluate the performance.
Comment: WSMA has student listening forms available online via the Account Portal or the director can use any listening form of his/her choosing. These forms are retained by the teacher and are not given to the performing group or sent to WSMA. - Two or more schools may submit a request to WSMA to form a co-op concert group providing all participating students attend WSMA member schools.
Comment: The co-op concert group request form is found online via the Account Portal.
Clinic Experience Requirements
- Registration including proof of participation, must be submitted to WSMA following the clinic experience but no later than June 15. Proof of participation options include:
- Completed ‘Concert Comment-Only rubric’
- Signed evaluation by clinician
- Recorded audio or video performance with clinician commentary
- All clinician arrangements and expenses associated with the clinic experience are the responsibility of the participating school(s). Comment: Directors are encouraged to contact WSMA if clinician suggestions are needed.
- No ratings are given or implied and no concert plaques are awarded. If using a WSMA rubric for the evaluation and proof of participation, the Concert Comment-Only rubric must be used.
- A minimum of 20 minutes of clinic time (not including performance time) must be provided for each performing group.
Clinic Experience Performance Requirements
- There is no minimum performance requirement for a WSMA Clinic Experience. It is suggested that groups follow the WSMA Concert Festival minimum performance requirements.
Comment: Each group is strongly encouraged to perform at least one selection from the current WSMA Concert Festival Music List (Events 1000, 1010, 1020, 1030, 2000, 2010, 2020 or 3000). - Students or adults may perform published accompanist parts for choral groups.
- Students are required to listen to a minimum of one performing group and to evaluate the performance.
Comment: This could be a recording if a live listening opportunity isn’t available. WSMA has student listening forms available online via the Account Portal or the director can use any listening form of his/her choosing. These forms are retained by the teacher and are not given to the performing group or sent to WSMA. - Two or more schools may submit a request to WSMA to form a co-op concert group providing all participating students attend WSMA member schools.
Comment: The co-op concert group request form is found online via the Account Portal.
If you feel like you have a great opportunity for your students that doesn’t seem to fit into either of these categories, please contact WSMA. Our goal is to give you the support you need to fulfill the requirement while at the same time creating a great large group performing experience for your students.
The chart below illustrates some of the similarities and differences between the concert group participation options.
|
Concert Festival |
Clinic Experience |
|
|
At least 3 member schools are required to form an event. |
Yes |
No |
|
There is a minimum performance time requirement. |
Yes |
No |
|
At least one of the selections must be from the current |
Yes |
No |
|
Students listen to at least one other performing group. |
Yes |
No |
|
A student is expected to introduce the ensemble/selection. |
Yes |
Optional |
|
The performance is rated. |
Yes |
No |
|
Adjudicators are selected by WSMA. |
Yes |
No |
|
Registration occurs at least four weeks prior to the |
Yes |
No |
|
Festival manager receives a subsidy check from WSMA. |
Yes |
No |
