Virtual Solo Festival FAQs

I received my scores from CS Music. How do I determine my rating?

We know! This festival has had to work a little differently than our standard format. Thanks for participating in our new festival – and we hope you enjoyed challenging yourself as you learned your solo! Click here to view the ratings conversion chart.

I received a *1 for my Class A district level performance. How do I register for State Virtual Festival?

Congratulations on your achievement! The registration process is the same for the State Virtual Festival. Visit this webpage, then click on “Register Now.” On the next page, click on “Register for State.”
Please note: Coupon codes used for district level events are not applicable to state level events. If you are a student, please contact your school music teacher for options. Teachers should contact WSMA directly for this information.

Can I use the same video for state that I submitted for district?

You may use the same video for district and state.

Do Festival Rules still apply to the Virtual Solo Festival?

Festival Rules do apply to the Virtual Solo Festival, with the following exceptions:

Substitute percussion equipment can be utilized (see question below).
Accompaniment is optional for all events (see question below for resources).

Who is eligible to participate in the Virtual Solo Festival?

Any student that meets WSMA Solo & Ensemble Festival eligibility requirements may participate in the Virtual Solo Festival. Students that did not have the opportunity to perform at their scheduled festival (for any reason) may register for the District Level Virtual Solo Festival.

Students who received a starred first (*1) at their district festival or a starred first (*1) in the District Level Virtual Solo Festival may register for the State Virtual Solo Festival.

What about percussion? I don't have access to equipment.

WSMA understands that not all students will have access to percussion equipment during this time. To accommodate more student performances, the following Festival Rule modifications have been made and do not require special permission. Please include substitutions in the student introduction.

Any mallet solo can be performed on any mallet instrument.
Parade drum solos may be performed on a concert snare drum.
Multiple percussion solos may utilize any comparable instrument: xylophone for marimba, concert snare for parade drum, etc…

Do I need accompaniment for my solo?

For the Virtual Solo Festival, accompaniment is optional for all events, including music theater. The accompaniment is not included on the rubric and not considered in the evaluation. If you choose to use a an online or pre-recorded accompaniment, please manage the recording as best as you can to follow performance instructions and ‘cuts’ to the music. Be sure to spend plenty of time playing along with the recording.

Consider the following alternative options to a live accompaniment:

Use a pre-recorded accompaniment provided by a private teacher or school music teacher.
Download the Appcompanist app (available in iTunes or GooglePlay store)
Subscribe to Virtually Vocal
Download accompaniments from Piano-Accompaniments.com
Check YouTube for available accompaniments (double check edition)

My solo has lots of rests. Should I count through those? Or cut those measures and come in again when my part resumes?

Please use your best judgement. WSMA recommends the following: If there are multi-measure rests longer than 3 measures, these may be omitted. If you are providing music for the adjudicator, please mark this in the score. If not please announce this during your introduction.

Do I need to provide an original piece of music for the adjudicator?

All festival rules still apply; students can upload a PDF of the music using the app and instructions provided here.

Do I still have to submit a 'classical' vocal solo in order to submit a music theater solo?

All festival rules still apply; students are required to submit a classical solo in addition to their music theater solo at the District level.

I have a recording of my performance, but it doesn't include an introduction. Can I still submit it?

Yes! The introduction is not included on the rubric or considered in performance evaluation. You may submit the video as is.

Can I register an event as Comments Only? I'm just interested in feedback, but no rating.

To request that an entry be Comment Only (no rating), please register the event normally and then complete the Request for Comment Only. Request must be received the same day as the registration.

Are Virtual Solo Festival events eligible for Exemplary Performance Nominations and Awards?

WSMA Exemplary Performance Recognition will not be available for the Virtual Solo Festival.

Can I post or share my performance video publicly?

WSMA does not endorse the sharing of the performance video outside of the festival due to copyright.

I made a mistake entering my information on the CS Music registration page. How can I fix it?

Contact information can be updated directly on the CS Music website site in My Account. Changes and corrections to district and state event information should be sent to state@wsmamusic.org. Please be sure to include the following information:

Student name
School
Event name
Class (A, B or C)
Explanation of change needed

I am a school music teacher and I'd like to get a list of students registered for the Virtual Festival. Who do I contact?

School music teachers can request a list of students registered for the Virtual Solo Festival by emailing state@wsmamusic.org. Please be sure to include your school name and account number in the email.

I am a school music teacher, and I have questions about registration fees and/or billing the school directly.

Please check your email for a communication from Kerrie Brey, Finance Manager, sent on 3/23, 3/24 or 3/25. Still can’t find an answer? Email state@wsmamusic.org

What role does WSMA play in festivals, and why does the association have incurred costs if some of the festivals didn't happen?

WSMA’s mission is to “ensure that all students have opportunities which encourage lifelong involvement in music, Wisconsin School Music Association will provide statewide music programming activities, offer leadership and support for school music programs, and advance music as an integral part of the school curriculum and community life.”

As a 501(c)3 non-profit, all funding we receive is reinvested in our membership and member services. For example, with a typical festival situation, 60% of all festival fees received are sent to the festival manager to cover all on-site costs (piano tuning/rental, adjudicators, printing, etc.) and 40% is retained by WSMA to cover annual festival operational costs (salary and hourly payments to WSMA staff and field reps, postage, printing, etc.).

When a regular festival season begins for the WSMA staff in August, the following work occurs prior to the event:

Publish the music list
Organize the festival structure
Train festival managers
Hire and train adjudicators
Assign adjudicators statewide
Process permissions statewide
Develop and maintain technology infrastructure
Support software issues
Process registration and subsidy payments

With the situation this spring, WSMA acknowledges that for a certain number of district festivals, the experience was not available. We were not yet at a point in the process where a majority of schools had paid for state. As WSMA is obligated to still pay for people and services that provide the festival structure, we have worked hard to find a way to honor the festival obligations on behalf of schools and our association. Although our plan is to return 70% of funds received, if your school or program will be adversely without a full refund, please contact Laurie Fellenz, lfellenz@wsmamusic.org.

With the WSMA Virtual Solo Festival, will adjudicators be compensated?

WSMA adjudicators will be compensated for their services in the Virtual Solo Festival, and this rate will be the same rate they normally receive, averaged per entry, at a regular festival based on their adjudicator level: registered, certified or master.

WSMA exists to serve membership, and when we had to make the difficult decision to suspend festivals for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, our team immediately looked for ways we could still provide an opportunity for students who had missed their district festival and/or already earned the opportunity to perform at state. Among the early questions that needed answers were, “Are there adjudicators who are willing and have the capability to adjudicate virtual performances?” and “What if there are not enough funds to pay them?”

We surveyed all adjudicators to see if they would be willing to work with us even though the scope and financial information would be unknown until we actually opened the festival. Nearly 300 adjudicators responded they would be interested, and 90% of them indicated they would work with us without knowing the compensation answer until later. This required a significant amount of trust in their state association, and for that we are so grateful to WSMA adjudicators for working with us to provide an opportunity for students.

Though we have had a good number of district registrations, we are still not certain where the final number of participants will land. Despite this uncertainty, we ARE committed to paying every adjudicator that assists with the evaluation process.

Thank you to our membership for your support and understanding during this very difficult and complex time in both your schools and our association.