Saturday, March 23, 2024
GUEST CONDUCTORS
GENDER ACCESS:
It is ACDA-MN’s intent to regard the emotional well being of our singers based upon gender or voicing. It is our priority to be transparent and place students with efficiency and consistency. Transgender and gender expansive students may be placed in ANY honor choir in which they feel comfortable. However, as a minimal expectation, the student must be able to meet all of the musical requirements for that ensemble, including demonstrating the necessary vocal range for the voice part in which they are auditioning.
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM:
The need-based scholarship application form has been revised to remove tax documentation required for families to report income. Instead, two supportive statements will now be provided by the
- Parents/guardians to explain financial need
- Student statement of expected personal growth in the honor choir experience
6th GRADE SINGER WITH VOICE CHANGE:
Upon consultation with and recommendation from the home choral director, a 6th grade singer who is experiencing voice change and whose range is more suited as a cambiata, tenor or baritone, will be permitted to audition for the 7-8 CTB honor choir.
AUDITION SONG:
“Dona Nobis Pacem” will be the audition song for BOTH 4-5-6 Honor Choirs 1 and 2.
ACDA-MN STATE HONOR CHOIRS 1 & 2
DATE: Saturday, March 23, 2024
CONCERT TIME: 5:30 PM
REHEARSAL & CONCERT LOCATION: St. Michael/Albertville High School • 5800 Jamison Ave NE • St. Michael/Albertville MN
AUDITION TIMELINE
4-5-6 CHOIRS 1 & 2
Friday, January 12, 11:59 PM — Auditions Due
Tuesday, January 23 — Directors Notified
Friday, February 2 — Scholarship Applications Due
Wednesday, February 23 — Student Registration and Fees Due
LATE AUDITION POLICY
Each year we receive numerous requests from director members to submit student auditions after the posted deadline. Let us clearly state that once the deadline passes, there is no opportunity to re-open the Opus audition site and add more auditions for any reason, as those audition files are immediately secured and sent onto the screening committee for scoring. There are no exceptions to this policy.
Audition Fees — Student audition fee is $16.00.
Parents — Please make check payable to your child’s institution.
Directors — Please group all audition payments and pay by institution or personal credit card.
NOTE: If a student is selected for membership in the honor choir, the registration fee is $130 per student which includes fees and expenses for the guest conductor, accompanist, instrumentalists, professional rehearsal tracks, on-site medical staff, facilities, food, T-shirt, downloadable audio recording of the concert, liability insurance and administrative support services.
This fee is Payable ONLY if the student is accepted into the honor choir program.
Be aware that an additional 3.65% processing fee will be added to all credit card orders. Processing fees can be avoided when paying by check.
Scholarships are available for Registration Fees. Please see “SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE” section for details.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR REGISTRATION FEES
Several need-based scholarships to support the honor choir registration fee will be available on a limited basis, sponsored by ACDA-MN’s F. Melius Christiansen Endowment Fund Committee. Parents should indicate their interest on the Student Information Form returned to the school’s director. Should the student be selected for placement in the Honor Choir, an official Scholarship Application Form (Use Online Application Form or use a Paper Copy Form) should be submitted by parents to the ACDA-MN office by due date listed below. Please note that this is a firm deadline.
Scholarship Applications Due Date:
4-5-6 Honor Choirs 1 & 2 : Friday, February 2, 2024
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM:
The need-based scholarship application form consists of two supportive statements will now be provided by the
- Parents/guardians to explain financial need
- Student statement of expected personal growth in the honor choir experience
Scholarship application forms will be available in these printed translations:
- English, also available in on-line version
- Spanish
- Somali
- Hmong
CURRENT ACDA “ACTIVE” MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED
Before directors are permitted access to the Opus Event online audition site, current ACDA “ACTIVE” membership is required. Be certain that your WORKPLACE email and phone number listed with the ACDA national office is current and correct before you access Opus Event.
User Name/Log-in: your primary email address
Password: you select your own password combination…keep for your own records.
(Please note that ACDA will not have access to your password)
For further questions, contact Trina Kopacka at the ACDA National Office between (8:00 am and 5:00 pm) at: 405-232-8161 x 110. Email at: membership@acda.org
AUDITION TIMELINE
Please see “AUDITION DEADLINES” section above.
LATE AUDITION POLICY
Each year we receive numerous requests from director members to submit student auditions after the posted deadline. Let us clearly state that once the deadline passes, there is no opportunity to re-open the Opus audition site and add more students for any reason, as those audition files are immediately secured and sent onto the screening committee for scoring. There are no exceptions to this policy.
AUDITION PAYMENTS TO OPUS EVENTS
Student audition fees are payable by CREDIT CARD (Mastercard/Visa) only.
Teachers must group all student auditions into ONE credit card payment within the Opus audition site.
FORMS — For Audition
Please see the “FORMS” page on the Main Menu to access and print Student Information Form.
As Directors will personally register each student on the Opus audition website, the Student Information Form will enable directors to obtain required data from students and parents to complete the on-line registration process. This form is NOT submitted to ACDA-MN.
STUDENT AUDITION CAP
There are no limits or caps placed on the number of students auditioning from any school or institution.
SCORING THE AUDITIONS – RUBRICS
Click the button below to view / download State Honor Choir Audition Rubrics
SELECTION OF STUDENTS
Directors will be notified by ACDA-MN if students have or have not been selected. Within several days, directors will receive music packets and access to all required forms for student registration.
Please note due dates for Sending Scholarship Application Forms, Student Registration Fees and Forms as listed under “AUDITION DEADLINES”.
TIPS FOR RECORDING
- Record Separate Tracks for Song and Scale
- Be certain to record in the correct key
- Record in a quiet room. Avoid a “live” acoustical room.
- Do not use reverb or other pitch or tonal enhancements.
- Avoid “helping” the student in any way. Give first pitch, then let student sing alone.
- Record in designated key options for each voice part.
- Note tempo markings as indicated
- Directors may utilize the “DNL” (Do Not Listen) option
- Save recording in mp3 format Only
RECORDING THE STUDENT AUDITIONS
4-5-6 Choir 2
- Record Separate Tracks for Song and Scale.
- Be certain to record in the correct key.
- DO NOT have students announce name, grade, voice part, or school since students are assigned a Blind Audition ID Number when they are officially registered on-line.
- Sing a one octave major scale at a moderate tempo, using solfege syllables forward, take a breath, repeat upper do, and return back UNACCOMPANIED in any one of these appropriate keys:
- Sing Dona Nobis Pacem at a moderate tempo, UNACCOMPANIED in the following keys:
High – E
Low – D
High – F
Low – D
4-5-6 Choir 1
- Record Separate Tracks for Song and Scale.
- Be certain to record in the correct key.
- DO NOT have students announce name, grade, voice part, or school since students are assigned a Blind Audition ID Number when they are officially registered on-line.
- Sing a one octave major scale at a moderate tempo, using solfege syllables forward, take a breath, repeat upper do, and return back UNACCOMPANIED in any one of these appropriate keys:
- Sing Dona Nobis Pacem at a moderate tempo, UNACCOMPANIED in the following keys:
High (Sop 1) – E
Middle (Sop 2) – Eb
Low (Alto) – D
High (Sop 1) – A
Middle (Sop 2) – F
Low (Alto) – D
ACCESS TO OPUS EVENT ON-LINE AUDITIONS
Note to Directors:
Please be certain to completely supply all school street address information within the Opus site. This information is needed for music vendors to mail out music packets to each school.
The American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota (ACDA-MN), a professional organization in which your child’s choral director holds membership, sponsors the state honor choir program. Six honor choirs are sponsored annually, providing outstanding enrichment opportunities in choral performance for approximately 900 students. Typically, over 2000 students audition each year for the following honor choir offerings:
- State 4-5-6 Choir I – 150 students
- State 4-5-6 Choir II – 120 students
- State 7-8 CTB – 150 students
- State 7-8 SSA – 150 students
- State 9-10 TTB – 120 students
- State 9-10 SSAA – 140 students
- State 9-10 SATB – 140 students
In order to be selected for one of these competitive honor choirs, students from around the state, together with their directors, prepare an online “blind” audition that is scored by a selection committee made up of choral directors trained with special adjudication and screening skills.
The audition fee is $16 per student. Parents may send in cash or a check (made out to your school/institution) along with the Student Information Form to your child’s choral director at the posted deadlines. The data on the form will be used to enter information into the online student audition website. This form requires a signature from both the student and parent.
Whether selected or not, students will be notified by your child’s choral director. If selected, students will provide a Registration form (medical/liability release) and a participation fee of $130 due (payable by personal check to your child’s school). This fee will cover the following expenses: Guest conductor artistic fees and travel expenses, accompanist, instrumentalists, professional rehearsal tracks, onsite medical staff, rental of performance and rehearsal facilities, liability insurance premiums, food, T-shirt, downloadable audio recording of the concert, and administrative support services.
When returning forms and payments, please adhere to the posted deadline schedule. Upon student selection, the ACDA-MN website will be regularly updated with access to required forms and other related information. For your convenience, families may utilize hotel accommodations with special ACDA-MN discount rates near the honor choir performance site
