Saturday, May 6, 2023
GUEST CONDUCTORS
EXPANDED ACCESS
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.
NEW SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM:
The need-based scholarship application form is completed by the parent/guardian and student. Two supportive statements should include:
- parents/guardians to explain financial need
- Student statement of expected personal growth in the honor choir experience
CHOIR NAME CHANGE:
A name change from 7-8 TTB to 7-8 CTB will more accurately reflect the placement of changing (cambiata) voices to the honor choir.
- C = cambiata
- T = tenor
- B = baritone
BOY SOPRANO/ALTO:
Upon consultation with and recommendation from the home choral director, a 7-8 boy soprano or alto has the option to audition for the honor choir experience that is best suited to his vocal development:
____ CTB ____ SSA ____ Either
ACDA-MN STATE HONOR CHOIRS
DATE: Saturday, May 6, 2023
CONCERT TIME: 5:30 PM
REHEARSAL & CONCERT LOCATION: St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Mahtomedi, MN
AUDITION TIMELINE
7-8 CTB & SSA
Friday, February 17, 11:59 PM — Auditions Due
Tuesday, February 28 — Directors Notified
Friday, March 10 — Scholarship Applications Due
Wednesday, March 29 — 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 (includes transaction fee).
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 $129 per student which includes transaction fee, fees and expenses for the guest conductor, accompanist, instrumentalists, 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.
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.
Scholarship Applications Due Date:
7-8 Honor Choirs: Friday, March 10, 2023
NEW 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
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 on-line 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. Your national login credentials are as follows:
CLICK HERE FOR LOG-IN INFORMATION FOR ACDA
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 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 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
RECORDING THE STUDENT AUDITIONS
7-8 CTB
7-8 SSA
ACCESS TO OPUS EVENT ON-LINE AUDITIONS
Reminder: Current ACDA Active Membership is required to access Opus Event
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 and recording company to mail out music packets and recordings 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. Seven honor choirs are sponsored annually, providing outstanding enrichment opportunities in choral performance for over 950 students. Typically, over 2300 students audition each year for the following honor choir offerings:
What are CTB, SSA, etc.?
They are abbreviations for the voices:
CTB — Cambiata, Tenor, Baritone
SSA — Soprano 1, Soprano 2, Alto
SSAA — Soprano 1, Soprano 2, Alto 1, Alto 2
SATB — Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
In order to be selected for one of these competitive honor choirs, students from around the state, together with their directors, prepare an on-line “blind” audition that is scored by a selection committee made up of professional choral directors trained with special adjudication and screening skills.
The audition fee is $16.00 per student (includes transaction fee). Parents may send in cash or a check (made out to your school/institution) along with the Student Information Form (located on the FORMS Page on the Menu) to your child’s choral director at the posted deadlines. The data on the form will be used to enter information into the on-line student audition website. The 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, there will be a number of signed forms (medical/liability release) and a participation fee of $129 due (payable to your child’s choral institution/school. Includes transaction fee). The school will pay for all student’s fees via credit card directly to ACDA-MN). This fee will cover the following expenses:
When returning forms and payments, please adhere to the posted deadline schedule. Upon student selection, the ACDA-MN Honor Choirs’ website (this 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 sites.
For More Information
Contact your child’s choral director or seek additional information directly from the ACDA-MN office at: jandrews@acda-mn.org
