by Orrin C. Cross III

Prelude

Everyone wants his or her performance group to do well at a festival. This is a time when our peers evaluate our musical organizations; therefore, it is a time when the results of our teaching are exposed to all. The purpose of this article is to outline some of the dos and don't in festivals. In discussion with countless adjudicators during the years a consensus of ideas has come forth. Some are objective and apply to every type of performance group. Some are more subjective as a result of the nature of music as an art form and are therefore not "written in stone". Finally, there are some subliminal things, which can effect performance evaluation. These are often the difference between one scoring level and another.

Of the items listed above taken care of, directors can then concentrate on the musicality of their groups.

The following outline is meant to be of assistance to a director in preparing for a festival. It can be used as a check-off list, a reminder or perhaps just a constant irritation. If it helps use it. We will discuss many of the below ideas, not always agreeing, but certainly learning.

Pre-festival Application (forms in the fall Tempo and on the CMEA Bay Section web site)

• Complete clearly and legibly
• Return with required fees as quickly as possible (performance place, dates and times are determined by the date received by the Treasurer)

Music Selection (this is a most important aspect, often overlooked)

• Select music early in the school year
• Music must be art music, but have a variety of styles and composers
• Select music to emphasize your group's strengths
• Select more music than needed to give a later choice of what to play
• Play the music throughout the year in concerts
• Select the actual festival selections within a month of the festival
• Don't over-rehearse the festival music
• Sight-read as a regular part of your daily rehearsals; it is a learned skill, not a mystical thing that appears at the festival

Non-musical Preparation (not fun, but very important)

Transportation (often expensive)

• Order buses early using extended times (change to real times later)
• Plan for equipment movement (truck, cars, etc.)

Scores (3 needed)

• If copies, label "For Adjudication Purposes", destroy after festival.
• Place school name on top of cover page
• Number every measure
• Mark all cuts and other changes clearly
• Mark different instruments playing cues
• Do NOT mark problem areas or places needing additional rehearsal (copy scores before you start rehearsing them)
• Assemble pages correctly so they are easy to turn and follow

Judges Folders

• One needed for each judge
• Large folder with school name, performance time, etc. on it
• Place score, a page to act as a program and seating chart in each

Parent and Student Information (give out early to lock in the festival)

• The who, what, where, when and how of the festival
• Dress requirements (detailed)
• Money for lunches, pictures
• Behavior requirements and step by step procedures
• Festival schedule so parents can attend performance
• Chaperones (more needed if you have multiple groups attending
• Assistance in transportation
• Needs list (don't leave things to memory, write it down)
• Percussion needs (host will give you what they will provide)
• Mutes
• Reeds and emergency repair items
• Music (yes, you should carry it all together -- better safe than sorry)

Arrival at Festival (arrive several hours early)

(If you have a break-down, or are lost, see below)

Check-in

• Done only by director
• Students remain on bus with chaperone
• Give 3 judges folders to office personnel
• Complete paper work requested
• Ask where to warm-up (will a guide meet you?)

Pre-Warm-up

• Unload bus and equipment vehicles
• Have an adult watch equipment after it is placed in a safe location
• Have all students enter the performance area between groups in a quiet and orderly manner, sitting together
• Listen and watch several group checking details at performance
• Where to place cases, coats, etc.
• Seating arrangement
• Percussion setup
• Acoustics of performance area
• Audience Behavior is most important
• Judges notice noisy, poorly behaved groups
• Leave together between groups in a quiet, orderly manner
• If you have two or more groups, be sure a chaperone is assigned to each group and that they know what is expected of the group while you are in warm-up, performance and clinic/sight-reading with another group
• Pick up equipment (pre-assigned responsibilities) and go to the warm-up area, waiting until preceding group has exited the area

Warm-up (check Handbook for time allotted for each type of group)

• Enter orderly, setting up as your group normally would
• Take instruments out of cases (during this time music may be distributed)
• Follow normal warm-up routine for group
• Percussion will only have what they brought
• Play or sing a portion of one of the easier festival pieces
• Instrumental groups tune
• Perform the beginning and selected portions of each selection, in order
• Don't overly warm-up -- students get restless during this time -- calm down
• When told, exit area, taking everything with you (cases, coats, etc.)
• Percussion should have assigned carrying responsibilities
• Have someone be the last out to make sure you have everything
• Move to performance area, but do not enter until told to

Performance (check Handbook for time allotted for each type of group)

• Time begins when previous group has completely exited the performance area and ends when you have done the same
• When told, enter orderly and quietly (you are subconsciously judged constantly)
• Place cases, coats, etc. where indicated and noted during listening time
• Group moves quietly and orderly (don&Mac226;Äôt march in) to seats, sitting from the center back towards the front and sides to avoid moving percussion and any more chairs and stands than necessary
• Do not play -- percussion should setup while chairs and stands in the way are moved by assigned students (section leaders?) check your podium and stand
• Give a single tuning note and have group tune to that note
• No individual tuning
• No scales, etudes, warm-up exercises
• Don't expose intonation problems to the judges
• When ready indicate so to the announcer or if none, to the judges yourself
• Introduce selections (the audience does not have a program)
• Treat the festival as a regular public performance
• Watch the little things (work towards uniformity while avoiding
  regimentation)
• Posture
• No gum, hats, talking, unnecessary moving around, etc.
• Perform first selection, acknowledging applause at its conclusion
• Avoid re-tuning between selections
• Watch head judge (usually in the center) for the OK to proceed
• Announce and play next selection (follow same procedure)
• After the last piece, have students rise to acknowledge applause (only
  you bow)
• Students should then sit quietly
• Often a judge will come up and speak to the group right after the performance (check for this when viewing groups)
• When told, students should take music (do not re-set the performance area) and exit in a quiet and orderly fashion
• Someone should take music from each student (section leaders collect)
• Pick up cases, coats, etc. and move quietly to the sight-reading area
• Have someone be the last out to make sure you have everything

Sight-reading/Clinic (check Handbook for time allotted for each type of group)

• Enter area quietly and orderly
• If the director and judge agree, an audience may be present for this
  session
• Place cases, coats, etc. in area indicated
• Sit in seats from center back, forward and to the outsides.
• Percussion sets up (often not all equipment is available in this room)
• Do not move extra chairs and stands
• Do not open folders
• You should introduce yourself to the judge and then introduce the judge
  to the group
• The judge will either give the clinic or explain the sight-reading procedure to the group
• The group should be quiet, attentive and polite at all times.
• The director should sit or stand with the group, not behind the adjudicator
• After done the group should applaud the judge (warn group in advance)
• When directed, take cases, coats, etc. from room and in a quiet and orderly fashion move to the picture area
• Have someone be the last out to make sure you have everything

Post-performance (allow time for this part of the festival)

• Place cases, coats, etc. in secure area and line up for pictures according to the person in charge
• After pictures (they usually take one formal and one "crazy" picture) take all cases, coats, percussion equipment, etc., and put on vehicles which bought them
• Return to wait for adjudication results (usually there is a snack bar nearby for students to relax and unwind -- still, behavior is important
• When results are posted students should accept results maturely (it is your responsibility to condition them to respond correctly to this)
• If possible, listen to additional groups, following the same procedure used when arriving
• When directed, load vehicles and return home.

At Home (at the next class meeting)

• Encourage all students to be in attendance
• Be sure your are there also
• Discuss festival in general (performance, behavior, etc.)
• Play performance tape for students to hear
• Discuss performance ("good" and "needs to improve" areas)
• Play adjudicator's tapes (you should listen to them first but judges are instructed to keep comments general on tapes)
• Discuss adjudicator's comments
• Wrap-up the festival on a positive note

Coda

After reviewing the items above, much of what has been discussed falls into the category of planning and execution from the first day of the school year until the festival. There were no surprises. We didn't get into the details of what is specifically judged (tone reproduction, intonation, attack and release, dynamics, etc.) That is an assumed. With all of the items listed above taken care of, directors can then concentrate on the musicality of their groups.