Honors Choir

MSVMA has established an honors choir program that, at the high school level, features SSAA, TTBB, and SATB Choirs every year, directed by in-state conductors. In addition, a High School All-State Choir will be presented at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival in May.  Membership into all honors choirs is open by audition to students from schools holding a current MSVMA membership. Those auditioning must be members in good standing in their school’s vocal music program.  Students interested in auditioning should talk to the instructor immediately.  When you audition you sing in front of one adjudicator by singing a memorized piece a capella and sight-singing a short exercise.  Students are assigned a point score in the categories of tone, memorization, intonation, phrasing, diction and vocal technique.  The top scoring students are selected for honors choir.  There are three honor choirs that happen throughout the year and you have to audition for all of them sequentially, Regional Honors Choir, State Honors Choir, and All-State Honors Choir.  Students are required to pay the entrance fee for every honors choir they are selected for.     

Chelsie and Anna at Regional Honors Choir 2007-2008               State Honors Choir 2007-2008

Solo and Ensemble

Solo and Ensemble is where students can perform for adjudicators as soloists or in smaller ensembles.  As soloists students prepare 2 contrasting numbers and perform them for an adjudicator.  There is no sight-reading at the district level, but there is at the State level.  Soloists may elect for a rating or for comments only.  Students are required to pay the entrance fee and the accompanist and make arrangements to practice outside of class.  Ensembles can be formed, but students must be willing to put in extra time to practice outside of class.  If you receive a I at districts than you can move on to State. 

Chelsie, Anna, and Kendall at Solo and Ensemble 2007                T.J. and Kyle at Solo and Ensemble 2007

Choral Festival

All members in choir will participate in choral festival if they demonstrate good behavior at school.  If members in choir receive ISS or OSS from the school between January and May they will not participate in festival.  At Districts, in March, the choir will perform two pieces for three adjudicators and receive a rating.  The choir will also sight-read for a rating.  If the combination of the two scores equals a First Division score then the choir can choose to go to State in May.  At State the choir will perform three pieces one being a capella.  There is no sight-reading at State.