Virtual NYSSMA FAQ’s

The 2021 Virtual Solo and Ensemble Evaluation Festival will provide students of NYSSMA member schools an opportunity to perform a solo or ensemble in a virtual asynchronous format. Students will receive a rating and feedback based on their recorded performance from a NYSSMA adjudicator in a virtual setting.

Interested students will register through their school music teacher. Along with normal registration information (name, school, name of solo, Manual page number, etc.), a waiver signed by a parent/guardian allowing participation in the virtual evaluation festival must also be submitted. The school music teacher will submit student registration materials to the festival chairperson of the selected festival they wish to participate in. Fees, as listed in the School Music News, must be submitted at the time of registration. Registration dates for all festivals are listed in the School Music News.

Teachers must follow the registration date listed in the School Music News to register students in the chosen festival. Teachers and students must make sure that all work samples are uploaded to the festival platform by the upload date, also listed in the School Music News.

As much as possible, the virtual solo festival format will replicate onsite NYSSMA solo festivals. Students will prepare and perform an appropriate level solo or ensemble chosen from the NYSSMA Manual (Edition 32). Solo students will also prepare and perform scales. The recorded performance will be evaluated by NYSSMA oriented adjudicators. The virtual evaluation sheet is modeled after and similar to NYSSMA evaluation sheets used at onsite festivals. Students will receive both commendations and recommendations for improvement based on their performance, similar to onsite evaluation festivals.

For virtual evaluation, required scales/rudiments for all levels and instruments will be listed in the School Music News and posted on the NYSSMA Website. Students will only prepare the listed scales/rudiments, not any chosen by the adjudicator.

There will be no sight-reading requirement for the 2021 Virtual Solo Ensemble festival. Full points will be awarded for sight-reading.

All Rules and Regulations listed in the NYSSMA Manual; Edition 32 will apply to virtual solo evaluation Any instrument/voice listed in the Manual may perform and receive a rating. Students who wish a rating must choose repertoire listed in the NYSSMA Manual, Edition 32. Solos performed that are not listed in the current NYSSMA Manual, will receive a Comments Only evaluation.

Yes, All-State auditions will be held in the virtual format. All-State auditions will be evaluated by NYSSMA All-State adjudicators. All-State solos must have piano accompaniment in the virtual format unless the solo is written to be performed unaccompanied. Recorded accompaniment guidelines listed next to the bolded arrow on R-8 of the NYSSMA Manual must be followed.

Yes, students, who wish a Comments Only evaluation may do so by indicating that choice when they register. Comments Only evaluations will not be scored and will only receive written comments. Scales (task 2) and are optional with Comments Only evaluations.

All voice solos and all All-State solos must be accompanied. Guidelines for recorded accompaniment listed in the NYSSMA Manual, Edition 32, page R-8 must be followed.