NYSSMA
UPDATE of NYSSMA FESTIVALS FOR 2021-2022 from Adam Shatraw, NYSSMA Zone 3 Representative...
* There will be no Junior High Area All State this year.
* Senior High Area All State will take place on February 4th and 5th. Lindsey Williams is the chairperson and you should be hearing from her shortly!
* The Southern Tier Solo/Sm. Ensemble Festival will take place on April 1st and 2nd at Johnson City. Julie Beard is the host.
* The Northern Solo/Sm. Ensemble Festival will take place on April 22nd and 23rd at East Syracuse Minoa Central HS. Michelle Currier is the host.
* The Central (Ithaca Area) Festival IS NOT YET SCHEDULED.
* We are currently working on dates for the Owego Majors Festival.
* There is currently no host for the Northern Majors Festival
* There will be no Junior High Area All State this year.
* Senior High Area All State will take place on February 4th and 5th. Lindsey Williams is the chairperson and you should be hearing from her shortly!
* The Southern Tier Solo/Sm. Ensemble Festival will take place on April 1st and 2nd at Johnson City. Julie Beard is the host.
* The Northern Solo/Sm. Ensemble Festival will take place on April 22nd and 23rd at East Syracuse Minoa Central HS. Michelle Currier is the host.
* The Central (Ithaca Area) Festival IS NOT YET SCHEDULED.
* We are currently working on dates for the Owego Majors Festival.
* There is currently no host for the Northern Majors Festival
This year, NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) Solo Festival went virtual. The festival is a competition where students get evaluated on their single performance of a solo. The adjudication will give them feedback on their performance as well as qualify these students for an honor ensemble at the county and state levels. Despite all the challenges of COVID and limited instructional time, these students persevered and flourished. Groton took on the challenge and had twenty three students in Grades 5-11 perform a solo for adjudication. These solos ranged from Level I to All-State. Students worked to prepare the solo in their lessons and on their own in order to record for this event. Every student placed in one of the top two categories! Thank you to everyone who supported these students in their musical endeavors!
Congratulations to Morgan Dittman (Treble Chorus) and Brooke Brecht (Band) for being a part of the 2020 Zone 3 Sr. High Area All-State!
Congratulations to Leanna Jackson (Treble Chorus) & Samuel Young (Mixed Chorus) for being a part of the 2019 Zone 3 Jr. High Area All-State!
Congratulations to the following for being a part of the 2020 STMEA Choral All-County!
Senior High
Evan Carlo
Chloe Conger
Morgan Dittman
Alyssa Fennimore
Isaac Hall
Emily Slater
Junior High
Olivia Arthur
Brynn Blasz
Lena Brehm
Drew Bush
Megan Cute
Julia Garcia
Willow Orr
Andrew Saam
Senior High
Evan Carlo
Chloe Conger
Morgan Dittman
Alyssa Fennimore
Isaac Hall
Emily Slater
Junior High
Olivia Arthur
Brynn Blasz
Lena Brehm
Drew Bush
Megan Cute
Julia Garcia
Willow Orr
Andrew Saam
Congratulations to the following for being a part of the 2019 STMEA Instrumental All-County!
Senior High
Brooke Brecht
Evan Carlo
Chloe Conger
Holly Dunham
Elizabeth Dykeman
Kaleb Goodwin
Mackenzie Hamilton
Fredrick Hulbert
Darian Mitchell
Jay VanVolkinburg Jr.
Framke Vitale
Samuel Young
Bowen Zheng
Junior High
Delaney Ayer
Brynn Blasz
Drew Bush
Emily Cargian
Willow Orr
Sandtrea Peer
Senior High
Brooke Brecht
Evan Carlo
Chloe Conger
Holly Dunham
Elizabeth Dykeman
Kaleb Goodwin
Mackenzie Hamilton
Fredrick Hulbert
Darian Mitchell
Jay VanVolkinburg Jr.
Framke Vitale
Samuel Young
Bowen Zheng
Junior High
Delaney Ayer
Brynn Blasz
Drew Bush
Emily Cargian
Willow Orr
Sandtrea Peer
What is NYSSMA?
The New York State School Music Association is the NY affiliate of NAfME (National Assoc. for Music Education). It is a professional organization that evaluates student musicians in our state from elementary to high school. They host festivals at which students perform solo pieces and are evaluated by a judge; some festivals evaluate full ensembles as well. Students may perform simply to be evaluated, or they may audition for honor ensembles that occur throughout the year. These honor ensembles include, in an increasing level of selectivity:
All-County
Area All-State
Conference All-State
All-Eastern
If selected, students will rehearse repertoire for the select ensembles and attend a 1–3 day festival culminating in a final concert. These ensembles are led by renowned conductors and educators from across NY and the country.
Who can participate?
Any Groton student who is enrolled in Band and/or Choir may participate! In some cases, there are limits to the number of students who may audition, in which case students will audition for us first. The most prepared and skilled students will then be able to audition for NYSSMA.
Why should I participate?
The solo evaluations and auditions will help you grow as a musician. These performances will help you overcome performance anxiety while providing you with useful feedback. You can use this feedback to improve your musicianship. If selected for an honor ensemble, you will study under incredible educators and perform with passionate musicians such as yourself, inspiring you to continue making music.
How can I audition?
Auditions for honor ensembles occur each spring for the following school year (to participate as a senior, you audition as a junior). The only exception is All-County Choir, which only requires auditions with your teacher. To sign up, you must indicate your interest to your teacher and sign a permission form. Senior High students should study their audition piece during their weekly lessons to prepare. Junior High students should meet with their teacher during a study hall or after school to select and prepare an audition piece.
When/where are auditions?
Auditions for All-County Choir will be in the fall. All other auditions occur in the spring. Depending on the number of students, we will either take a bus together or arrange carpools.
When/where are concerts and conferences?
Concerts occur throughout the school year. Anyone is welcome to attend, whether or not their student is performing! All-County performances are free, though all others are ticketed events.
The New York State School Music Association is the NY affiliate of NAfME (National Assoc. for Music Education). It is a professional organization that evaluates student musicians in our state from elementary to high school. They host festivals at which students perform solo pieces and are evaluated by a judge; some festivals evaluate full ensembles as well. Students may perform simply to be evaluated, or they may audition for honor ensembles that occur throughout the year. These honor ensembles include, in an increasing level of selectivity:
All-County
Area All-State
Conference All-State
All-Eastern
If selected, students will rehearse repertoire for the select ensembles and attend a 1–3 day festival culminating in a final concert. These ensembles are led by renowned conductors and educators from across NY and the country.
Who can participate?
Any Groton student who is enrolled in Band and/or Choir may participate! In some cases, there are limits to the number of students who may audition, in which case students will audition for us first. The most prepared and skilled students will then be able to audition for NYSSMA.
Why should I participate?
The solo evaluations and auditions will help you grow as a musician. These performances will help you overcome performance anxiety while providing you with useful feedback. You can use this feedback to improve your musicianship. If selected for an honor ensemble, you will study under incredible educators and perform with passionate musicians such as yourself, inspiring you to continue making music.
How can I audition?
Auditions for honor ensembles occur each spring for the following school year (to participate as a senior, you audition as a junior). The only exception is All-County Choir, which only requires auditions with your teacher. To sign up, you must indicate your interest to your teacher and sign a permission form. Senior High students should study their audition piece during their weekly lessons to prepare. Junior High students should meet with their teacher during a study hall or after school to select and prepare an audition piece.
When/where are auditions?
Auditions for All-County Choir will be in the fall. All other auditions occur in the spring. Depending on the number of students, we will either take a bus together or arrange carpools.
When/where are concerts and conferences?
Concerts occur throughout the school year. Anyone is welcome to attend, whether or not their student is performing! All-County performances are free, though all others are ticketed events.