Preparation

Nominating teachers must link their NAfME membership on the Opus Event platform. If there is a problem linking membership, contact the Children’s All-State chairs to override the membership requirement.  Membership must be current through the date of auditions.

Teachers need to download the All-State Signature Form to collect teacher, student, parent, and administrator signatures.  The Signature Form will be uploaded with the application by scanning and/or taking a picture.
School Signature Form
Homeschool Signature Form
Private Studio Signature Form

Teachers need to download the current Practice and Audition mp3 files because the harmonization section will be changing each year.

Audition tracks must be in mp3 format and uploaded with the application. Auditions on CD and/or tape will not be accepted.

An audition fee will be mailed to the All-State Chair postmarked by the following deadlines:
– October 28, 2023 – $10.00 per student
– November 3, 2023 – $20.00 per student
– November 9, 2023 – $100 per student

Applications will not be considered complete without receipt of the mailed payment.

Procedures
  1. Each section of the audition will be recorded separately. The recording must be made using the audition track(s) downloaded from the website. All recording tracks must be in mp3 format.
  2. A student may only be entered one time.
  3. Label each track with the student’s name, voice part (S, SM, AM, A), and track (vocalise, harmony, prepared song). EX: Katie Robertson-S-Vocalise.
  4. The nominating teacher must conduct the audition.
  5. Please practice the audition prior to recording, and send only the highest quality to be judged.
  6. Before starting the vocalise track, have the student speak his/her name and specific voice part, slowly and clearly. Be sure that singers state the year for which they are auditioning.
  7. Before starting the harmonization track, have the student speak his/her name and state the year for which they are auditioning.
  8. Before starting the prepared song track, have the student speak his/her name and state the year for which they are auditioning.
  9. Once you are recording, do not stop or pause the track until the audition is complete. (Failure on the teacher’s part to follow this procedure will disqualify the student.)
  10. Download a Sample Judging Form and complete it for each student.  It is only for your use (DO NOT mail the sample judging form with your audition materials).

Students’ auditions will be disqualified for any of the following reasons:

  • If the teacher’s voice is heard on the recording
  • If other sounds interfere with the judges’ ability to accurately assess the audition
  • If the recording is stopped or spliced at any point during the audition
  • If the tempo/pitch of the audition track is altered in any way
  • If the recording has any vocal enhancements including reverb
  • If the voice part recorded does not match the voice part selected from the drop-down menu on the entry form
OCDA Policy

Students who audition for both OkMEA Children’s All State Chorus and OCDA Junior High All State Chorus are no longer permitted to participate in both choirs.  If selected for both Children’s and Junior High All State Choruses, student will participate in Junior High Chorus, and an alternate will be called for Children’s Chorus.  Students who are bumped from Children’s to sing in Junior High will receive a refund of their audition fee.

Teachers who fail to include any part of the audition application will be notified by the CC Chair and given a chance to correct the error. However, the late fee will be assessed and MUST accompany EACH corrected application.

Example:
If the teacher met the first deadline but needs a signature on the Signature Page, the “new” deadline is the second deadline. Therefore the $10 difference must accompany EACH application. If the third (emergency) deadline is used to make a correction, the balance of the $100 MUST accompany EACH corrected application. Applications that remain uncorrected, lack components and/or not accompanied by the new fees required will be disqualified.

Sarah Green, Children's Chorus Assistant

Ashlynn Dickinson, Children's Chorus Chair