Festivals of Music

Welcome to the Festivals of Music program. We are pleased to have you join us this year. To make this adjudication experience as rewarding as possible, please follow the guidelines below.

Sight-reading Suggestions

Set a relaxed atmosphere. Even the most outstanding groups can be tense.
Establish a friendly and professional rapport with the Director. You are Festivals of Music’s Good Will Ambassador.
Distribute music with instructions to keep music “face down” until you give the OK.
If sight-reading is taking place in the Auditorium – clear the room if the Director requests it.
Explain that there will be the following time allotment.

Choral Ensembles

Director and students have 5 minutes to verbally work through the composition - group may establish key before starting by sounding tonic chord in arpeggio style, and clap, tap, whatever except sing*. Director may give a pitch or establish key but no parts are to be played by accompanist or director.
Performance may be with text (as written), with solfeggio, or with a neutral syllable.
*May sing through short, difficult sections, but not entire piece.
Immediately after performance congratulate the ensemble on their performance and effort. Give a brief summary of their performance making any suggestions you deem appropriate. Be positive in your comments.
Give solid comments on the score sheet and select a score based on the following scale:
- 90-100 Superior
- 80-89 Excellent
- 70-79 - Good

Adjudicator may want to comment on analysis and organization of working through the composition. Comments are to be written on the back of the score sheet, or on a separate sheet.


		Choral Sight-Reading Guidelines

		Welcome to the Festivals of Music program. We are pleased to have you join us this year. To make this adjudication experience as rewarding as possible, please follow the guidelines below. Sight-reading Suggestions Set a relaxed atmosphere. Even the most outstanding groups can be tense. Establish a friendly and professional rapport with the Director. You are Festivals of Music’s Good Will Ambassador. Distribute music with instructions to keep music “face down” until you give the OK. If sight-reading is taking place in the Auditorium – clear the room if the Director requests it. Explain that there will be the following time allotment. *Choral Ensembles* Director and students have 5 minutes to verbally work through the composition - group may establish key before starting by sounding tonic chord in arpeggio style, and clap, tap, whatever except sing. Director may give a pitch or establish key but no parts are to be played by accompanist or director.* Performance may be with text (as written), with solfeggio, or with a neutral syllable. *May sing through short, difficult sections, but not entire piece. Immediately after performance congratulate the ensemble on their performance and effort. Give a brief summary of their performance making any suggestions you deem appropriate. Be positive in your comments. Give solid comments on the score sheet and select a score based on the following scale: 90-100 Superior 80-89 Excellent 70-79 - Good Adjudicator may want to comment on analysis and organization of working through the composition. Comments are to be written on the back of the score sheet, or on a separate sheet.