Delaware All-State Junior Chorus is open by audition to any 7th and 8th grade public, private or parochial student in the State of Delaware who participates in his or her school choir. For students to be eligible, the teacher/director of the qualifying ensemble must be a member of DMEA. Every year approximately 350 students audition for the choir and between 100 to 150 students are selected to participate. A guest conductor is brought in to work with the students and a concert is given following two days of intense rehearsal. This is a wonderful opportunity for your child to meet students from other schools, learn about what other choirs in the state are doing and work with a guest conductor who will no doubt bring another perspective to the choral art. 

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If your child is accepted into the chorus, attendance at every rehearsal for the full rehearsal time, as well as attendance at the concert is mandatory. Please refer to the DMEA All-State Operations Manual (DMEA website) as well as the DMEA All-State Contract (All-State application) for detailed regulations.
Important Dates and Locations

• November 17, 2018 – Junior Chorus Auditions – Smyrna Middle School
• January 5, 2019 - Jr. Chorus Reading Rehearsal   9:00 AM - Noon New Castle County:  Springer Middle School

        Kent/Sussex County:  Smyrna Middle School

• January 26, 2019 – Jr. Chorus Reading Rehearsal   9:00 AM - Noon
• February 2, 2019 - Jr. Chorus Reading Rehearsal Inclement Weather Make-up Date
• February 7-8, 2019 – State Rehearsals 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Will take place in New Castle County - Location TBA

•  February 9, 2019 – Rehearsal (1:00 PM) and Concert (4:00 PM) Mt. Pleasant High School

2018 Caravel Junior All-State Members
Left to Right: Katie Doyle (8th), Jared Jones (8th), Brianna Bonsu (8th), Riley Hearn (7th)

REHEARSAL TRACKS:

Sing Do up to Do and back down to Do. Then Do down to SOL and back to Do. 

Use the Sight Reading practice sheet I gave you to practice with the recording below.

Audition Requirements
•  Scale (to be sung prior to the Quartet in same room)
Each student will sing a scale on “Ah” in the keys indicated on example document (see attached.) Chord progression will be played followed by the starting pitch.  Students should follow instructions on click track (examples to be emailed) A copy of the scale in the correct key will be available in each audition room.

• Quartet                   Cantate Domino – Hassler (ed. Brian Marble,) SATB, CPDL

http://www0.cpdl.org/wiki/images/1/19/Cantate_Domino_Hassler_edit.pdf
            (Link also available on DMEA website)
Begin singing at M. 1 and stop at M. 30
Students will sing their appropriate voice part along with a recording playing the other voice parts. Sheet music will be provided for the audition.  Memorization is not required.
Rehearsal tracks will be posted by the end of September, please check back.
 
For the Quartet/Scale students will be assessed Quartet/Scale on Tone Quality, Intonation, Pitch Accuracy, Rhythm & Tempo, Diction & Phrasing, and Range.  Each category is worth 5 points with a total of 30 points possible.
 
Sight-Reading
- Exercise will start on the tonic and will contain only stepwise motion
- Exercise will be 4 measures in length
- Range will not exceed one octave
- Note value will not be less than eighth notes & the exercise will include rests
Keys will be as follows: Soprano F Alto C
Tenor A flat Baritone E flat
**Solfege letters and numbers are below each note for the students to use if they choose. Students will not be penalized for singing on ‘la’ or whatever syllable or number they desire. Students may have 2 attempts at the sight-reading and receive a total of 6 points—3 points for Rhythmic Accuracy and 3 points for Pitch Accuracy.

Examples Of the Sight Reading:

How to Prepare:

Mrs. Busovsky offers rehearsal time on Mondays during H period until November 12th. Then we will have one last run through for any one that may need a quick run through from 3-3:30 pm on Friday, November 16th before the audition. Please utilize the links below and also read the sight-reading requirements and read the directions for creating your Sight Reading Factory account to assist you with rehearsing sight reading examples before your audition. I will show you how to use Sight Reading Factory in class and in our All-State rehearsals. We will also rehearse sight reading in our rehearsals. Sightreading Factory is a HUGE help so utilize it! YOU ONLY GET BETTER AT SIGHT READING BY PRACTICING!!!! :-)