STEINBRENNER HIGH SCHOOL CHORAL DEPARTMENT
FMEA All-State Honor Choir
Students must pass a written musicianship exam, a sight reading exam, and a vocal audition on the music to be performed. The director will help students learn the information by providing resources and offering help sessions during August and September after school (a session schedule will be provided at the All-State informational meeting). If necessary, students will take a pre-test. Students who pass that test will be ranked, because we may only take 12 girls (3 of each voice part) and 20 boys (any voicing) to the test. Check calendar for dates and times. If a student passes the written exam and sight reading, he/she will be responsible for the cost of the music packet to be learned for the vocal audition. Students must be transported by parents or other chaperones, as directors have sessions and clinics to attend. Students wishing to stay in a downtown hotel may do so at their own expense, but I must know about it as soon as they have been accepted into All-State in order to make reservations for them at the convention price.
All-County Honor Choir
Students wishing to audition will purchase a packet of music in the fall and will be given a resource containing all of the music for All-County. If money for this is a hardship, please contact the director for assistance. This music will not be rehearsed during class, so individual preparation is very important. There may be a few rehearsal sessions before or after school. 9th & 10th grade ladies may audition for the 9-10 SSAA Honor Choir and all other students may audition for the SATB Honor Choir. Students will audition live with 2-3 other students for a panel of 2 judges on random excerpts from the All-County songs for their choir. Students will be judged both on vocal quality and knowledge of the music. This means that all students must know every note of every piece. Please check the calendar for dates and times.
District/State Solo & Ensemble
All students may choose to prepare and perform a solo or ensemble and be judged as well. Students performing a solo must memorize two songs, one of which must be in a foreign language (unless doing Musical Theatre songs). There is a registration fee, in addition to paying their accompanist, but the amount is unknown at this time (usually between $20-$40). The director will arrange for an accompanist unless the student gives advance notice that they will be using their own accompanist. The director will work with students on an appointment only basis, and setting up sessions is the responsibility of the student. Pieces can be chosen as early as desired – the earlier the better. However, the director will not make any selections or offer any help for Solo & Ensemble until the necessary fees have been paid. It is strongly recommended that students who choose to do this event begin working toward it right away. Students who earn a Superior rating are eligible for State Solo & Ensemble MPA. The solo event is helpful in preparation for college music auditions. Students will perform for a judge who will rate them and give them comments for improvement. Students involved in Entourage and High Profile will be performing 2 memorized songs and dances. If a student or group earns a Superior rating, they will be eligible to perform at State Solo & Ensemble MPA.
Disney Candlelight Processional
The Choral Department will be submitting a video recording of all of its choirs to Disney. Students MUST be present at the audition recording to participate. If selected, the choirs will perform as part of a choir of 300 high school students and volunteer singers with the Walt Disney World Orchestra at EPCOT. If we are accepted, we will rehearse the music in class on a limited basis, but each student will be responsible for practicing the music with CD/mp3 on his/her own time as well. We will have periodic check tests, and students who don’t know the music for that rehearsal could be ruled ineligible for participation. The program consists of narration and 13 songs that tell the traditional Christmas story. The narration is done by a guest celebrity. The date of the performance will be announced with notification of acceptance later in the fall. EPCOT allows one chaperone for every five students. Each student will receive a free boxed lunch as well as two one-day, one-park tickets to any Disney theme park. All participants must ride buses into the staging area. Parents not chaperoning may purchase park tickets to view the show. In addition, meal and show packages may be purchased at an additional cost to guarantee a seat to this extremely popular show. Each person will be responsible for a share of the bus transportation, the cost of which will be announced at a later date.