Constitution,
By-Laws, Policies and Procedures
of the
North Carolina Bandmasters Association
Updated April 2010
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Constitution:
ARTICLE I - NAME AND RELATIONSHIPS
* Section 1. Name: The Name of the organization shall be the North Carolina Bandmasters Association.
* Section 2. Relationships: This organization shall be the official Band section of the North Carolina Music Educators Association, a department of the North Carolina Association of Educators affiliated with the Music Educators National Conference.
ARTICLE II - OBJECT AND FUNCTIONS
* Section 1. Object: The object shall be to work within the framework of the North Carolina Music Educators Association and its affiliates to advance the cause of band music education. It shall cooperate with other sections of the North Carolina Music Educators Association in planning and carrying out such activities.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
* Section 1. Active membership shall be granted to any individual actively engaged in directing bands or teaching wind or percussion instrumental music and who is a member of the North Carolina Music Educators Association.
* Section 2. All other membership shall conform to Article III, Sections 2 through 9 of the Constitution of the North Carolina Music Educators Association.
* Section 3. The right to vote or hold office is reserved to active members.
ARTICLE IV - GOVERNMENT
* Section 1. The elective officers shall be a president, president-elect and secretary.
* Section 2. The Board of Director shall consist of the elective officers, the immediate past-president and the chairperson of the six state districts. District Chairman terms will be two (2) years beginning July 1 and ending June 30. The following schedule will be used to ensure proper and equal rotation of members on and off the Board of Directors. The Central, South Central and Northwest District shall elect a new chairperson on years ending with an even number. The Eastern, Southeastern and Western Districts shall elect a new chairperson on years ending with an odd number.
* Section 3. The office of Honorary Life President may be conferred by the Board of Directors. Only persons who have rendered notable service to the cause of band music education in North Carolina shall be considered.
* Section 4. Vacancies in any elective office shall be filled upon the recommendation of the president or acting president, by and at the discretion of the Board of Directors, until an election for the unexpired term is held at the next general meeting.
ARTICLE V - ELECTIONS
* Section 1.
* (a) The president-elect and secretary shall be elected by secret ballot in even-numbered years at the Fall In-Service Conference. Upon completion of a two-year term, the president-elect shall automatically accede to the office of president.
* (b) A nominating committee shall consist of the immediate past-president as chairperson and two other persons selected by the chairperson. All three shall represent a different district. This committee shall prepare a slate of officers with at least two nominees for each office which shall be presented to the membership for action.
* (c) Additional nominations may be made by any active member from the floor.
ARTICLE VI - MEETINGS
* Section 1. The Association shall meet annually as determined by the North Carolina Music Educators Association.
* Section 2. Additional meetings may be called by the president, subject to confirmation by the Board of Directors.
* Section 3. The Board of Directors shall meet at the call of the president or upon the joint request of not less than four members of the Board, but must meet once annually. A quorum of not less than five members shall be required to the transaction of business.
ARTICLE VII - QUORUM
* Section 1. A quorum shall consist of active members who are registered for the Fall In-Service Conference and present at the business meeting.
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS AND BY-LAWS
* Section 1. The constitution may be amended with the approval of two-thirds of the membership present at any general meeting.
* Section 2. By-laws may be added or deleted by a simple majority of the members present at any general meeting.
* Section 3. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the Board of Directors at the meeting immediately prior to the opening of the Fall In-Service Conference for recommendation to the general membership at the first business meeting. Voting on proposed amendments will be at the last business meeting of the Fall In-Service Conference.
Bylaws:
ARTICLE I - DUTIES OF OFFICERS
* Section 1. The president shall serve as chairperson of the band section of the North Carolina Music Educators Association as provided in the constitution of that organization. The president shall preside at all meetings of the Association and Board of Directors; enforce due observance of the constitution and by-laws; call meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors; appoint committees not otherwise provided for in the constitution.
* Section 2. The president-elect shall perform all the duties of the president in the event of the absence of the president. The president-elect shall serve as chairperson of the Music Selection Committee, which shall meet at the New Music Clinic. The president-elect will be responsible for obtaining and presenting the outgoing president with a plaque. The president-elect shall also serve as overall chairperson of the Junior and Senior High Concert Band Festivals. The president-elect shall be responsible for establishing a committee to select sight reading per festival rule 7-D.
* Section 3. The secretary shall keep a record of all meetings and perform other duties as directed by the president and the Board of Directors. The secretary shall furnish to the Editor of the North Carolina Music Educator a copy of the minutes of all general meetings of the Association, said minutes to be in hands of the editor not later than seven days after the meeting. The secretary shall request the editor to publish the minutes in a subsequent issue of the Educator.
* Section 4. The immediate past-president shall serve as consultant to the president and shall perform such other duties as are assigned by the president and the Board of Directors. The immediate past-president shall serve as chairperson of the nominating committee per Article V, Section 1-B.
* Section 5. The Board of Director shall be responsible for the business management of the Association; decide questions, make rulings and interpret matters of policy for the association; report to the Association the rules it has passed and the actions it has taken; carry out all of the provisions and duties ascribed to it by the Constitution and By-Laws. All actions shall stand unless altered by a later vote of the membership.
ARTICLE II - STANDING COMMITTEES
* Section 1. The NCBA Music Performance Adjudication Operations Committee shall consist of the president-elect as the overall State Concert Band MPA Chairperson, the president of the Association and the chairperson of each individual District Concert Band MPA.
* Section 2. The NCBA Music Performance Adjudication Committee shall consist of the President, the President-Elect, and one middle school and high school director from each district; members are to be appointed by each District Chair. The President and President-Elect in conjunction shall appoint a committee co-chairperson from the committee's membership to work directly with the President-Elect. The term for each member shall be a 2-year rotation to coincide with the rotation of the district presidents. This rotation will occur after the initial establishment of the committee and process; the committee co-chairs tenure will coincide with his or her membership on the committee.
ARTICLE III - DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEES
* Section 1. The NCBA Music Performance Adjudication Operations Committee is charged with assisting in the planning and implementation of North Carolina Bandmasters Association (NCBA) District and State Concert Band MPAs. Members shall submit all ideas and suggestions pertaining to the concert band festivals to this committee for consideration. If deemed necessary, the committee will present these ideas and suggestions to the general membership for final approval or rejection.
* Section 2. The NCBA Music Performance Adjudication Committee shall create and administer the
procedures related to Concert Band MPAs standards and adjudication. This committee should meet in conjunction with the NCMEA Convention and the New Music Clinic at All-State Honors Band to finalize the concert festival list for the following year. In the event that the New Music Clinic is not held in any given year, the co-chairpersons will call a special meeting of this committee to select a list.
ARTICLE IV - RULES OF ORDER
Roberts Rules of Order (revised) shall govern all business meetings of the Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the constitution and by-laws of this Association or of the North Carolina Music Educators Association.
ARTICLE V – DISTRICT LINES
* Section 1. Bands will adhere to the current district map posted on the NCBA Webpage.
* Section 2. Bands are to participate within their assigned district.
* Section 3. Requests for district reassignments must be submitted to the NCBA Board in writing prior to the spring meeting.
District Membership by counties includes all school systems in those counties unless stated otherwise.
Western District: Cherokee County, Clay County, Graham County, Macon County, Swain County, Jackson County, Transylvania County, Haywood County, Henderson County, Buncombe County, Madison County, Yancey County, Polk County, Rutherford County, McDowell County.
Northwest District: Mitchell County, Burke County, Avery County, Watauga County, Caldwell County, Ashe County, Alleghany County, Wilkes County, Alexander County, Catawba County: Newton-Conover City Schools, St. Stephens High School, Maiden High School, Bandys High School, H.M. Arndt Middle School, Tuttle Middle School, Riverbend Middle School, Mill Creek Middle School, Jacobs Fork Middle School, Iredell County, Yadkin County, Surry County, Davie County, Stokes County, Forsyth County and Davidson County.
South Central District: Cleveland County, Gaston County, Lincoln County, Catawba County: Hickory City Schools, Iredell County: Mooresville City Schools and American Renaissance Middle School, Mecklenburg County, Rowan County, Cabarrus County, Stanly County and Union County.
Central District: Rockingham County, Guilford County, Randolph County, Caswell County, Alamance County, Chatham County, Person County, Orange County, Durham County, Wake County, Granville County, Vance County, Franklin County and Warren County.
Southeastern District: Anson County, Montgomery County, Richmond County, Moore County, Lee County, Harnett County, Hoke County, Scotland County, Robeson County, Cumberland County, Johnston County, Sampson County, Bladen County, Columbus County, Brunswick County, and Duplin County, New Hanover County: Cape Fear Academy.
Eastern District: New Hanover County, Pender County, Onslow County, Carteret County, Jones County, Craven County, Pamlico County, Lenoir County, Wayne County, Greene County, Wilson County, Pitt County, Beaufort County, Hyde County, Dare County, Tyrrell County, Washington County, Martin County, Edgecombe County, Nash County, Halifax County, Bertie County, Chowan County, Perquimans County, Pasquotank County, Camden County, Currituck County, Gates County, Hertford County and Northampton County.
Policies and Procedures:
Concert Band MPA Rules
PURPOSE: To provide students and teachers a means of receiving constructive comment by competent judges. To stimulate and recognize growth. To provide students and teachers a means of hearing the work done by other school groups.
1. ELIGIBILITY:
* A. All band directors must be current members of the North Carolina Music Educators Association.
* B. Band members must be regularly enrolled in a band class according to the school administrative unit. Lower grade students may be used to round out the instrumentation, but not the reverse.
* C. The band director that appears on the class roster at a school as the teacher must be a member of NCMEA and register all students to participate in all state sanctioned events.
2. ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE:
* A. Each district will have a Concert band MPA Chairperson elected by the band directors of that district. Each district must notify the State Concert Band MPA Chairperson who the District Concert Band MPA Chairperson is by the end of the Fall In-Service Conference.
* B. Those persons who are presently serving as a concert band MPA chairperson in a district will continue to serve at the pleasure of the district.
* C. The concert band MPA in each district must be held before April 15 each year. In the event of extreme weather conditions which require a cancellation of a MPA, the MPA district chair may apply to the State MPA Chairperson for an extension of this date.
* D. The District Concert MPA Chairperson will contact the Executive Director of NCMEA to obtain concert band MPA financial and administrative materials.
* E. The State Concert Band MPA Chairperson will be the President-Elect of the North Carolina Bandmasters Association. His responsibility shall be to direct and assist the District Concert Band MPA Chairperson and will have the authority to govern all concert band MPA activity in the state.
3. REGULATIONS:
* A. No student may enter both junior high school and senior high school levels in the same year. Ninth Grade Bands should go to the MPA where the Ninth Grade Band is housed. (If the Ninth Grade is housed at a middle school then the band should go to the middle school MPA of their district.)
* B. Bands may enter for comments only. Sight-reading will be optional for these bands.
* C. Where a school has more than one band, duplication of personnel will be permitted so long as the literature and instrument is not the same.
* D. No band may enter more than one district concert band MPA.
* E. Any band which performs music not on the North Carolina Bandmasters Association approved list for the year will not receive comments or a rating from the judges.
* F. Bands are required to refrain from preparing any composition for concert band MPA more than once within a four year period.
* G. Any school district finding it necessary to combine bands for concert band MPA must receive permission from the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Bandmasters Association at the Fall In-Service Conference.
* H. Bands are required to refrain from using any electronic equipment designed to amplify the sounds of instruments, or which will alter the pitch or tone quality of the instrument. Music may be performed using the instrumentation and any special effects, electronic or otherwise, that the composer or arranger intended.
* I. If a director submits a letter and uses copied scores then the director has a binding contract with the music dealer. A letter stating such will be sent to the principal and director.
4. REGISTRATION
* A. Senior High and Junior High Bands will register in their designated districts.
* B. Exception to Rule 4-A: Bands may cross district lines upon receiving written release from their district concert band MPA chairperson and written permission from the district concert band MPA chairperson where they wish to enter. If problems occur, the director should contact the state concert festival chairperson, who shall intervene and make a final decision.
* C. Registration blanks must be completed and mailed with fees enclosed, to the district concert band MPA chairperson. The envelope must have a postmark showing that the materials were mailed on or before the stated deadline of thirty days (30) days prior to the first day of concert band MPA.
* D. The band director whose name appears on the class list as the teacher must be in attendance or their students will not be allowed to participate.
5. FEES
* A. All concert band MPA registration fees will be determined by each district upon the approval of the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Bandmasters Association.
* B. Notification of withdrawal must be postmarked no later than thirty (30) days before the contest date if a refund of fees is expected.
6. PERFORMANCE:
* A. All bands are required to furnish three conductor’s scores of each composition prepared for concert band MPA and present them to the concert band MPA chairperson upon arrival. Only published scores will be permitted unless permission is obtained from the publisher. All scores presented to the chairperson must be numbered by measure.
* B. Timing (includes staging and performance) Groups I, II - twenty-five (25) minutes; Groups III, IV - thirty (30) minutes; Group V - thirty-five minutes; Group VI - forty (40) minutes. Groups requiring more than the specified time for their group level must apply in writing to the State Concert Band MPA Chairperson sixty (60) days prior to their respective festival requesting permission for an extended time. Warm up times will be: Groups I, II - twenty-five (25) minutes; Groups III, IV - thirty (30) minutes; Group V - thirty-five minutes; Group VI - forty (40) minutes. Bands may be required to perform at an adjusted time but the entire warm-up time must be given to each band.
* C. Each band must prepare a march of the director’s choice and two (2) compositions from the Official North Carolina Bandmasters Association Music List. One composition must be from the classification as registered, the other composition may be from the same classification or from the next higher classification.
* D. Each band director must submit to the proper concert band MPA chairperson the following: four copies of the list of the march and the two (2) concert selections which the band is prepared to play; three copies of a list of the band’s instrumentation; a repertoire sheet listing all selections prepared for the concert festival during the past four (4) years. These lists must be submitted at least one hour before the band is scheduled to play. It is strongly urged that the band director leave a copy of the repertoire sheet on file at his/her own school.
7. SIGHT READING:
* A. Sight reading will be required of all bands in Grades II - VI. The sight reading score will be included in the overall rating for all participating bands unless the band is performing for comments only. Bands will read one (1) concert selection. One sight reading judge will be used; the judge will make taped comments and use the MENC sight reading form.
* B. Bands and directors will have time to look at the music. The times are: Grades II, III and IV - five minutes; Grade V - six minutes; Grade VI - seven minutes. During that time they may clap rhythms, sing parts, count out loud and finger instruments, but they may not play their instruments. Each band may play a brief warm-up scale at the conclusion of the preparation period.
* C. During the actual performance directors may call out rehearsal letters or numbers and verbal cues (e.g. “more trumpets”, “tubas watch”) but may not sing parts or rhythms while the band is playing. Only one director may work with the band in the sight reading room. The time limit in the sight reading room will correspond with the given amount for the concert performance.
* D. The President and President-Elect will contract an active band director (contractor) from another state to order the sight reading to be used in the current year’s University Interscholastic League Concert and Sight Reading Festival (from Texas).
* E. It is the responsibility of the state concert band MPA chairperson to make sure the contractor chosen be provided with the following information: music company to order the right reading music from, instrumentation for folders, concert band MPA dates, concert band MPA sites, concert band MPA district chairpersons, concert band MPA site addresses and the number of sets of sight reading folders that need to be compiled. The contractor will provide the folders, seal each set and ship them to the district concert band MPA chairs so that they arrive at least one week prior to the festival date. The boxes will be opened only by the sight reading adjudicators. The expense of the music, postage and contractor stipend will be paid from concert band MPA receipts. The Board of Directors will determine the stipend given to the contractor.
* F. The sight reading judge may not be allowed to question the band following the sight reading sample until after his/her adjudication sheet and taped comments have been completed and sent to the festival chairman. The sight reading judge will also not be allowed to conduct the band following the sight reading sample. Any request by the judge may be denied by the director of the ensemble without penalty of any kind.
8. HOUSING
A. Each organization is responsible for making its own housing and meal arrangements.
9. DISQUALIFICATION
A. Violation of any of the above rules constitutes an automatic disqualification.
RATING CHART FOR CONCERT BAND MPA GRADES II - VI
The following chart will be used as a guide in arriving at a final rating when using four judges (Three judges from the concert portion and one judge from the sight reading portion). All possible combinations are included. The Roman numerals at the top refer to the final ratings; the numbers below refer to ratings given by each judge.
RATING I RATING II RATING III RATING IV RATING V
1111 1114 1145 1455 4555
1112 1115 1155 1555 5555
1113 1123 1235 2355
1122 1124 1244 2445
1125 1245 2455
1133 1255 3345
1134 1334 3355
1135 1335 3444
1144 1344 3445
1222 1345 3555
1223 1355 4444
1224 1444 4445
1225 1445 4455
1233 2225
1234 2234
1333 2235
2222 2244
2223 2245
2224 2255
2233 2333
2334
2335
2344
2345
2444
3333
3334
3335
3344
Rating I: Any combination of 4 ratings that total 4, 5, 6
Rating II: Any combination of 4 ratings that total 7, 8, 9, 10
Rating III: Any combination of 4 ratings that total 11, 12, 13, 14
Rating IV: Any combination of 4 ratings that total 15, 16, 17, 18
Rating V: Any combination of 4 ratings that total 19, 20
Unanimous Stage Rule
If a band receives straight “threes - III’s”, “Fours - IV’s” or “Fives - V’s” on stage then they will receive that score as their overall rating regardless of the sightreading score.
The ratings affected are:
333-1 would become a 3 555-1 would become a 5
444-1 would become a 4 555-2 would become a 5
444-2 would become a 4 555-3 would become a 5
RATE CHART FOR CONCERT BAND MPA GRADES I - VI
The following chart will be used as a guide in arriving at a final rating when using three judges from the concert portion. All possible combinations are included. The roman numerals at the top refer to the final ratings; the numbers below refer to ratings given by each judge.
RATING I RATING II RATING III RATING IV RATING V
111 122 133 114 115
112 123 234 345 255
113 222 333 444 355
114 223 332 442 455
115 224 334 443 555
225 335 445
Although for purposes of reckoning the I, II, III, IV, V system is a convenience, please be sure that the numbers are not inscribed on the certificates of award or given to the media. According to our rules, the correct designations are given in the right-hand column below:
I Superior
II Excellent
III Average
IV Below Average
V Poor
State Central Concert Band MPA
* 1. In order to participate a band must have received a Superior rating at the District Concert Band MPA the previous year or maintain a Superior rating at the State Concert Band MPA.
* 2. A band must enter in the same classification as the year it qualified or may move up to a higher classification. It may not drop back to a lower classification.
* 3. The deadline for application and the payment of the non-refundable fee will be the date of the first business meeting of the NCMEA In-Service Conference in November.
* 4. Bands in Groups II through VI are eligible to enter.
* 5. Judges shall be selected from the N.C. Bandmaster’s list of Approved Adjudicators and Clinicians.
* 6. The plaque for Superior ratings shall be the same as the plaque used for other contests except that it should be engraved to read “State Central” or “North Carolina State Festival”. District events should read “East”, “Central”, “West”, etc. Regional or District Festival.
* 7. There will be an optional sight reading with a separate grade. The music for the sight reading will be one grade lower than the classification in which the band enters.
* 8. The Contest site will be the School of the Arts in Winston-Salem.
* 9. This contest shall be governed by the Concert Band MPA Rules and Regulations set up by the North Carolina Bandmasters Association.
* 10. A minimum of 20 bands must be registered in order for the State Central Concert Band Festival to be held.
North Carolina All-State Honors Band
Rules And Regulations
1. ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE:
* A. The North Carolina All-State Honors Band shall use a three tier structure. Bands will be classified as: Middle School (grades eight and under); High School (grades nine and ten); Senior High (grades eleven and twelve)
* B. Each of the states six districts shall share equal responsibility for each years honors band by providing a chairperson for each of the following assigned areas:
Western District - Sr. High Clinic (11-12)
Northwest District - High School Clinic (9-10)
Southeastern District - Middle School Clinic (8 and under)
Eastern District - Sr. High Auditions (11-12)
South Central District - High School Auditions (9-10)
Central District - Middle School Auditions (8 and under)
* C. No active North Carolina Band Director shall conduct an All-State Honors Band.
* D. Each district needs to have a uniform audition policy that can be enforced at the state level to prevent future disputes over student eligibility for All-State Honors Band.
2. ELIGIBILITY
* A. The band director of each student auditioning for either the Middle School, High School, or Senior High All-State Honors Band must be a current member in good standing of both the North Carolina Music Educators and their own district.
* B. To audition and participate in the All-State Honors Band, the band member must be regularly enrolled in a scheduled concert band class which receives one unit of credit.
* C. The band member must participate in their respective district band clinic. In the event a district band clinic is canceled, the students who would have been eligible had the clinic been held will be allowed to audition.
* D. Any student that can not document a family of personal emergency preventing their attendance at All-State Honors Band Clinic, if selected, and fails to participate in that clinic will be banned from auditioning for All-State Honors Band for one year.
* E. The band director that appears on the class roster at a school as the teacher must be a member of NCMEA and register all students to participate in all state sanctioned events.
* F. Percussionists may audition at the All-State Honors Band only on the instrument they were selected for and played at the district level.
ELIGIBLE FOR NC HONORS BAND AUDITIONS FROM EACH DISTRICT
Middle, High School (9/10) and Senior High (11/12) Bands
4 Flutes |
2 Oboes |
2 Bassoons |
1 Eb Clarinet |
6 Bb Clarinets |
2 Alto Clarinets |
2 Bass Clarinets |
1 Contrabass Clarinet |
2 Alto Saxophones |
1 Tenor Saxophone |
1 Baritone Saxophone |
5 Trumpets |
3 French Horns |
3 Trombones |
2 Baritones |
2 Tubas |
1 String Bass |
2 Snare Drums |
1 Mallet |
1 Timpani |
3. REGISTRATION FOR ALL-STATE HONORS BAND AUDITIONS
* A. Each district President or District Audition Chairperson shall notify the All-State Honors Band Auditions Chairpersons of the name and school of those students of that district who may audition for All-State Honors Band by the end of their district clinic. Each Honors Band Audition chairperson should receive a database if membership from each district so that if they need to contact someone they have the information.
* B. Each Band Director of an eligible student must download the audition from the website and send to the corresponding Honors Band Audition Chairperson by the stated deadline in order for the student to audition.
* C. The band director shall be responsible for the proper registration and payment of fees to the Auditions Chairperson for his/her student(s) to audition for All-State Honors Band. If a director brings a student to audition, the director will be expected to judge.
* D. Auditions for the All-State Honors Band will be the first or second Saturday of March determined by need and calendar issues. The make-up date will be the Saturday after the scheduled audition date.
* E. The band director whose name appears on the class list as the teacher must be in attendance or their students will not be allowed to participate.
* F. Email needs to be the form of communication desired, for receipt confirmations, etc.
* G. Directors should communicate with the Chairpersons only, so if a child is sick and cannot attend the audition or clinic the alternate can be contacted.
* H. Ties will be broken in the following order: Sight-reading, Solo, and then Scales. In case of ties for the last chair we will take both or all.
* I. All results need to be sent to the webmaster in the same format.
* J. A random formula will be used to place the order in which student auditions.
* K. Access to tabulations will be limited, directors need to stay away from the room unless they are helping. The following districts will need to select a representative for Tabulations:
Middle School: Eastern, Southeastern, South Central, Western and Northwest.
High School (9/10) and Senior High (11/12): Southeastern, Central, Western and Northwest. These names need to be submitted by the District President to the Audition Chairpersons by the business meeting time at our annual music educator’s convention.
* L. Judge’s sheets will be given back at Honors Band Clinic. If a director cannot attend Honors Band Clinic the sheets will be mailed to the school.
North Carolina All-State Honors Band Instrumentation for all Bands
Middle, High School (9/10) and Senior High (11/12) Bands
10 Flutes |
2 Oboes* |
2 Bassoons |
1 Eb Clarinet |
20 Bb Clarinets |
2 Alto Clarinets |
4 Bass Clarinets |
1 Contrabass Clarinet |
4 Alto Saxophones |
2 Tenor Saxophone |
1 Baritone Saxophone |
12 Trumpets |
8 French Horns |
9 Trombones |
4 Baritones |
6 Tubas |
1 String Bass |
4 Snare/General Percussion |
2 Mallet |
1 Timpani |
* = An additional Oboe may be selected by the clinic chair (depending on the literature played). The third oboe would double the English Horn.
4. REGISTRATION FOR HONORS BAND CLINIC
* A. At the conclusion of the Auditions, the All-State Honors Band Clnic Chairperson will notify by mail each band director of his/her student(s) who were selected for All-State Honors Band. The director will be responsible for the proper registration of her/her student(s) participating in the clinic.
* B. Each participating organization will be responsible for its own housing and meal arrangements.
* C. Clinic registration at the time of the All-State Honors Band Clinic must be done in person by the band director. If the band director is unable to be present, the director must notify the All-State Honors Band Clinic Chairperson in advance and in writing giving the reasons for his/her absence and the name of the BAND DIRECTOR who is to personally register his/her student(s) and will be responsible for the student(s) during the clinic. Each school principal will verify this appointment with the clinic chair in writing before the clinic registration date.
5. FEES
* A. Students will be charged a fee of $15.00 to audition for All-State Honors Band. Only school checks, booster organization checks, money orders or cash with appropriate school identification will be accepted.
* B. There will be a $23.00 fee for a student making All-State Honors Band to participate in the clinic, plus the cost of meals provided by the meal service at the clinic site. (starting in 2005 total fee: $35.00)
* C. If a school or band booster organization has had a check returned for insufficient funds twice, NCBA will only accept Money Orders or Cashiers check for payment of fees.
6. REGULATIONS
* A. Students who cannot attend the All-State Honors Band Clinic shall not audition.
* B. Students shall attend all of the All-State Honors Band rehearsals during the Clinic. Any student who misses any portion of any rehearsal will not perform with the All-State Honors Band.
* C. It is the duty of the band director to insure that students meet all stipulations and requirements for Honors Band. Failure to comply with any stipulation or requirement or the failure to meet given deadlines may result in the ineligibility of a student to either audition for or attend the All-State Honors Band Clinic.
* D. Directors may not have access to scores before they are verified by the auditions chair. All non-essential personnel must stay out of the tally room. Results are to be mailed in a timely manner.
* E. The director’s meeting for All-State Honors Band auditions will begin at 12 Noon.
* F. Auditions for All-State Honors Band will begin in all rooms at 1 PM.
* G. A list of behavior guidelines for clinic rehearsals will be given to all eligible students. Students and their parents must both sign this form to participate. The form will state that any conduct violation will result in the student being sent home.
7. GUIDELINES FOR HONORS BAND ADJUDICATORS
* A. Be sure to greet the students and smile. Help make the students feel more comfortable and not so intimidated. However, there should not be any discussion in regards to any information about the student other than what their first name and audition number are.
* B. Care should be given as to the number of students called at one time, so that the amount of time in the hall is minimal.
* C. Write the audition number and first name of the student on the judge’s sheet. Make sure you verify this information with the student.
* D. Judges need to maintain a professional attitude and are expected to judge each student fairly.
* E. When judging a performance, refer to the adjudication rubric. This will help you to be consistent and to consider all aspects of a performance as opposed to allowing a personal bias to unduly affect your overall assessment of a performance. For example: you should not deduct points from a solo score for an interpretation of the music that is within the parameters what is indicated on the page! You may have a well-formed and valid opinion as to how the piece should be executed, however points should not be deducted for an interpretive performance that is equally valid, but not the same as yours.
* F. If you are using the adjudication rubric, you will be judging the performance solely on the basis of how the performance sounds. [An exception to this rule is percussion sticking that is specified in print on the music.] Although choice of fingerings/slide positions, quality of instrument, embouchure formation, etc. can affect sound, you are judging the sound. Take care in choosing your comments.
* G. Comments on a judge’s sheet should serve to clarify why a score was given, and to provide feedback on the need for specific improvements. Use care when making comments, do not write a comment that seems to be hostile and/or denigrate the auditionee. You should also consider whether or not your comment(s) implies that you applied a personal bias in your adjudication. A comment which is intended to be helpful from a diagnostic/prescriptive viewpoint may be interpreted as “I did not make the band because I do not have a nice horn” or “I was not dressed nice enough”, etc.
* H. Be sure you and your partner judge communicate during your judging by making sure the point spread is consistent. Talk to each other after each student, especially at the beginning.
* I. When judging a large number of individuals, refer to your individual judges running score sheet, in order to monitor for consistency in scoring.
* J. The procedure for sight-reading is as follows: 1) Obtain and use an electronic timer to monitor that you are giving each person 60 seconds of time to preview the sight-reading selection; 2) Say to the auditionee “Please find the sight-reading”; 3) Let the auditionee find it; 4) Say to the auditionee “You have 60 seconds to look at it before we ask you to begin playing”; 5) When the allotted time is used, say to the auditionee “Please play the sight-reading.”
* K. When judging scales the Judge should say “Play the scales in the order posted starting on your (starting pitch). (Posted order is on the NCBA State Website)
* L. When judging tympani, auditionees may use a pitch pipe, bells, xylophone, etc., as a pitch source to find their bottom pitch only. The other pitch(s) must be found without the aid of any pitch reference, other than their own ears. All timpanists must audition on the instruments provided at the audition site. Electronic tuners are not to be used.
* M. Judges should not be judging their students. In the event that a director judges their own student(s) that director’s score(s) will not be added to the student’s total score.
* N. Be certain you are being objective and consistent in your scoring. It is a good practice to consult with your fellow judge and issue scores when are generally close. A scoring discrepancy between you and your fellow judge raises the question “What is his/her personal bias?”
* O. Middle School brass players may find their first pitch. Do not indicate whether or not it is the correct pitch.
* P. Each Judge should initial any changes on the judge’s sheets.
* Q. During the study period for sight-reading a mallet student may not touch the keys with anything, including fingers. As with our regulations for Festival Sight-Reading, no sound is to be made on any instrument during this time.
* R. Adjudicators will evaluate the student’s performance only on the required material. Playing extra octaves will not be credited or penalized.
8. HONORS BAND SOLO CRITERIA
* A. The piece must be a solo where possible, or etude that will allow the judge to effectively rank the students.
* B. The piece must be within the Chromatic Range and the Key Signature that is required for the grade level.
* C. Where possible, but not limited to, the solos should come from a book.
* D. Suggested Tempo Markings will be posted with the solos.
* E. TIME FRAME:
The membership can recommend solo changes to a member of the NCBA State Board for review at the Convention Board meeting. The board will then review the request. The board will approve additions/changes at the Honors Band Board meeting.
Solo & Ensemble MPA
1. ELIGIBILITY
* A. Band directors having participants in the Solo and Ensemble MPA must be current members of NCMEA and their own district.
* B. Students must be regularly enrolled in a scheduled concert band class which receives one unit of credit and attend school within the district boundaries of which the director is a member. If a school does not have a separate junior high school, a student or ensemble entering under junior high school classification must come from grades 7, 8 or 9.
* C. Participating ensembles must be from a single administrative unit.
* D. The band director that appears on the class roster at a school as the teacher must be a member of NCMEA and register all students to participate in all state sanctioned events.
2. REGISTRATION
* A. Registration blanks must be completed and mailed to the Solo & Ensemble MPA Chairperson, with the appropriate fees, by stated deadline - i.e. 30 days prior to event.
* B. No soloist or ensemble may perform at more than one solo & ensemble MPA in a given year.
3. REGULATIONS
It is the responsibility of the teacher to see that the following regulations are enforced:
* A. Schools are not limited in number of participants entering a particular event.
* B. No student may enter in both junior and senior high levels.
* C. No group or individual may enter for criticism only. Each participant or group will be assigned a rating of Superior, Excellent, Average, Below Average, or Poor.
4. PERFORMANCE
Soloists and ensembles may select any composition and perform on recognized band instruments, including percussion. They must provide their own accompanist, if needed. Recorded or computer generated accompaniments may be used but each entrant must provide his/her own playback equipment. Use of music is permitted, there is no required list of repertoire, each entrant must furnish a score for the judge and all cuts must be indicated and the measures numbered. Accompaniments are strongly encouraged but not required.
5. TIME:
Each performance is to be limited to six (6) minutes.
6. FEES:
* A. Registrations fees: Each District will determine the fees for their Solo and Ensemble MPA.
* B. There will be no refund of fees paid.
Marching Band Mission Statement
The North Carolina Bandmasters Association, a division of the North Carolina Music Educator’s Association, officially recognizes and sanctions marching band as a viable and credible performance based ensemble in the teaching of music in a high school setting. We believe marching band can be one component of a well balanced comprehensive instrumental music program.