PMEA Region and All-State Festival Update – March 31, 2020
PMEA thanks you for your patience during this time of uncertainty. Following the recent announcement by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf closing schools in the Commonwealth indefinitely, the PMEA State Board has decided to move forward with plans of online auditions it had previously outlined for holding Region level instrumental auditions, which will be used as this year’s selection process to All-State, in lieu of a live audition as the event has been cancelled. Students not interested in a seating placement or the advancement to the All-State level may choose to not submit an audition. (No physical event will take place.)
The audition material will be selected from the music in the student’s Region folder and will be posted when the audition window opens. *Specific information for each Region audition will be sent to directors with participating students by the Region leadership. The schedule is as follows:
Region Orchestra (Western Region & Region VI):
Opens at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 3 and Closes at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday April 8; Auditions will be reviewed from Monday, April 13 through April 20. Audition results will be posted on the PMEA website by Friday, May 1.
Region Band
Opens at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 15 and Closes at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 20; Auditions will be reviewed from Wednesday, April 22 through Tuesday, April 28.
Audition results will be posted on the PMEA website by Friday, May 1.
*Directors of students playing percussion, please touch base with your PMEA District President regarding these auditions.
All-State, All-East & All National Honors Info
Current Sophomores and Juniors selected to any PMEA All-State Ensemble are eligible to apply for the 2021 All-East and/or 2020 All-National Honors Ensemble. Interested students will need to submit an equalizer audition for ranking purposes to PMEA (no cost to do so). The window to submit an instrumental equalizer will begin on Wednesday, May 13 and close at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19.
The NAfME All-National Instrumental Audition Material will be used for the equalizer auditions (no fee to submit this audition) and is currently available HERE. *Only students interested in applying for an All-Eastern and/or All National Honors Ensemble need to complete an All-State equalizer audition.
Information about applying to a 2020 All-National Honors Ensemble is available now at: nafme.org/programs/all-national-honor-ensembles/ Deadline to apply is Friday, May 15 at 11:59 p.m. There is a $40 application fee to apply. Information about applying to a 2021 All-East Ensemble will be forthcoming.
MUSIC RETURN and ALL-STATE MEDALS
PMEA continues to follow the guidelines sent by Governor Wolf. Please KEEP your music folders from Regions (Orchestra and Band) and State (Jazz, Vocal Jazz and Chorus) until you receive further instruction online- www.pmea.net and your music director as to where and when the music folders should be sent.
Region and All-State Ensemble medals will be mailed once the music folders have been returned with all music intact. Specific details will be shared ONLINE and via email to your Directors once they are available.
ALL-STATE MERCHANDISE
PepWear is still offering merchandise for those selected to the All-State Ensembles. Orders can be placed April 20th – June 12th at shop.pepwear.com/pmea
Tips for recordings in Submittable:
- The maximum video size is 4GB – the larger the video, the longer it will take to load
- Small rooms with good acoustic qualities will create the best recording
- A good microphone and a good piece of recording equipment (high end computer or digital recording device) are the two things that can most improve a recording.