2008 State Solo Update

1) State Solo Music List will again be the same as last year. The revision process is going much slower than expected, but is moving. Please be sure to check your student's solos against the current list! Each year we have at least one student that must be disqualified because the current list wasn't checked. PLEASE check the list.
2) Mountain View High School will again host our event! There were many positive comments about this wonderful facility and we are working on tweaking the setup to better meet our needs.
3) The biggest change to this year’s event comes in the addition of one participant for each of the six vocal categories from each district. There are so many vocalists that are submitted and have to be turned away that the IMEA Board felt it would be not only beneficial, but also more equitable to the vocalists to make this addition. Along with the addition will come a fourth place medal for the vocal categories, thus making the equability cycle complete. This will be a great addition to our event, but it will mean that the vocalists must begin on Friday, May 2nd. Current plans are to have vocal judging begin at 4:30pm and end for that day at 8:30pm, then run the regular time for the Saturday portion of State Solo.

State Solo Rules:

1.  This will be a solo contest only - no ensembles.  To qualify for participation, a student must:  A> Be eligible for and participate in their District Solo/Ensemble Festival;  B> Perform a solo from the current IMEA State Solo List;  C> Receive a Superior (1) rating;  D> Be placed in the top two soloists for the category from the District.  Total time limit for each performer will be: vocal-8 minutes; instrumental-10 minutes; string-12 (which includes tuning).  Electronic timers will be used by Adult Room Monitors to insure that time limits will not be exceeded.  Tuners that are calibrated to the performance pianos will be provided in special “Tuning Rooms” so that tuning may be completed prior to entry into the performance area.  No student will be allowed to perform before their scheduled time.  Digital Clocks will be provided each performance area and will be synchronized with the Tabulation Room Clock.

2.  Judges at District Music Festivals (i.e. Districts I-VI and Gem State) will prepare prioritized lists,  by category, of all students who have entered the State Solo Contest at the district level and received a Superior rating.  The first two on each list will represent their District at the State Solo Contest.  The remainder of each list will be alternates and may be selected by the State Contest Chairperson to fill vacancies in their category not used by other Districts.  In the event that there are more vacancies than alternates, the 1st alternate from each District will be selected.  If there are more 1st alternates than vacancies, then none will be selected.  It is possible that a District may send several entrants in a given category if there are not qualified entrants and alternates from other districts.

3.  The following 27 categories are available:   > Woodwind:  Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone;   > Strings:  Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass;    > Percussion:  Snare Drum (Concert or Rudimental), Keyboard Percussion (Xylophone, Marimba, or Vibraphone), Multiple Percussion/Drum Set, Timpani;    > Brass:  Trumpet/Cornet, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium/Baritone, Tuba;    > Voice:  Soprano, Mezzo, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, and Bass.

4.  Students may enter more than one category, but may not participate in more than one vocal category.

5.   Each soloist at the state contest will be judged by a panel of at least two judges.

6.   Judges will award points to each participant using the adjudication forms provided.  Selection of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each category will be determined by the combined total of the judges panel.   1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will receive medals.  All contest participants will receive a certificate of participation.

7.   Students are not allowed to perform any solo more than once.  A different State Solo must be learned each year they compete which means that a different State Solo Number must be used each year.  For example, if a student performs only one movement from a concerto or one selection from a collection, they must choose an entirely new concerto or collection to play as they will have used the State Solo Number in a prior year.

8.  Memorization is required for all vocal solos and is encouraged but optional for instrumental solos.

9.   For adjudication purposes, soloists shall furnish one published score of the solo.  All measures need to be numbered and the soloist’s contestant number placed on the title page.  NO STUDENT OR SCHOOL NAMES ARE TO BE WRITTEN ON THE SOLOS.  The contestant number will be used to return the scores.  Photocopies are prohibited unless accompanied by a permission letter from the copyright holder (publisher) making it a permissible copy.

10.   Each contestant must pay a participation fee (only checks made payable to IMEA will be accepted).  The fee structure for students whose directors are members of IMEA is:  Early Bird Fee = $50.00;  Fees postmarked after April 25th = $75.00.  The fee structure for students whose directors are not members of IMEA is:  Early Bird Fee = $135.00; Fees postmarked after April 25th = $160.00.  Students must secure their own transportation to the contest site.  Alternates will pay the Early Bird Fee.  Parents, booster clubs, or schools may assist.  Students should be properly chaperoned and appropriately involved in contest activities.

11. District Presidents or District Festival managers should forward via fax or mail (in one packet) the District Prioritized Lists of all qualifying students and alternates from their District who qualify to the State Solo Chair within three days of their Solo/Ensemble festival but no later than the first Monday of April,  (postmark determines date of mailing).  The contestant’s individual Student Entry Forms for all participants and alternates along with participants fees must follow within one week or that district’s contestants will not be allowed to perform.  Checks should be made payable to IMEA.    Fees for alternates may be paid at a later time, but before the contestant performs.

12.  Awards will be announced and medals given at the end of the event in an  Awards Ceremony.  Complete results will be posted by contestant number on the IMEA Web Site.