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All-Cape Festival 
& Manager Information

Please join our cause by HOSTING or MANAGING a festival or event in the future. It's exciting and can really energize your students and parents to become more active in your program.

 

High School Festival
 

2023 All-Cape Festival Dates & Hosts:

 

Cape and Islands HS Festival Auditions:

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Host: Sandwich Middle/High School

 

Cape and Islands HS Festival:

Thursday, February 1- Saturday, February 3, 2023

Snow Date: February 4th

Host: Barnstable High School 

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All-Cape Ensemble Management

& Contact Information:

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Mixed (SATB) Chorus

Manager: Melinda Lasit, Sandwich Middle High School

Conductor: Reagan Paras

 

Treble (SSA) Chorus

Manager: Laine Cutts, Nantucket High School

Conductor: TBA

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Concert Band

Manager: Elizabeth MacKenzie, Sandwich Middle High School

Conductor: James Shetler

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Orchestra

Manager: Alex Pendleton, Dennis-Yarmouth High School

Conductor: Ira Schaefer

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Festival Host

Marcia Wytrwal, Music Department Lead Teacher

Barnstable Public Schools - Barnstable High School

 

Auditions Coordinator 

Dan Anthony, Nauset Regional High School 

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Instrument Judge Chair

TBD

 

Vocal Judge Chair 

Paige Taylor, Falmouth High School

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Helpful Information
for Audition Site Managers
Helpful Information
for Adjudication Coordinators
Helpful Information
for Ensemble Managers

Are you interested in managing auditions at your school?

Perhaps you are looking for a way to get your students and parents more excited and involved in your program. 

Congratulations and no problem, we have you covered! 

 

Timeline:


Spring of the previous school year

  • Secure the facility (Principal permission, Building Use Forms, Notify Custodians, Nurse, Faculty, Students and Parents)

  • You'll need the following spaces:

  1. Drop-Off /Parking area

  2. Registration area (Possibly Power/Computer/Internet/Wi-Fi)

  3. 3 Warm-Up Rooms (Vocal, Brass/Woodwind/Percussion, Strings)

  4. Enough classrooms for each instrument and voice (you may need additional Sight-Reading rooms as well)

  5. Tabulation room for final calculations (Computer/Internet/Wi-Fi)

  6. Green room/Hospitality for Judges & Directors

  7. Concession/Cafe for students

 

October

  • Send out a reminder to Administrators, Faculty, Students and Parents

  • Make sure you have the necessary equipment in each Warm-Up room and Audition room (piano(s), timpani, bass drum, mallets, music stand, chair). You may need to contact a colleague for assistance or a school nearby.

  • Sign students and parents up to assist in the following:

  1. Park Buses/Vehicles - Direct traffic

  2. 3 student escorts for each school (1 for each warm-up room)

  3. Volunteers for running/managing your concession or cafe

  4. Hallway monitors to maintain order/quiet during auditions

  5. Runners to collect score sheets if necessary

 

Audition Day

  • Get there EARLY

  • Bring extra pencils for Judges

  • Set up Direction Signs on roads and hallways (Strings This Way etc..)

  • Set up Registration Table

  • Make sure all computers are on and working properly if needed

  • Make sure bathrooms are unlocked

  • Make sure each audition room is furnished with the required equipment (Percussion, Keyboard, Chair, Music Stand)

  • Check in on Directors, Judges and Ensemble Managers to make sure things are running smoothly throughout the auditions.

 

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September

  • Secure your judges for the auditions ($50 per judge)

  • Make sure you have 2 judges for each instrument or voice. Oboe & bassoon may be combined and bass clarinet can be combined with clarinet. etc.

  • Make sure ALL of your judges have the latest audition music/sight-reading/scale requirements

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​November​

  • Auditions - The host school does most of the work. You just need to help out and make sure your judges are prepared.

  • Get there EARLY

  • Bring extra pencils for Judges

  • Supervise the judging the day of the auditions to make sure the experience is positive and efficient

 

Judges NEED to

  • BE CONSISTENT with every student auditioning (same excerpts, same scales, same sight reading)

  • Talk as little as possible with the students. Kids are nervous and all they need is a kind "Hello, Good luck, You may start" & "Thank You"

  • Judges are asked NOT to give private lessons during the auditions (This is time consuming and backs up the remaining schools)

  • If the judge knows the student auditioning, they should recuse themselves. (Either step in or ask another CCMEA member to step in)

  • Pay your judges at the end of the day

  • Ask them to judge again, next year

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Thanks to the parents, private teachers, CCMEA members, adjudicators, conductors, managers, and everyone else who make this festival possible!

Are you interested in managing an ensemble? Maybe you left the room at the meeting to get something and came back to find out you have been elected the NEW ensemble manager for the Concert Band, Orchestra, Mixed Choir or Jazz Band. 

Congratulations and no problem, we have you covered!

(Assistants are expected to assist this year and adopt the chair position the following year)
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Timeline:


Summer

  • Secure a conductor (your choice should be approved at the general meeting)

  • Send a contract to your conductor (The pay may have fluctuated so be sure to ask the President for the most recent rate, and don't forget to account for your conductor's mileage. Lodging is also paid for by CCMEA)

  • Send past programs/recordings to your conductor to assist them in choosing an appropriate program.

  • Choose a 3-4 piece, 20-30 minute program. (Be sure to check the CCMEA library for any owned pieces)

  • Order music with two copies of the scores

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November

  • Get the Bio of your conductor for the program, Instrumentation needs (Special Instruments, soloists, etc.)

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January

  • Make sure your conductor is aware of the schedule

  • Prepare your seating charts and labels with student names

  • Have back-up copies of your selections in case someone needs them

  • Provide the FESTIVAL HOST School with your seating and equipment needs ahead of time

  • Request a check for your conductor from our CCMEA Treasurer

 

At the FESTIVAL

  • Arrive EARLY to help set up

  • Put your name tags on the stands or chairs to help student organize and get seated quickly

  • Know where the bathrooms are and let the students know

  • Know where the Cafe is and let the students know

  • Know the schedule and make sure your conductor does as well 

  • Decide when you want breaks for your ensemble and check with your HOST to decide where the students can hang out during those breaks

  • Provide water to your conductor

  • Take attendance at each rehearsal, report any absences

 

Concert Day

  • Prepare your speech to summarize the weekend, introduce the conductor, and describe the student's experience

  • Organize some help to set up your ensemble

  • Collect Sheet Music, following the concert

  • Pay your conductor/provide a Thank You card

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