Increasing the Value of Music Festival Participation

In October 2015, High School Today published an article entitled “The Value of Solo and Ensemble Festivals within a Total Music Program.” That article highlighted how having your students individually or your school ensemble participate in adjudicated events would enhance your overall music program. The points made at that time are still valid for music programs now – possibly even more so as many schools continue to rebound from the significant decline in participation caused by education’s restructuring in 2020.

Selection festivals such as a district, all-state or regional music festival can do the same. Engaging students in the process of music- making enhances their ability to make music. But it is not only the participating students who can benefit from those experiences. Every student in your program can benefit from their bandmates’ efforts.

While preparing for an audition or solo adjudication performance is an individual process, the rest of your ensemble can become the support team and in doing so benefit from their collective effort. By involving others, the performer benefits from their support, suggestions, guidance or simply encouragement during the preparation of their efforts and its successful conclusion. And that successful conclusion should be shared with all of the supporters, highlighting the importance of that group effort. Music should not be practiced nor performed in a vacuum.

For students working on audition materials for a selection festival, encourage the others in their section to join them in learning and improving on one of the requirements. Having another student who will run through three of the required scales with you every day during warmups will help both be more proficient and confident. Find opportunities for others to listen to the audition piece during practice to offer suggestions or simply give approval of the effort being made. Students who play similarly pitched instruments such as clarinet and trumpet can help the auditioning student by having them play their part in an ensemble piece to work on their sight-reading ability. Share as much of the music being prepared with as many fellow musicians as possible.

As the audition draws closer and the students are prepared, run them through the audition process with their classmates in attendance. Use the same adjudication form or rubric to evaluate their performance and have section leaders and others with experience do the same. If more than one person is auditioning on the same piece, consider taking time during rehearsal for them to jointly perform it for your entire ensemble to receive some peer encouragement and support. Make sure that they know the entire program is behind them when they walk into that audition room, fully prepared for what the adjudicator will be asking.

Most festival audition materials are based on quality literature for each voice or instrument. After the auditions, having a performance of those pieces by the students who prepared them provides a more intimate setting than other concerts. An audience made up of parents and supporters listening to a concert of individual or small group performances can be held in smaller spaces and provides a great way for the student to feel that their long months of preparation did not come down to a six-minute audition for one person. Include the opportunity for the student to share a bit of their process and something about the piece with the audience to connect them more to the music.

If the audition results in the student being selected for an honor ensemble, sharing music can continue in several ways. Play a recording of the pieces in the ensemble’s program for your group so they can connect the efforts of their classmates to the whole. Encourage those preparing the music to enlist others to listen to them as they gain proficiency in their parts. If you have more than one student selected for an ensemble, offer opportunities for them to practice together and provide guidance and support. And, of course, be there for them at the event to make sure they know you are proud of their accomplishments.

Make sure to share a copy of the program with your administrators to make them aware of your students’ accomplishment.

If the honor ensemble festival and concert is close enough, consider a field trip for your ensemble to attend rehearsals and/ or the concert. Share the program with them ahead of time and present a short background on the pieces and the guest conductor. Use the visit as an opportunity for your students to respond to the music through a written assignment on any number of the many parts of such a visit – conductor technique, rehearsal technique, the effect of the music, etc. If the event is too far, see if it is livestreamed or recorded so that it can be shared with your students in school.

Once the festival has concluded, have the participating students take a moment to share their thoughts and feelings from the experience with your entire group. Include a recording of the performance if possible and have the participating students speak to the moments shown. Let the enthusiasm they feel inspire others to exceed.

Steffen Parker is a retired music educator, event organizer, maple sugar maker, and Information Technology specialist from Vermont who serves as the Performing Arts/Technology representative on the NFHS High School Today Publications Committee. He received the NFHS Citation Award in 2017 and the Ellen McCulloch- Lovell Award in Arts Education in 2021.