Honor Choir

link to pdf version of Standing Rules for Honor Choir Festival

Honor Choir is a venue at the AMEA Conference during even-numbered years (i.e., January 2012, 2014, etc.). Choral directors choose one or two quartets (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) from their best students in grades 10-12. Candidates are screened in each district on the Honor Choir music and, if selected for Honor Choir, rehearse and perform during the AMEA Conference.

1 Eligibility and Choirs

Directors will nominate up to eight of their best students in balanced quartets to be screened for admission into Honor Choir. Directors may combine with other schools to create balanced quartets.
Students in grades 10-12 are eligible to be screened. All Honor Choir candidates must be enrolled in a high school choral program in Alabama, and the choral director must be a current member of AVA/NAME.
Because All-State Show Choir and Honor Choir are concurrent festivals, students who are in All-State Show Choir cannot also participate in Honor Choir. However, All-State Show Choir results will be sent soon enough for directors to be able to nominate students not accepted into ASSC as Honor Choir candidates.

2 Ordering Music and Preparing Students for the Screening

Honor Choir music is chosen by the Honor Choir clinician and approved by the AVA Board at the Summer Board Meeting. As soon as the list is finalized it is posted on the website. It can be ordered through any music store. Each Honor Choir typically sings six pieces.
Music should be ordered eight weeks before screenings so that students have ample time to prepare the music.
Each student must have an original copy of each piece of music for the screening. Photocopied music may not be used during auditions. Such use will disqualify a school from participating in Honor Choir. If Honor Choir music ordered is still on backorder from the publisher three weeks before the screening date, the director should contact the District Chairman for copies of music. Photocopied music will be accepted at an Honor Choir screening ONLY if the director offers proper proof, in the form of a written communication from the supplier that the music in question has been ordered eight weeks prior to the screening date.
Students are responsible for knowing their entire voice part in all of the selections. Students will sing every piece in its entirety during the screening, with adjudicators walking around checking to see that students know their music.
Music does not have to be memorized; students will use their music in the screening.
Honor Choir Practice CDs are available for students to learn their Honor Choir music. They are optional, and are not officially endorsed by AVA, but can serve as a rehearsal aid to supplement the time the director spends teaching the music.
Students will sing the part split they are most comfortable on at the screening, and the clinician will balance the choir at the festival. It is helpful if each student learns both part splits.

3 Screening Application (NO COST)

A complete screening application includes:
1. Honor Choir Screening Application Form F7.1
2. There is no charge for Honor Choir Screening.
3. a copy of your NAfME card
Mail your complete application by the deadline to your District Chairman.
No applications will be accepted later than one week prior to screenings.
Directors must have current NAfME membership in order for their students to participate. If your membership is not current when you submit the application, be prepared to present proof of membership (NAfME card or cancelled check to NAfME) when you register at the Honor Choir Screening desk.

4 The Screening

Directors will receive notification of the screening time from the District Chairman.
Directors must accompany students to the screening, and will assist in the screening adjudication process, following instructions from the District Chairman.
Students must not wear any school insignia to the screening.
Each student must bring the following to auditions:

Honor Choir Screening Adjudication Form F7.2 , signed by PARENT and STUDENT, after reading Parent Information for Honor Choir
complete set of Honor Choir music (NO PHOTOCOPIES)

Honor Choir Screening Procedure:

Each student will sit where assigned, and will be given a tag with a voice part and number (for example, A35 which means the 35th alto). For each piece of Honor Choir music, pitches will be given or the accompaniment will begin. All students will sing the piece as a choir, using their music, conducted by the District Chair or another director. All of the other directors will move through the choir listening to students sing, and checking for deficiencies in music preparation, tone quality and rehearsal etiquette.

When all pieces have been sung, directors will mark "pass" or "fail" for each student.
The District Chairman who will consult with directors in the cases of students marked "fail" by any directors before the students are dismissed.
The District Chair will compile a list of all the students who have passed the screening and send it to both directors and to the Honor Choir Coordinator.

5 Registration (for students who have passed the Honor Choir Screening)

Honor Choir results will be mailed to directors within two weeks of screening. If you do not receive these results, contact your district chairman.
Mail your Honor Choir Registration to Pat Blackwell, AVA Executive Secretary, 1703 Emily Circle, Huntsville, AL 35802 by the deadline . Include these items in your application packet:

Honor Choir Registration Form F7.3
a photocopy of the Honor Choir Notification Letter , with changes and corrections marked in red ink
school check made out to Alabama Vocal Association or signed school Purchase Order for Audition Fees

$40.00 school fee
$25.00 fee for each student
($50.00 late fee if registering after the deadline)

6 Honor Choir Festival

Directors must accompany students to Honor Choir, and must register for the AMEA Conference.
Directors must ONLY bring students who passed the Honor Choir screening and were originally registered. ABSOLUTELY NO SUBSTITUTIONS will be allowed.
Each student MUST BRING A COMPLETE ORIGINAL SET OF MUSIC AND A PENCIL TO EACH REHEARSAL. Photocopied music in rehearsals is not allowed.
Students need to bring a black folder for the Honor Choir concert.
Directors will be given rehearsal assignments to take roll and to monitor behavior.
Students must wear name tags to each rehearsal.Roll is taken at each rehearsal and names of students who are absent are reported to the AVA Board. If a student is late for two rehearsals he/she will be removed from the choir. Absence from a rehearsal or performance or removal due to disciplinary actions will result in disqualification from this and the following year's Honor Choir festivals.
Students are required to participate in the Honor Choir festival and concert in its entirety.
Minimum dress code for the Alabama Honor Choir Concert is a tea length or floor length dress for girls with appropriate dress shoes and a shirt, tie and dress slacks with dress shoes for boys. If the school choral uniform is not a formal one, students must dress in formal concert attire which meets the minimum dress code. Remember that show choir uniforms or prom-style dresses (sequins, spaghetti straps, etc.) are not acceptable. Any revealing attire is inappropriate for this occasion. Robes are also appropriate for formal concert situations.