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PMEA is excited to invite you to audition for its newest All-State vocal experience, the PMEA All-State Contemporary A Cappella Ensemble!  Contemporary A Cappella is an innovative and creative style of singing that includes many genres of music and relies solely on the human voice. We hope you will consider submitting an audition to be part of the 2024 All-State Contemporary A Cappella Ensemble!

This style requires a different set of skills than what many usually associate with singing in a traditional choir. We encourage you to explore recordings and videos of this style as you prepare to submit an audition. Movement and expression are key elements of contemporary a cappella. While we want these to be evident in your audition, please do not allow them to distract from your overall vocal performance. Also, all SUBMITTABLE auditions for this Ensemble (with the exception of Vocal Percussion (Beatboxing)/ Part 2) will be A Cappella - no “tracks” or metronomes may be used.

The Window of Opportunity to record via SUBMITTABLE is Tuesday, 11/7/2023 - Monday 1/8/2024 at NOON. PMEA will announce the results of the 2024 All-State Contemporary A Cappella Ensemble Tuesday, 2/2/2024 on the website- www.pmea.net.

Directors who wish to have their students (grades 10-12 only) considered for selection should:

  1. Complete the application form with payment ($15.00). The Director must be a current PMEA member.  All student applicants must upload a headshot photo - (ABOVE the SHOULDERS) labeled with student's name in the following format: Lastname_Firstname (i.e. Smith, Jack). *Please note the feature in Submittable that allows the person who starts the application to add collaborators to it (i.e. if the Director starts the application they can add their student to add their audition videos). The person who starts the application, however, is the only one who has access to the payment information (so if the student is paying the application fee, they should start the application and add the director as a collaborator).
  2. The Audition selections must be submitted online via Submittable. Each audition section (three for Dance to the Music; 2 for Scarborough Fair and a separate recording for each item in Part 2) must be recorded from start to finish without cuts and/or splices (see below for specific instructions before recording).  Do NOT use a metronome when recording any of the required audition materials (with the exception of Vocal Percussion (Beatboxing)/ Part 2). Specific instructions on how to submit each selection are listed below, as well as on the Submittable application. Students should face the video camera and include their entire head in the video. NO EAR BUDS or HEADPHONES are permitted to be used in the recording. To obtain the best audio quality, a good microphone, as well as high-end computers or digital recording devices for the recording equipment are suggested. *Audition videos may be uploaded to the application (mp4 preferred) OR submitted as a link (YouTube or Vimeo files only are supported).
  3. No identifying clothing may be worn (i.e. no school t-shirts, no name identification, no PMEA, NAfME All Eastern or National shirts). Additionally, please do NOT include any identifying information in the video file name or in the contents of the recording  (i.e. your name or school name).
  4. The window of opportunity to record runs from Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 until NOON on Monday, January 8, 2024. A confirmation email will be sent to the address on the Submittable account used to submit the application. Please check your spam for any communications and also check with your IT Administrator if a school email address is used and no email is received.
  5. The director is asked to view the file and verify the recorded audition is consistent with the student’s level of performance.
  6. Although PMEA checks to ensure the videos play in the correct format and the file can be opened, PMEA is NOT responsible for the content repertoire of the video. Please follow the repertoire and file labeling instructions.
  7. Students may audition on multiple voice parts, however a separate payment and Submittable application is required for each submission. All requirements for EACH voice part must be met and sent on a separate upload video.
  8. Results of the 2023 PMEA All-State Jazz and Vocal Jazz Ensembles will be posted on Friday, February 2, 2024.

***If selected for the 2024 PMEA Contemporary A Cappella Ensemble, the student will no longer be eligible for any of the other All-State ensembles.*** 

 
SUBMITTABLE RECORDING INSTRUCTIONS:  
 1. Record EACH requirement separately.       

  • Record Three (3) videos for Dance to the Music as follows:
  1.  Beginning to m. 20 (Sopranos MUST sing the alternate high part; Basses may sing either part) 
  2.  M. 71 to m. 83 (Sopranos MUST sing the alternate high part; Basses may sing either part)
  3. Solo (Sopranos - m. 21 - m. 24; Altos - pickup to m. 44 - m. 47; Tenors - m. 29 to end of m. 36; Basses -  m.36 - count 1 of m. 44 (sing either part))
  • Record Two (2) videos for Scarborough Fair as follows:
  1.  Beginning to Letter A (Sopranos take the top Soprano I part)
  2.  All parts start at m. 59 then end by voice part: Sopranos - stop at m. 74 (take Soprano I part); Altos - stop at end of m. 77 (3/8 measure); Tenors - stop at end of m. 77 (3/8 measure); Basses - stop at end of m. 77 (3/8 measure)               
  • Record One (1) separate video for each section of Part Two on which you will be auditioning (Vocal Percussion; Solo; Bass Singing)     

2. LABEL THE FILE with the SELECTION TITLE from the list and upload in the corresponding section of the application OR submit as a weblink (YouTube or Vimeo links only).


     **Please note that mp4 files tend to upload more easily than .mov files

We use Submittable to accept and review our submissions.