NEW Member Information

Eastern Shore Choral Directors Association

Membership into the ESCDA is necessary for participation in events. Yearly dues of $35.00 should be submitted by a school or personal check. Your membership paperwork and payment is due by October 1st annually. Active membership in ESCDA is available to any choral educator in the public, private or parochial schools on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. You must be an active member for your students to be eligible for any choral events.

All-State Chorus Auditions (Junior 7-9 grade, Senior 10-12 grade)

When: November

Price: TBA-- formerly $15 per student

Audition Prep: 1 memorized acapella piece, 1 accompanied piece you can sing with provided sheet music

If selected: similar prep to All-Shore, overnight weekend of preparation with the concert being in March. Can often be expensive!

All-Shore Chorus AUDITIONS (Junior 6-8 grade, Senior 9-12 grade)

What: This is a performance opportunity presented by the ESCDA (Eastern Shore Choral Directors Association.) An audition only honors ensemble that any student may audition to be involved in. Students get to work with a different director, interact and sing with peers, and receive a medal/pins. Auditions are held all day on a Saturday and all teachers are responsible for adjudicating. There are no make-up auditions and no virtual options are available.

When: AUDITIONS are in February 

Where: North Dorchester High School

Audition Fee:  There is a $5 per student audition fee due, in the form of a school issued check made payable to ESCDA. Personal checks will not be accepted. Submission of a personal check or a check completed incorrectly could result in the possible inability to participate in All-Shore.

Audition Prep: 1 memorized a cappella piece, 1 accompanied piece you can sing with provided sheet music, rhythmic and melodic sight reading (2 examples). You are responsible for having students learn their music and holding a mock audition or being sure they are comfortable enough to perform their music and sight reading. You will have to be at auditions as an adjudicator all day long. Sight Reading Examples

Solo and Ensemble Festival: ESCDA (High School ONLY)

Students are encouraged to participate in a solo and small ensemble festival each year. Students learn solo or chamber music largely on their own with the support of their primary choral director. Once prepared, students perform for one judge who provides feedback to encourage student musical growth. Participation in this event is highly encouraged. Middle School vocal students are not eligible to participate in Solo and Ensemble festival.

Music must be selected from this list approved by the Maryland Music Educators Association. Music may be added to this list, but the proper form must be submitted at appropriate time. 

It is the responsibility of the director to help students provide an accompanist. If the director is unsure of their accompanist, they must reach out to other directors or the fine arts secretary for recommendation. The student’s primary choir teacher may accompany the student. You may also use a piano recording track as a last resort.

Other Considerations:

• Students must have one original copy of music to provide for one judge.  Photocopies of music are unacceptable.

• Students are responsible for transportation to and from the festival.

• Students should arrive at least thirty minutes before his or her scheduled time to allow for warm-up in designated rooms.

Solo and Ensemble: Maryland State (High School ONLY)

Students who receive an overall superior rating (I) at County Solo and Ensemble are eligible for participation in the Maryland State Solo and Ensemble Festival. See information here

The location for the event is typically in Anne Arundel County. The day functions similarly to the District Solo and Ensemble Festival held in February/March.  Students are again graded on a scale of I-VI. 

Maryland All-State Choir Performance Weekend (Grades 7-9 & 10-12)

Nomination Window: TBA

Audition Date: JR. TBA;   SR. TBA

Festival Weekend: JR. TBA;   SR. TBA

In order to be eligible for All-State Chorus, students should be enrolled in a curricular choir class at school. For more information on eligibility, see  Eligibility Info.

Students will receive music ahead of time and are responsible to learn music on their own. There will be a part check upon arrival. If the student fails the part check multiple times, the student will be sent home.

Students are responsible for transportation to and from the Festival Weekend.

For audition information and procedures, see MMEA Website.

ESCDA Choral Festival

Senior District Choral Festival (ESCDA)

What: An opportunity for students to perform and receive feedback from professionals. Students also watch other schools perform.

When: TBA

Where: TBA; This is usually determined by the ESCDA at the April Meeting

Intent Deadline: TBA; Intent Form due 60 days prior to the performance date sign up through the website(NEW LINK NEEDED). 

Program Deadline: TBA; program form (NEW LINK NEEDED)

Price: TBA (the following info. is outdated):  $100 per ensemble and school issued check due postmarked by 2/21; $25 late fee if not received on time) 30 days prior to performance date

Junior District Choral Festival (ESCDA)

What: An opportunity for students to perform and receive feedback from professionals. Students also watch other schools perform.

When: TBA

Where: TBA; This is usually determined by the ESCDA at the April Meeting

Intent Deadline: TBA; Intent Form due 60 days prior to the performance date sign up through the website (NEW LINK NEEDED). 

Program Deadline: TBA; (program form (NEW LINK NEEDED)

Price: TBA (the info. listed here is outdated). $100 per ensemble and school issued check due postmarked by 2/24; $25 late fee if not received on time) 30 days prior to performance date

Prep: You perform 3 pieces for the adjudicators, 2 of which should be on the approved list, but choosing a piece from the list is encouraged.The MMEA Large Ensemble list is HERE. Original copies of each piece with measures numbered must be provided for each of the three judges.You should place these copies in a Manilla folder for each adjudicator. You would need an accompanist. It is your responsibility as the educator to find, rehearse with and compensate the accompanist. You should use school based funds or fundraising money.

Music is rated on a scale from 1 (easiest) to 6 (hardest). Middle school ensembles generally perform music graded level 2-3 and high school ensembles generally perform music graded level 4-6. Any group entering the festival with any adjudicated music graded level 1 will be ineligible for state level assessment and will not be adjudicated. Entering assessment with level 1 music is not encouraged.

The second part is rhythmic and melodic sight reading. Your music level would also be your sight reading level. You will also specify open or closed score examples based on your preference. If two adjudicated selections are two grade levels apart, the group will sight read one grade level lower than the highest level selection.

Here is the breakdown of sight reading levels. Here is the official script and information about the festival. 

District Festival Procedure:

Assessment is split into two days, one day for all middle school choirs and one day for all high school choirs.  The procedure for both is identical.  Each choir will do the following: listen to at least two ensembles, warm-up for performance, perform, and sight read.  A choir may complete listening before or after performance, but warm-up, performance, and sight-reading consecutively for every ensemble.  Punctuality is essential. The schedule varies based on transportation and other factors.

Warm-up occurs for twenty minutes preceding performance time.

Performance consists of two parts: warm-up and adjudication. Each choir will perform one warm-up piece and then will go directly into performing their first adjudicated piece. The choir will then wait for the adjudicators’ signal to move forward and will perform the final adjudicated piece.

Sight-reading consists of two elements: rhythmic and melodic.  The sight-reading adjudicator will lead the choir through the rhythmic portion, allowing the students one minute of independent study time.  The teacher may not talk or aid students in any way during the rhythmic portion.  The teacher leads the students through melodic sight-reading with five minutes of study time followed by two performances: a practice performance and finally a graded performance.  During the five minute study period, the teacher may not sing except for the major scale and arpeggio.  For the exact script and for detailed procedures, refer to the script provided.

In order to be eligible to move on to the Maryland State Assessment, the choir must obtain an overall score of a “I” or Superior. For a full breakdown of scoring procedures, please refer to the Performance Adjudicator rubric & Sight Reading Rubric.

Other Considerations:

Audience etiquette is the responsibility of the choir director and a level of professionalism is EXPECTED. Throughout the performance, adjudicators are making comments to provide feedback for individual choirs. Any movement and other unnecessary noise is easily picked up on the recorders and is therefore discouraged. Students should never be left unattended. 1 Chaperone per 10 students is recommended.

Depending on timing of performance, the choir may have to stop on stage during performance due to the school bell schedule or announcements.

State Choral Festival (ONLY ELIGIBLE IF SUPERIOR (I) RATINGS ACQUIRED)

Application Deadline: TBA

Festival Date: TBA

Festival Location: TBD

Eligibility:

In order to be eligible for the Maryland State Choral Assessment, the choir should have received a score of a “I” or Superior from ALL adjudicators at the District Choral Festival.