Solo Ensemble Checklist

Flyway Conference WSMA Solo Ensemble Festivals
March 5 and 12, 2011
Hosted at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School
3399 Division Road, Jackson, WI 53037 • (262) 677-4051 • www.kmlhs.org

1. Have you paid Mr. Witte for your entry? (Solos: Class A $9, B and C $7.50; Ensembles $13 ÷ # people in your ensemble)
2. Do you have a clean score for the judge? (WLA provides, see Mr. Witte)
3. Have you numbered the measures in the judge’s score (required)? In your own?
4. Have you and your accompanist been practicing together?
5. Does your accompanist know when and where you perform?
6. Have you written your introduction? (Good morning. My name is (say your name) and I’m from Winnebago Lutheran Academy in Fond du Lac. This is my accompanist (say accompanist’s name) and I will be singing a (name of category, e.g. “Soprano Solo” or “Barbershop Quartet”) entitled (say name of piece) by (say composer’s name). Then briefly describe something interesting about your piece (an aspect of style, form, technique, harmony, rhythm, or melody.) Musical Theater introductions should also set the scene for the performance (i.e. describe who you are portraying and what the piece you are singing has to do with the musical from which it is taken).
7. Dress up! You can impress the judge with how you are dressed even before you sing.
8. Be at Kettle at least 45 minutes before you perform. Walk the building to find out where you perform (look at the site number on the schedule (March 5, March 12) and find it on the room map) and where the warm up rooms are. Then go warm up your voice! Sing!
9. Be at your performance room 15 minutes before you are scheduled to perform. Announce yourself to the door monitor so they know who you are and that you are ready to perform.
10. If you have a conflict with your performance time (e.g. your accompanist is late because they are accompanying someone else) then tell the door monitor and give them a time estimate when you can perform so that they can do some schedule juggling.
11. It’s your choice whether to sit in your room and watch performances before you or wait in the hall. Take deep breaths. Relax! The judge wants to hear your best and wants to help you get even better. Remember to thank God for the blessing of singing He’s given to you and ask His blessing on your performance. Prayer works!
12. When it’s your turn to perform, give you judge’s copy to the room monitor so they can give it to the judge. Go to the front of the room and stand in a formal manner, but RELAX! Take deep breaths and think about your piece and how it will sound. The judge will tell you when you may begin.
13. If you perform with your own copy of the music, don’t bury your eyes in the score. Look up at your audience and the judge. Smile (if you piece calls for it) or show other emotions that show you understand what you are singing. If you can perform from memory, all the better!
14. After your performance the judge will call you back to their table and tell you things that you did well and things that you can improve upon. Be polite and agreeable. If the judge asks you to sing a part over, do it as they ask. Sometime they are looking more for potential and workability than for what they just heard.
15. When they are done, stick around to get your judge’s copy of your piece and go out into the hall to relax and reflect on how you performed and what the judge said. Remember, you’re using someone else’s gifts for the weekend (God’s). Make Him proud by using them well. Thank Him for the opportunities He gave you to use His gifts. Take the judge’s copy back to WLA on Monday, March 21 and give back to Mr. Witte.
16. Results are usually posted within 45 minutes to an hour after your performance. There will be a central location with a lot of sheets taped to a wall with many people crowded around either crying, screaming, or being quiet. If you choose not to wait for your results, you may leave. I’ll stay around until the end and get everyone’s critiques and results and bring them back to WLA to be handed out.
17. If your performed a Class A solo or ensemble and got a *1, then you have been advanced to the State Solo/Ensemble Festival, Saturday, April 30, 2011 at UW-Oshkosh. Congratulations! Given the length of time in between, you have to option of keeping your current piece going or starting a brand new class A piece for State. See Mr. Witte for details.
18. Remember to give Mr. Witte the judge’s copy (because it’s WLA’s music). Monday in class would be a good time to do this.

GOD’S BLESSINGS ON YOUR PERFORMANCES!