Junior High School

Hello SEMMEA Middle School and Junior High Teachers!

My name is Arika Winborne and I am your Southeast MMEA Junior High School Choir Officer.  This 2024-2025 school year marks my 20th year of teaching junior high and I’m so excited to be a resource for you and facilitate the Jr. High All District Choir. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.   

Directory

Help me update the SEMMEA Junior High Directory.  

If you know of someone that has moved schools or I have inadvertently left off of this email please let me know.   

All-District Choir

We are looking forward to the 2024-2025 SE All-District Junior High School Choir on Saturday, November 9th. Details about the auditions are listed below. 

Junior High District Choir Audition Process

District Choir Audition Elements:

• There is no limit to how many 7th & 8th grade students you may have audition for the All-District Choir.  However, please only allow those who are worthy of attending to audition.  We expect our students to sing well, but we also expect excellent behavior for the benefit of all.  This is an honor and should be treated as such.

• The audition needs to consist of a ‘quality’ recording in an MP3 file format of your student(s) being given the starting pitch and singing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” a cappella with zero assistance. Starting pitches*:

  • Soprano: G above middle C

  • Alto: E above middle C

  • Tenor: A below middle C

  • Bass: Eb below middle C

*Your students must audition in the correct key in order to be considered.

• Students will not demonstrate on the audition, but the teacher will need to indicate the student’s highest and lowest notes in their range.  (Not the highest they can squeak out but the note they can sing comfortably and sustainably.)

• Judges will listen to the recordings and submit adjudication scores electronically.  The audition sheet the judges will use will be the same as the High School audition sheet.  The students will be judged on tone quality, intonation, rhythm & note accuracy, diction and musical effect.  

• Auditions should be submitted no later than midnight on Tuesday, September 24th (details listed in next box)..

• There is a $10 audition fee for each student. Checks can be made to SEMMEA and received NO LATER THAN Tuesday, September 24th.  If you are also having high school students audition for the other Honor Choir a separate Jr High check would be appreciated for bookkeeping purposes. Make checks payable to SEMMEA and mail to: 

  • Jackson Jr. High School

c/o Arika Winborne

210 N West Ln

Jackson, MO 63755

• If you would like to purchase medals for students who make the choir, they can be purchased in advance or on the day of All-District Choir in November (I’ll let you know about the price as soon as I confirm it).  Any questions regarding medals should be directed to Kim Whitehead: kwhitehead@spsr6.org  

• Because this is an auditioned event, it is sanctioned through MSHSAA and your school must be a MSHSAA member or affiliate school and have “Music Activities” listed for your Jr. High approved sports and activities tab.  You can confirm this through your athletic/activities director and/or principal if you are unsure.  Make certain that the school your 7th/8th grader is attending is a part of the sanctioning.  Sometimes there are high school only sanctioned districts, so PLEASE check and ask to be added through MSHSAA if your school is not. You can become an affiliate member for about $150/year.

Junior High District Choir Online Audition

Recording Submission Guidelines for Choir Directors

• Step 1: Familiarize students with the components of the audition.

  • The recording should only contain the student singing. 

  • The recording should not contain any speaking or identifying information whatsoever (no name or school). 

  • Recordings must be submitted in MP3 file format only.

  • It is the choir directors responsibility to check the recordings for quality before submitting.

  • Identifiable information will only be shared with the District Choir Coordinator. The audition process is a blind audition process.  

  • Recordings should be unedited, defined as a recording that receives no pitch or rhythm accompaniment and no studio enhancement or alteration of any type through live or post-production efforts.

• Step 2: Establish a process for you (director) to gather the required information and recordings.  In addition to the .mp3 file, you will need to have each student’s: 

  • first and last name

  • grade level

  • voice part

  • birth date (MM/DD/YYYY)

  • school name   

• Step 3: Set a deadline for students to submit audition recordings to you (their director).

• Step 4: Collect and RENAME each individual recording file. 

  • Files are to be named in the following format:

    1. S.03152007.mp3 (VoicePart.BirthdateMMDDYYYY.mp3)

  • Recordings must be submitted in MP3 File Format only.

  • Note that iOS voice memos do not export as .mp3 files, and will need to be converted.

• Step 5:  Complete the Audition Submission Google Form for EACH student by the Tuesday, September 24th deadline. This form will end in a file submission, so be ready with the renamed files prior to completing the form.  This form should not be completed by the student.

• Step 6: A Submission Could Be Disqualified If:

  • A recording file is submitted with identifying information.

  • A recording file is not named in the correct format (See Step 4).

  • A recording file is not submitted in the correct MP3 File Format.

  • A recording file is edited/enhanced in production.

  • The auditionee is assisted with accompanied pitches in any way other than being given their starting note only.

• Step 7: Please also complete the Teacher Preference Form should no students from your school make the choir based on their audition.  Teachers are allowed to choose TWO students in the preference form.  If sending in two names, please list them in the order that you would like them selected. (i.e. If one student from your school makes the honor choir via their audition score, we would select your first student preference to ensure two representatives from your school.)

Checklist Recap:

• Registration/Audition upload Form via Google Form (You will have to submit this form for EACH auditioner) due by midnight on Tuesday, September 24th Late submissions will not be considered. Results will be announced as soon as possible the following week.

• Audition Fee ($10 per auditioner) received by Tuesday, September 24th

• Teacher Preference Form

Recording Tips

• www.vocaroo.com  This website is a free open-source website that can be accessed from your computer, iPad, Chromebook, or phone.  It has a simple layout and when finished recording you can click "download" (make sure to download and NOT just hit the share/email option).  The file will automatically save to your device as an mp3.

• Voice Recording Apps:  There are numerous apps that allow you to record mp3's to your phone.  I use one called "Voice Recorder Pro."  It automatically saves files as an .m4a file but has a built-in converter that can save the files as an mp3.  A quick search in my app store (I have an iphone so I'm not sure exactly what's available for android users) for "mp3 voice recorders" turned up several different apps.

• Voice Memos on iPhone:  Voice memos (a built-in feature) on the iPhone cannot be saved as mp3s.  However, they can be converted.  

• There are many other recording options out there.  Check with your technology person in your school/district as I am sure they will be more than happy to help.  If you have any other platforms or tips that have worked well for you please share them.  Our motto this year has been "work smarter not harder" and we could all benefit from each other's experience!

I hope all of you are doing well and have an amazing start to your school year.  If you ever need ANYTHING, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Best Wishes,

Arika Winborne

southeastmmea@gmail.org