N.Y.S.S.M.A. Information
Overview
N.Y.S.S.M.A. stands for New York State School Music Association. It is an organization dedicated to enriching the musical lives of students across New York State. If your child is interested in singing a N.Y.S.S.M.A. solo this year, please read the information below, and feel free to contact me with any questions!
Choosing a Song
Singing a N.Y.S.S.M.A. solo means a student prepares a song, chosen from a specific list of songs provided by N.Y.S.S.M.A., ranging in difficulty from Level 1 to Level 6 (Middle School students usually sing anywhere from Level 1 to Level 4). Once a student signs up for N.Y.S.S.M.A., they will need to bring a signed permission slip with a fee (TBD) in order to start the choosing process. Once they bring in their slip and $$, students will look through the N.Y.S.S.M.A. Manual to pick a song they want to sing. Mrs. Phoenix-Heart will provided a copy of the music to practice from, and will record practice tracks to be used at home. You can find those practice tracks here.
Deadline for Permission Slip and $$
The deadline to turn in permission slip and $$ is Monday, December 10th.
Preparing for the Solo Festival
The student will work predominantly on their own time to learn and practice their song. They should plan to meet with Mrs. Phoenix-Heart no less than 3 times. If a student is not properly prepared, they may not be allowed to attend. The student will also practice Sight-Singing, which means singing a short vocal example that they have never seen before.
The Solo Festival
Oneida In-House Festival
We have two opportunities for students to experience N.Y.S.S.M.A.. The first is our Oneida In-House Festival, held at OSMS on Tuesday, May 7th. The student will be given a time slot, and will sing their solo and do their sight-singing for a vocal judge. The judge will provide feedback and a score through a scoresheet. This sheet will be given to Mrs. Phoenix-Heart at the end of the evening, and will be available for students to see and take home the following day. This is a great opportunity, and convenient as well!
Norwich Solo Festival
Our second opportunity is the Norwich Solo Festival. N.Y.S.S.M.A. Solo Festivals happen all around the state throughout the year, and we attend the Norwich Solo Festival, which will be taking place on May 10th and 11th this year. Norwich will provide a 10 minute time slot closer to the festival date. Once a student knows their time slot, the process is the same as above. They will sing their song and do their sight-singing for a vocal judge, who will provide feedback through a scoresheet. This scoresheet will be available to students the following Monday.
Overview
N.Y.S.S.M.A. stands for New York State School Music Association. It is an organization dedicated to enriching the musical lives of students across New York State. If your child is interested in singing a N.Y.S.S.M.A. solo this year, please read the information below, and feel free to contact me with any questions!
Choosing a Song
Singing a N.Y.S.S.M.A. solo means a student prepares a song, chosen from a specific list of songs provided by N.Y.S.S.M.A., ranging in difficulty from Level 1 to Level 6 (Middle School students usually sing anywhere from Level 1 to Level 4). Once a student signs up for N.Y.S.S.M.A., they will need to bring a signed permission slip with a fee (TBD) in order to start the choosing process. Once they bring in their slip and $$, students will look through the N.Y.S.S.M.A. Manual to pick a song they want to sing. Mrs. Phoenix-Heart will provided a copy of the music to practice from, and will record practice tracks to be used at home. You can find those practice tracks here.
Deadline for Permission Slip and $$
The deadline to turn in permission slip and $$ is Monday, December 10th.
Preparing for the Solo Festival
The student will work predominantly on their own time to learn and practice their song. They should plan to meet with Mrs. Phoenix-Heart no less than 3 times. If a student is not properly prepared, they may not be allowed to attend. The student will also practice Sight-Singing, which means singing a short vocal example that they have never seen before.
The Solo Festival
Oneida In-House Festival
We have two opportunities for students to experience N.Y.S.S.M.A.. The first is our Oneida In-House Festival, held at OSMS on Tuesday, May 7th. The student will be given a time slot, and will sing their solo and do their sight-singing for a vocal judge. The judge will provide feedback and a score through a scoresheet. This sheet will be given to Mrs. Phoenix-Heart at the end of the evening, and will be available for students to see and take home the following day. This is a great opportunity, and convenient as well!
Norwich Solo Festival
Our second opportunity is the Norwich Solo Festival. N.Y.S.S.M.A. Solo Festivals happen all around the state throughout the year, and we attend the Norwich Solo Festival, which will be taking place on May 10th and 11th this year. Norwich will provide a 10 minute time slot closer to the festival date. Once a student knows their time slot, the process is the same as above. They will sing their song and do their sight-singing for a vocal judge, who will provide feedback through a scoresheet. This scoresheet will be available to students the following Monday.