Greetings!

This email contains information regarding All State, High School Mixed Choir and MS Treble Choir Alternates, OMEA Conference registration, Conference/All State COVID policy, and an ACDA survey.
For more details, continue reading below.
OMEA Conference Pre-Registration Open
OMEA Conference Pre-Registration Open
All State Student Registration and Payment
An All State notification reminder was sent tonight to students. Please contact oregonmusicdirector@gmail.com if you have any issues. Students must register and pay by Friday, November 19th.

Middle school directors, please make sure your students have entered their shirt size in Opus registration.

Reference this website for FAQ and pricing:

https://www.oregonmusic.org/Allstate-student-registration-and-event-information.html
High School Mixed Choir and Middle School Treble Choir Alternates
In October, Opus sent the registration links out to accepted All State students. Alternates in the HS Mixed Choir and MS Treble Choir received the same notifications. This was in err and I apologize for the confusion. Teachers, please refer to your list in Opus and let the students know that their alternate status has not changed.

Again, apologies to you and your affected families- JJ
OMEA Conference Pre-Registration Open
Pre-Registration for teachers will end December 31st at 11:59:59pm. After that date you will be need to select Late Registration.

Please visit this website for Conference Registration:

https://register.opusevent.com/

Please reference this website for FAQ and pricing:

https://www.oregonmusic.org/conference-registration-opus-hotel.html


A reminder, pre-registration includes a banquet ticket, registrations after December 31st do not include a banquet ticket.
ACDA Survey
Dear Oregon High School Music Educators, 
 
Please read the following proposal, created by the Oregon ACDA board after several years of conversations, round tables, and surveying of high school choral directors. After reading it, please complete a brief survey linked below to indicate your support for this proposal. 
 
Our goal is for ALL High School music teachers to respond to the survey in order to have solid data.

This survey ends November 12th.

Thank you for your response! 
 
 
Oregon ACDA Choral Ranking System Proposal for Performance Standards
OSAA State Choir Championships
July 2021

The Board of ACDA Oregon would like to propose a change to the current scoring and ranking system for the OSAA State Choir Championships. ORACDA proposes discontinuing the system in which performances are ranked in order by numerical score. Instead, we propose a system in which every choir participating will receive a rating of either Superior, Outstanding, or Excellent in accordance with their score. As many choirs as are eligible will be recognized by one of these ratings. Our organization believes that choirs that both achieve the state performance standard and are selected to perform at state should be celebrated. ACDA members have proposed this as a more egalitarian way to recognize, celebrate, and reward the accomplishments of each and every group who qualifies for state.

Choirs who are adjudicated according to the following rubric will be rated as Superior, Outstanding, or Excellent as averaged by the judge according to rankings in specific areas.
 
Superior: This is a I rating 
Outstanding: This is a II rating
Excellent: This is a III rating

While ORACDA advocates for the discontinuation of a numerical ranking for performance, we also propose continuing the current specific numerical ranking system for sight-reading as a separate award within the OSAA state choral competition. We propose awarding the top 3 sight reading scores in each division with a trophy or plaque. Those awards will be announced at the awards ceremony, along with all choirs who achieve an overall Superior rating.
 
Click HERE to complete our survey regarding this proposal. 

Updated Conference and All State COVID Policy
All conference attendees, performers, presiders, presenters, and audience members must 1) show proof of ID (state issued or school issued), 2) show proof of vaccination against COVID or 3) show proof of a negative antigen test dated January 12, 2022 or later (must be issued clinically, not a home-administered test). All attendees are asked to maintain 3 feet of social distancing throughout the event when possible.

Masking: All spectators, participants, volunteers, and anyone else in attendance must remain masked at all times when at our event unless actively eating, drinking, or playing a wind instrument. The mask must cover the wearer’s mouth and nose. Masks with valves, scarves, Gator masks, and bandanas are not acceptable forms of masking. Participants are responsible for bringing their own masks (bring more than one!). All wind instruments will be required to bring their own bell covers. Flute players must wear a mask with vertical slits allowing the head joint into the mask while performing. Wearing a mask is required regardless of whether you are indoors or outdoors. Wind musicians may only remove their mask when they are actively playing. Percussionists, string musicians, singers, and conductors will wear a mask throughout the event. Students will not be required to wear a mask while they are in their hotel rooms.

Cohorts: To the extent possible, All State students will be grouped in cohorts for rooming. A second cohort will be developed inside the ensemble for eating and traveling purposes. Seating charts for each ensemble will be determined prior to the start of the conference and students will remain in the same spot during all rehearsal blocks at 3 feet spacing. Any changes or alterations to the seating chart will take place outside or indoors when 6 feet of spacing can be maintained.

Hygiene: All participating students are encouraged to bring unscented hand and surface sanitizer for use by the student and on equipment. All attendees will practice common sense hygiene before and after eating, after using the restroom, and after any contact with others. Band and orchestra students must bring their own music stand- wire stands are acceptable.

Symptomatic cases: If an attendee is exposed to COVID, begins feeling unwell or develops symptoms of illness, they should not attend the conference. If an attendee becomes ill or symptomatic during the conference, that individual will be isolated and arrangements will be made for that person to be collected and picked up by a parent or family member.

People with COVID have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.

Please reference the Oregon Health Authority for COVID symptoms. These precautionary measures are subject to change in response to the sometimes rapidly evolving circumstances. OMEA will continue to consult CDC, NFHS, OHA, and local health authorities. Please continue to read updates from OMEA as they are released.
Advocacy and Online Resources
Advocacy and Music Education Supports

We all know that music is an essential part of our students’ academic and social-emotional learning. As the music education expert in your building and district, we strongly encourage you to reach out to your leadership, be involved, and advocate for your students, your music colleagues, and yourself. Remind your administrators that music is part of a well-rounded education, as defined at the federal level by the Every Student Succeeds Act. Here are a number of resources for you:
 
 
  • National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Music Directors & Adjudicatorshttps://www.nfhs.org/activities-sports/music/
  • Articles on Performing Arts COVID-19 Guidance, COVID-19 Instrument Cleaning, Online Learning, Publishers Allowing Educational Use of Copyrighted Music, etc.
 
 

Oregon Music Education Association
560 NE F ST STE A PMB 732
Grants Pass, OR 97526
541-291-1149