ELEMENTARY ALL-COUNTY (Grades Four through Six)
The Elementary All-County band, orchestra, and chorus are sponsored by the Westchester County School Music Association (WCSMA) and are open to students in grades four through six who participate in the school ensemble. Since we do not have an Elementary chorus, students in grades four and five are not eligible for the Elementary all-county chorus. Chorus students who are interested in singing with the All-County chorus should notify their school music teacher by November of each school year. Depending on the level of interest, the choral teacher will notify the students of the method he/she will use to select the All-County chorus students.
Auditions for the Elementary All-County band and orchestra typically take place in November or December. The audition consists of a solo selected from a list of three approved pieces (list is distributed by WCSMA in September to school music teachers), one octave scales (five major, and a chromatic), and sight-reading. Students are not permitted to have piano accompanists for the audition. Students may elect whether or not they wish to have their parents, teachers, friends, etc., in the room when they perform. If the student elects to have an audience, the audience will be asked to exit the audition room during the sight-reading portion of the audition. Students do not receive written or verbal commentary regarding their auditions, nor do they receive a rating. Approximately two weeks following the audition, students will be notified by their school music teacher whether or not they have been selected to perform in the Elementary All-County band or orchestra.
Students who are selected for the All-County band, orchestra, or chorus will attend two after-school rehearsals and a Saturday rehearsal followed by a concert. Students must participate in all rehearsals in order to be eligible to perform in the concert. The school provides transportation for the after-school rehearsals, but not the Saturday or Sunday rehearsal/concert.
ATTENTION SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS! If you wish to play in the Elementary All-County band or orchestra as a sixth grader, you must audition in November of your sixth grade year. If you wish to play in the Intermediate All-County band or orchestra as a seventh grader, you must audition again in the spring of your sixth grade year.
INTERMEDIATE ALL-COUNTY (Grades Seven through Nine)
The Intermediate All-County band, orchestra, and chorus are sponsored by the Westchester County School Music Association and are open to students in grades seven through nine. Students are selected for these groups on the basis of their NYSSMA auditions from the preceding school year. Notification of acceptance is received in September of the school year in which the students will participate in the All-County festival. Students who are selected for the All-County band, orchestra, or chorus will attend two after-school rehearsals and a Saturday rehearsal followed by a concert. Students must participate in all rehearsals in order to be eligible to perform in the concert. The school provides transportation for the after-school rehearsals, but not the Saturday or Sunday rehearsal/concert.
WEBSITES
The WCSMA and NYSSMA websites have additional information that may be useful to parents. The websites are found at the following addresses: www.wcsma.org and www.nyssma.org.