Festival Code of Ethics

Each festival participant and director is expected to conform to rules of good conduct, i.e., observance of care of property, behavior patterns, and adherence to all rules. Directors will show courtesy to all festival workers and ensure that proper adult supervision is present for their students at all events. Appropriate audience behavior and exhibiting undivided attention are to expected in all auditoriums and performance rooms. Students should show respect for other performers and give them the attention they would want themselves as performers.

Communications regarding events are to be between MSVMA members and event supervisors only. Parents and students are not to contact event supervisors. Event applications and adjudication forms are to be completed only by directors.

Directors will adhere to the schedule and leave the warm-up area when asked. Directors should use their ratings in an educational manner and not misrepresent them to the students or the public. Directors or festival participants will not attempt to influence the adjudicators. At no time will anyone other than the event supervisor approach or contact an adjudicator regarding a rating or student‘s performance. Concerns are to be addressed to the supervisor or written on the adjudicator evaluation form. If, in the opinion of the event supervisor, a serious infraction has occurred, the MSVMA Board of Directors is to be informed by letter. The Board of Directors will take appropriate action which may result in the disqualification from participation in future festivals for a period of time not to exceed two years.

Student Conduct

In signing the registration form, the principal and the director agree to supervise the students from their school to ensure proper conduct at the Festival. Sanctions may be imposed by the MSVMA Board of Directors upon schools whose students' behavior is inappropriate.

Awards

State Solo & Ensemble and Choral Festival

State Solo & Ensemble Festival award considerations are the same as District Solo & Ensemble Festival. 

Excellent Final Determination - Blue Certificate and Blue Medal 
Good Final Determination - Red Certificate and Red Medal 

Fair and Developing Final Determination - Participation Certificate

Comments Only - Participation Certificate 

• Medals for Division I and Division II performances will be sold on-site at all District and State Solo and Ensemble Festivals. Medals for Excellent and Good ratings will be sold on-site at all District and State Choral Festivals for $5.00.

State Choral Festival

• JHMS choirs perform at State Choral Festival for Comments Only. They are eligible to purchase a JHMS State Choral Festival participation medal for $5.00.
• HS State Choral Festival award considerations are the same as District Choral Festival.  
• HS State Choral Festival medals for Excellent and Good Final Determinations will be sold on-site for $5.00. 

• Plaques may be ordered from the State Office by going to the Plaque Order Form for entries receiving Excellent ratings at District Choral Festival or State Choral Festivals occurring in the 2008-2009 school year or later.

Transfer Request Guidelines 

For the 2023-2024 school year, you may continue to chose the site that is most convenient for your school without a transfer request. You will be able to make the selection when registering for the state festival. Directors may request a transfer from their school’s assigned site to a different site. Large numbers of event transfers can disrupt festival management. Directors are encouraged to perform at their school’s regionally assigned site unless:

• Travel from your school to the site exceeds 150 miles or 3 hours.
• Your school district is not in session on the performance date. (Examples: spring break, state-mandated testing.)

The deadline for all State Event Transfer Requests is February 15. Requests will be considered according to capacity and criteria above. Requests that exceed capacity or do not meet criteria may not be approved.

For questions, please contact mattsnell@msvma.org

Adjudication

• Each event receives adjudication from a performance adjudicator including written comments to support the scoring decisions.
• Directors are encouraged to complete an anonymous online Adjudicator Performance Evaluation following a Festival. Adjudicators will not see any director identification. A summary of the adjudicator's evaluations will be shared with the adjudicator at the end of the school year.

Missed Event Policy

• The purpose of the Missed Event Policy is to allow flexibility for students who missed their solo performance time due to circumstances beyond their control which occurred on the date/time of their scheduled performance (dangerous weather or weather delayed, late bus, accompanist no-show).  Other scheduling conflicts do not qualify for Missed Event consideration.
• No requests for Missed Event consideration may be made until after the student actually misses their event, and only for circumstances as described above. Please make every effort to have students perform as scheduled.
• The Missed Event Policy may not be used to request scheduling changes. Scheduling conflicts must be addressed by the member/director of the school by communicating with the Scheduler in advance of the deadline.
• The student's director is the only person that can ask for a change to the schedule. No parents or students are allowed in the headquarters. If the student's director is not there, the student has no option to be rescheduled.

• The individual in charge of the master schedule will work with the director to determine if an opening is available that will accommodate the student and the accompanist.

• A fee of $10 shall be paid at the acceptance of the rescheduled opening or the event will not perform. Payment will be made by cash or director's check payable to MSVMA.

Choral Festival - Optional Choir Background Information

Are there circumstances related to your choir that you would like to share with festival adjudicators? MSVMA has created an opportunity for you to share information about your choir through its new Choir Background Information form. This new option helps you convey circumstances or information to adjudicators. To complete the Choral Background Information form, visit MSVMA.org and click on your District page. Download and complete the fillable PDF form. Save the file including your last name in the file name and print the document and attach it to your music for adjudicators. For more information about the Choral Background Information form, you may contact your district manager. Optional Choir Background Information