Principles Governing Participation in PMEA Festivals

The system of band, chorus and orchestra festivals (district, regional, and all-state) is organized and maintained by PMEA as one of its principal vehicles for implementation of its goals to further music education and encourage the development of music programs in the schools.  PMEA members who are directors of bands, choruses and orchestras in their schools have the privilege of sponsoring students from their  organization for participation in various festivals.

PMEA holds that participation by a student in a PMEA festival is a privilege granted by, and authorized through, the membership and active participation of the individual teacher/member who is the director of the given organization in the student’s school.  PMEA rejects  sponsorship of a student for a festival by another PMEA member who is not the director of the performing group in that student’s school.  A student must participate in his own school music program (band for band, chorus for chorus, orchestra for orchestra) in order to be eligible for sponsorship for a PMEA festival by the school’s music director.   Only 10th, 11th and 12th grade students who are members of their school band and/or chorus may audition for a district band and/or chorus festival.  9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade string students who are members of their school orchestra may audition for a district orchestra festival.  (9th grade students may not advance to the regional level).  In schools which do not have a string orchestra program, the school’s band director may sponsor string students from his/her school for an orchestra festival.

If a school offers band, chorus and/or orchestra as a class, then it is expected that the student be a member of that class in order to participate in PMEA festivals.  If a school does not offer music as a class, but instead offers extracurricular music ensembles (band, chorus and/or orchestra) which rehearse on a regular basis and perform publicly, then it is expected that the student be a member of said ensemble in order to participate in PMEA festivals.  Rehearsal schedules and printed programs may be required to verify extracurricular programs.

IF A SCHOOL DOES NOT OFFER ANY PERFORMING MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS, CURRICULAR OR EXTRACURRICULAR,  STUDENTS FROM THAT SCHOOL ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PMEA FESTIVALS.