Job Descriptions

Section Chair

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Attends meetings as called by the NCMEA President; August, January, April.
  • Submits written reports to the Executive Board secretary and gives an oral report to the NCMEA Executive Board of Directors.
  • Submits quarterly articles to the Editor by the designated deadline, which includes news vital to the programs and activities of the MS Choral section.
  • Plans interest sessions for the NCMEA In-Service Conference in collaboration with the MS Executive Board.
  • Plans interest sessions and contracts clinicians for the NCMEA In-Service Conference.
  • Recommends to the NCMEA President performances of high quality for presentation at general sessions.
  • Communicates Policies and Procedures for Honors Chorus, Music Performance Adjudication, and All-State Chorus to MS music educators.
  • Enforces Policies and Procedures for Honors Chorus, Music Performance Adjudication, and All-State Chorus.
  • Oversees, with the assistance of the Middle School Executive Board, the review and revision of Policies and Procedures for Honors Chorus, Music Performance Adjudication, and All-State.
  • Completes all necessary reports as requested by the NCMEA In-Service Conference Coordinator.
  • Oversees that the Student Activities Coordinator submits Music Performance Adjudication ratings to the Executive Director and MS Technology Facilitator to be placed on the NCMEA and MS Choral websites, respectively.
  • Submits conference needs to the NCMEA In-Service Conference Coordinator by designated deadline.
  • Prepares and submits a conference budget for the Middle School Choral section to the NCMEA Executive Board Finance Committee by the designated deadline (February).
  • Presides over appropriate sessions at the NCMEA In-Service Conference.
  • Appoints MS educators to fill unexpired terms should such vacancies occur.
  • Appoints members of the Executive Board to chair standing committees.
  • Coordinates yearly calendar of events, including publishing the application deadline for Honors Chorus, All-State, and Music Performance Adjudication on the NCMEA website, MS Choral website, and in the quarterly NCMEA journals.
  • Oversees and coordinates MS Choral Constitution revisions and places on file with the NCMEA Executive Director and on the NCMEA and MS choral website a copy of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Section.
  • Approves budget requests and disbursements and handles other financial account matters.
  • Calls and presides over meetings of the Middle School Choral Section Executive Board.
  • Informs and orders through the Executive Director, the necessary forms for MS Choral Section activities.
  • Ensures that MS Choral Event Coordinators complete all financial reports and records of sanctioned events with the Executive Director by the designated deadlines. • Submits nominations of members for Honorary Life Membership at the spring NCMEA Executive Board Meeting.
  • Ensures that the MS Choral Section’s special events coordinators compensate and/or reimburse clinicians in a timely manner.
  • Keeps accurate records of MS Choral Section business for the use of succeeding chairs.
  • Solicits at least two professional articles to be submitted to the NCMEA Journal by the January deadline.
  • Serves on the committee that completes the yearly evaluation of the NCMEA Executive Director.

Middle School Past-Chair

  • Serve as a consultant to the Chair-elect and Chair.
  • Serve as Chair of Brian Busch Grant
  • Any other duties assigned by the Chair

Constitution Chair

  • Maintain Constitution
  • Advise the membership in regards to changes that need to be made to keep the Constitution current
  • Make ballots for membership when votes are necessary for changes and count them and report to the membership
  • Stay current of any parliamentary changes with regards to amendments and procedures

Student Activities Coordinator

  • General Duties
    • Oversee new adjudicator “process”
    • Bring requests for changes to districts before Executive Board
    • Make rulings on director requests for site changes
    • Set guidelines and timelines for site chairs/MPAs to insure consistency among MPA events
  • November
    • At conference, make sure membership knows sites and dates for MPA
    • Facilitate adjudicator/MPA workshop (required for potential judges)
    • Send judge availability letters, including list of sites and dates
  • December
    • Consider director requests for site change until Dec. 15
    • Compile returned judge availability forms
  • January
    • • Assign judges for each site
    • Send list of judges/sites to potential adjudicators for shadowing
    • Send via e-mail or snail mail forms site chairs will need for their MPAs
    • Order adjudication forms if necessary
  • February-March
    • Send adjudication forms to site chairs
    • Make sure sight-reading is written and received by SAC
    • Touch base with site chairs to make sure everything is in place for MPA
    • Troubleshoot, monitor MPA sites as they are held
  • April-May
    • Be sure all financial reports and participation numbers have been received by SAC and Exec. Sec. of NCMEA
    • Financial report summary using spreadsheet
    • Make sure site chairs have secured site and date for next year’s MPAs and compile list to share at general meeting at All-State

MPA Site Chair

  • Maintain site checking account—keep statements year round
  • Confirm site location and date for MPA
  • Receive applications and fees through January 15; deposit fees in site checking account
  • Create schedule for warm-ups, performance, sightreading (LE); small ensemble and solo/ duet/trio performance (SSE)
  • Send schedule, fee receipt, and forms (Chairperson’s Info Sheet, Info for Adjudicators sheet, sample adjudication sheet and sample sightreading) to directors registered for MPA
  • Contact judges who have been assigned to MPA by Student Activities Coordinator with lodging info. Give judges expense reimbursement form.
  • Fill out or create labels for adjudication forms
  • Line up workers/helpers and go over duties with them
  • Arrange for lunch for judges and helpers
  • Prepare large manila envelopes for groups to be given after performance
  • Have certificates, superior plaque order forms, conference performance invitation ready to put in envelopes with comment sheets and returned music
  • Create MPA program
  • Keep receipts for deposits and expenditures for Financial Report
  • Make sure facility is ready for MPA—risers, piano, rooms, materials, etc.
  • Run actual MPA event, troubleshooting when necessary
  • Prepare Financial Report completely within 45 days of MPA event. Include receipts and details of expenditures, adjudicator expense reimbursement documents, and check to NCMEA for balance left after expenses are paid and minimum required amount is left in checking account
  • Secure site location and date for next year’s MPA

Teacher of the Year

  • The TOY chair is responsible for overseeing the events that lead up to the selection of a new Teacher of the Year annually.
  • January
    • Receive applications from the membership for TOY.
  • February-April
    • Contact newly nominated persons for their resumes. Ask for updated information from the existing nominees. Make sure that names, email addresses, and phone numbers of people to be contacted are given by the nominees.
  • May
    • Prepare and make copies of the nominees resumes/ballot for perusal and voting by membership at All State Chorus.
    • Present nominees at membership meeting.
    • Oversee voting, collection, and counting of ballots.
  • June-October
    • Contact the superintendent, principal, and family members of the person selectedand inform/invite them to attend the presentation.
    • Order the TOY plaque from Marc Dedmond/Carolina Trophies: www.carolinatrophies.com
  • November
    • Coordinate details with the Section and Honors Chorus chair for the presentation.
    • Present the award at the Honors Chorus Concert.

All State Coordinator

  • May
    • Collect all outstanding forms and financial forms/receipts from clinicians
    • Pay outstanding invoices for All-State.
    • Complete previous year’s Financial Report; Send copies to Executive Director of NCMEA and Section Chair.
  • June – July
    • Make sure building site for next year’s All-State is secured. Acquire new contract with building site if necessary.
    • Book pianos
    • Confirm date with WhiteSound Studio
  • August
    • Get clinician contracts from Chair-Elect.
    • Establish contact with clinicians via email and work on solidifying rep lists.
    • Secure clinician bios – Email to section chair
    • Update All-State application form and information letter as needed and have them posted to the website.
    • Email teachers the first week of school to remind them of the deadline approaching.
    • Pay deposit for Greensboro Coliseum, if necessary.
  • September
    • Applications are due Sept 15.
    • Email confirmations to teachers as their checks are received.
    • Deposit application monies.
    • Make a group list for All-State teachers. (I suggest deleted the previous years group and starting over to avoid confusion. You can import your contacts from your Google Doc.)
    • Finalize rep lists.
    • Begin to secure accompanists
  • October
    • Work on All-State allotments.
    • Update documents for the website if needed. (Teacher Letter, Financial Form)
    • Send rep lists to JWPepper, Brodt Music, WhiteSound Studio and Kenney Potter to make recordings.
  • November
    • Email teachers allotment numbers the week before conference. (You MUST send individual emails to make sure teachers receive them.)
    • Prepare information for General Meeting at Conference. (5-10min)
    • Have all information available to teachers via website. Forms should go live on the website the weekend of conference.
    • Contact graphic designer about t-shirt logo design
  • January
    • Send accompanist contracts
    • Coordinate with clinicians about making flight arrangements and hotel arrangements.
    • Book hotel rooms as needed
    • Approve final t-shirt design
    • Start securing musicians for All-State as needed. Send contracts.
  • February
    • Finish securing musicians for All-State
    • Make sure rehearsal tracks are on the website. (2nd weekend of Feb)
    • Double check supplies. (Folders, paper, card stock, labels, lanyards, cerificates etc)
    • Make supply order as needed. • Print name tags – Drop them off to be cut, or cut yourself (I do not recommend.)
    • Monitor email for cancellations and teacher requests.
  • March
    • March 1st: Registration is due. Monitor website.
    • Submit t-shirt order • Secure alternates, as needed
    • Deposit registration monies
    • Communicate with clinicians about special needs/requests.
    • Email clinician and accompanists addresses to WhiteSound Studio
    • Make contact with Greensboro Coliseum event manager – Order parking passes.
  • April
    • Make supervision schedule – Email to teachers
    • Print certificates
    • Stuff packets – certificates, name tags, schedule (should be on back of name tags as of 2012), parking passes
    • Secure dinner reservations for Friday and Saturday night. Keep within budget of NCMEA.
    • Secure lunch plans for Friday and Saturday on site. (Delivery works best)
    • Get lunch requests from clinicians and accompanists for on-site meals
    • Sort t-shirts by school
    • Write checks for clinicians, accompanists, musicians and have in envelopes labeled.
    • Work on concert speech, intro to event, bios, etc.
    • Concert program: Finish and have to printer at least 2 weeks before event.

ALL STATE WEEKEND

  • Thursday Night
    • • Pick up clinicians at airport – or delegate transportation • Pack car – packets, cooler, printer, shirts, signs, markers etc.
  • Friday
    • 9AM: Arrive at coliseum,
    • 9:15AM – 11:00 unpack car, set up spaces. Set up registration table, set up shirts
    • 11:00 AM – Eat lunch.  Clinicians can arrive around 11:30AM and eat their lunch in a room while registration is going on.
    • 12:00 Registration
    • 1:00-4:30: Sit back and watch things happens. Attend executive board meeting. Make sure things are running smoothly.
    • 4:30-6:00: Accompany clinicians to dinner
    • 6:00-9:00: Double check that you have all paperwork needed from clinicians, accompanists, musicians. (I normally have musicians drop off forms on Saturday morning, but have a checklist of what you have and what you need.)
    • 9:00: Pack up – Take clinicians back to hotel, or delegate.
    • Finish concert speech if needed. Practice reading speech. Lay out clothes for Saturday. Something to wear during the day and a concert outfit.
  • Saturday
    • Arrive at Coliseum by 8:30AM
    • Have clinicians brought to site
    • 9:00-1:00PM: Make sure things are running smoothly. Collect paperwork as necessary. Start packing up as you can.
    • 1:00PM – Eat lunch, pack the car – People will help!
    • 2:15PM – Head to concert space. Change clothes, wait backstage with clinicians, speech and honorarium checks. (I lay them out on the tables.)
    • 3:00 CONCERT – Give checks to musicians and clinician as they finish.
    • 5:00PM – Take clinicians to dinner and then back to hotels if needed.
  • All State Volunteers to secure for weekend
    • Registration Table Help – 2 people
    • Clinician Pick Up/Drop Off – 1 person
    • Tshirt Room Manager/Help – 2 people
    • Room Supervisors – 3 people
    • Walkthrough Conductors – 3 people
    • Tshirt Sales – After Pick Up – At least 1 person
  • Saturday
    • War Memorial – Main contact person (normally Section Chair) will collect forms from musicians during rehearsals as needed.
    • Program Mover – Programs need to be transported to site
    • Stage Movement Coordinators – Help with the process of getting students on and off stage and into the seats in the balcony. (2 person job – at least)

Honors Chorus

  • April
    • Officially contract clinician if it has not already been taken care of. (This is usually done by the chairperson)
    • See if the music list for the concert is ready and if an audition piece has been selected. Contact Jeff at Pepper when the audition piece has been selected so he can get it in stock. When the rest of the music list comes in contact him as soon as possible.
    • Contact all site chairs either by phone or email and obtain all necessary information (i.e. intended location of auditions, addresses, phone numbers, etc.)
  • May
    • Contact clinician and request that they send a biographical sketch and a picture for the magazine and program. This is something that the chairperson may have already done. If not, make sure to send this info to the site chair
  • June
    • Contact section chairperson to make sure that arrangements are made for the rehearsal room. The section chair has to request the room arrangements in advance. You will always need to check with the section chair to see that everything is ready. Things you will need: rehearsal site arranged correctly, piano, risers, music stands, director podium, microphones, etc.
    • Contract with White Sound for the recording and sign the recording agreement. You will also need to contact Larry or Carolyn White to find out prices for DVD’s and CD’s for your letter to the directors.
    • Double check with section chair for schedule of rehearsals in convention center and concert. This does not usually change from year to year, but does need to be asked.
    • Contact any additional musicians that may be needed. Make sure they have the music. (I have Jeff send the music to them and send the bill to me. Sometimes the music is not on the octavo and needs to be ordered separately.) We pay the musicians $150.00 unless they require a different fee. You will need to discuss that with them.
    • I have contacted Andrew Emmett with the Winston-Salem Symphony to help me out. His contact info is: 336-761-0879 – home, 336-918-4793 – cell and his address is: 635 Granville Drive, Winston Salem 27101.
    • Kathleen Hall Gee – oboist – 336-460-0033 and address is 216 Morningside Road, Randleman, 27317, [email protected].
    • Thomas Pappas – oboist – 340 Murray Street, Greensboro, 27406 – [email protected].
    • During contact with clinician, inquire as to any requested extra musicians (brass, woodwinds, etc.) and any other possible changes they might want.
  • July
    • Contact clinician by phone or email and see if he/she has an accompanist preference. If not, you secure an accompanist and contract them at least by August. The current fee that I have been paying is $500.00. Call Jeff at Pepper and have him send a packet of music to the accompanist and have Pepper send you the bill. This packet should include the audition piece.
    • Explain to clinician how voices will be distributed. (Usually 20 SI; 20 SII; 20 AI; 20 AII; 40 TI & TII; 40 BI & BII. This is a little over the 160 total, but it helps in case of “noshows”.)
    • Ask clinician if he/she wants a complete set of the music. If so, have Pepper send a packet and have them bill sent to you.
    • Send copy of rehearsal schedule to clinician.
    • Contact 5 – 6 judges for auditions. I make an initial contact by phone, give them dates and fees ($250.00 per day plus expenses) and a verbal commitment.
    • Reserve room for clinician. Coordinate this with the Chairperson for our section and with the hotel. (In 2011 I had to send in a Middle School Housing Form with the clinician’s name and arrival and departure date. I have the contact information, but it may change like the weather.)
  • August
    • Send letter to judges and include:
      • Contract – NCMEA Adjudicator Agreement
      • NCMEA Expense Reimbursement Form
      • Rubric for the auditions o Music for the auditions
      • W-9 form if they are a new judge. Judges we have used before already have one on file.
      • I always send a self-addressed stamped envelope with each judge’s form for them to send the contract back. You must keep this and turn it in to Reta with the report. The Reimbursement Form must be turned into Reta with all receipts for each judge, clinician, accompanist, site chairs, any instrumentalists and you (for your expenses).
      • Once you have secured the judges – contact the site chairs as soon as possible.
  • September
    • In the back of your mind you might want to have a plan for the possibility of students being pulled from the group during the walkthrough. You will need an accompanist and two directors to listen.
    • Contact clinician for the order of the program and the seating of the choir. You need to keep in contact with the clinician to see if they have any questions for you. (I try not to ask too many questions at one time. You have to feel each clinician out to see how they respond to things some are great with communication others are not.)
    • Make contact with a printer. You will need to order certificates if you want them printed or you may decide to print them yourself.
    • Keep in contact with your site chairs. Make sure they have sent the necessary information to the judges (lodging) and directors (audition times, receipts, directions, etc.)
    • Make sure the site chairs have the audition forms in plenty of time to fill them out. (I try to have them by the fall board meeting so we would not have to mail them.)
    • Have each site chair send you their Excel File for their auditions site so that you can make an Excel file for the Whole state. These files must be exact or they will not flow from one site to another and they will not compute the scores as they should. Site chairs should use the same format so that you files flow exactly. Also there are 2 pages to this Excel file, the second page will be the school name, address and email address, which you will need to send the results by email and you will make the address file to send to Pepper so they can send the music.
    • Contact a t-shirt printer. You will need to get things in the works (what kind of design and what color) with them so they know what to order since you will not know sizes until the registration forms get back to you in October.
    • Write your letter of notification to the directors with any changes that they should know about and any instructions for the music.
  • October
    • Before you begin the 1st day of auditions, have a meeting with the judges and discuss the rubric and the procedures for the auditions. Talk about concerns that you have heard about, like any music problems with the CD or number of males auditioning, and how that might affect the rest of the choir.
    • At each site you should record the scores of each student and keep them in order of voice part with scores showing highest to lowest score. You must also put a score or NS for the “no shows” instead of leaving a blank space. At the completion of the auditions each day, you will collect all adjudicator forms, “no-shows” forms, receipt books from the site chairs, monies, receipts from each site chairs for their expenses.
    • At the completion of the auditions you will collect the Expense Reimbursement Form with all their receipts from the adjudicators. NO ONE can receive reimbursement without receipts. Also NCMEA will not allow us to pay anyone over the set amount for each meal and hotel (unless permission has been granted by Reta). (I usually pay each adjudicator at the end of the last day, but asked them not to cash the check until I could get monies deposited.)
    • Banks will usually let you run an ongoing tape of the checks up to around 50 checks. (I usually make a deposit for each site. It made it easier to go back and check how many students were registered at each site quickly.) You will only need to stamp “For Deposit Only” each of these checks and do a running tape because each check should have already been recorded by the site chair. • After you have entered the scores for all the students, then you will need to sort the students and find the winners. (I also pull the top 20 of each voice part to have a back-up and make sure that no students were put in a different voice part without being changed in the computer. I also go through the rest of the score sheets to make sure we did not miss anyone.) • Compile a list of the winners to be sent to Pepper. That list should include the name of the school, director, address of school and the number of packets that each school should receive. If there is a specific boy and girl piece, you will need to notate that accordingly. (I send the file as an attachment in an email.) Jeff usually likes a few days before you send the notice to the teachers, so he can get the packets ready and start sending them out. Make sure to include a packet of music for the teacher as well.
    • Make an Excel file for your notification email. This file should only include the school, director, student’s name, and voice part. Along with this notice of winners should be attachments of the registration form, rules sheet, medical release form, schedule of rehearsals, letter or instructions from the conductor, housing form, and any other necessary information. • Make mailing labels for each school that participated in auditions to send back the score sheets. (I usually run the labels from each site and not together as a whole state. That way I could do one site at a time and not get confused with so many different schools.)
    • After you have notified the directors, sort the audition forms from the stacks of voice parts to send back to their schools. Organize this stack by school number (101, 102, 103, etc.) then by student number (101-01, 101-02, 101-03, etc.) (The reason for doing the extra step is later on being able to find a score sheet easier and sometimes you need to find a score sheet.) After the school sort, work by site and separate the score sheets duplicates. The top sheet goes to the teacher and you keep the copy for your records. (I usually put a rubber band around each site to keep them separated.) Then put the score sheets into the big green envelope and put the address label on the front. (I did not seal the envelopes at that time so if I had put a score sheet in the wrong place.)
    • It’s not necessary to rush to get audition forms back to teachers on the Monday after auditions because the select students’ teachers have already been notified by email, but you do need to get the audition forms in the mail as soon as you can. (I have used Post Net. You can leave the envelopes with them and they will do the work and pay them when you go back to pick them up. They kept a running tally of the envelopes and I would write one check at the end.)
    • Write thank you notes to the site chairs and send them their checks. Make sure that you have a reimbursement form for each one. There is a place at the bottom of that page where you have to put the check number of each check that you write for each reimbursement.
    • Contact people who you would like to assist you at the event such as conducting the walk through, registration, and t-shirts. (I have asked the teacher with the most students at Honor Chorus to conduct the walk through, but you can change that any way you want. I usually call and ask the teachers about those jobs because they have to be at registration so much earlier than everyone else.)
    • Begin making your master roster. If you put the roster in the same order as the concert program, then you don’t have to do it again. Use the Excel file of the winners to make your roster. Then put the students in alpha order with their voice part and then number them from 101 – the end of the students. I used the numbers to check roll. You can do roll check anyway you wish, I will include the sheet that we used with all other materials. I used the roster with the voice parts and numbers for registration at honor chorus. Then when I was ready to send the program to the printers I just took off the voice parts and numbers.
    • Make another Excel file for your registration information. This file should include a column for money, medical, rules, grade, site, t-shirt size, and prior participation, in addition to school, director, student, and voice part.
    • As the registration forms come in, you will need to put on the form the date you received the form and how much money they sent and then check off all the information needed for your file. You will need to do that daily; it will be overwhelming if you let it pile up. (I staple the medical release and the rules together and put them in alpha order. As you add more medical and rules continue to keep them in order. I also staple the registration forms from each school together and put them in another pile and then keep them in alpha order.) Also as you receive the registrations, you will need to register the checks on the check log.
    • Get program ready for the printer. Allow as much time as possible (about 3 weeks). (Many times I had to call or email teachers that did not get their information in on time to ask about principal names or t-shirt sizes.)
    • Get sizes to the t-shirt printer.
    • Deposit all monies. (I usually tried to make a deposit once a week or every other week.) Keep all deposit slips; Reta needs to see those if they are not printed on your statements.
    • Make name tags for each student or have them printed.
  • November
    • Double check hotel arrangements, clinician and accompanist final arrangements. Check with the section chairperson to see who will pick up the clinician at the airport, etc..
    • Make a registration envelope for each school. Put the medical release and rule sheets in each envelope. If a school has not sent those forms in, you will need to write on the registration envelope what is needed from that school to be in complete compliance with the rules of honors chorus. The teachers that will be at registration should look at the envelope and make sure that whatever is missing, they see whether it is the rules / medical or sometimes they even need to bring money. You will need to have extra copies of the Medical release form and Rules forms just in case they forgot to bring them. Students cannot participate if they do not have those forms.
    • Contact the people that you would like to help you at Honors Chorus if you have not already done so.
    • Pick up programs from the printers and carry them with you.
    • Pick up t-shirts and carry them with you.
    • In the event that a student has to be sent home (i.e. not knowing the music, behavior, etc) you will need to contact the principal of the school in writing.
    • Pay any contracted musicians at the completion of their services (I usually had their check at the last rehearsal or back stage when they came off the stage before they left)
    • Make a packet of forms for the clinician so they will have all the forms that he/she needs to fill out their expenses. Make them aware that they need to have receipts for everything. They also need to fill out a W-9 form for the NCMEA files so that needs to be in the packet. If they are doing another session for the conference, they need to fill out a separate agreement form for that session. (I pay the bill for the clinician’s fee and hotel out of Honors Chorus funds. I try to write a thank you note and check before they leave the state. Sometimes I have had to mail the check, if they did not have the papers ready before they left.)
    • Write a thank you note and check for the accompanist. Make sure you have a reimbursement form and a W-9 form (if they do not have one on file).
    • Make certain that all expenses are paid. Fill out the financial report and submit it to Reta within 45 days or you will not receive the honorarium. Make copies of all your bank statements to send in to Reta, (I always kept the originals.) KEEP everything whether you think it is important or not, you may need it. (I never throw away envelopes from the schools until after I returned from Honor Chorus. I always put the date on each registration envelope when it came in.)
    • Even though most of the process is on the computer now, there is still a lot of paper work to keep up with. Processing checks, recording checks, recording expenses and the papers of registration and on and on.

NCMEA In-Service Performance Choirs

  • Secure performance venue, First Baptist Church, Winston-Salem. Contact: David Williamson, [email protected]
  • Receive applications and CDs from interested performance groups by June 15
  • Select committee to review applications and CDs
  • Have committee select two choirs to perform at NCMEA
  • Inform Chairperson of all groups who submitted applications to perform. Include Director’s name, Principal’s Name, School Address. The Chair will send letters thanking all groups for submitting a performance application.
  • Inform Chairperson of the two choirs selected to perform at the NCMEA In-Service November Conference. Include Director’s Name, Principal’s Name, Superintendent’s Name, mailing addresses for all listed parties. The Chair is responsible for sending congratulatory letters to the selected performance choirs.
  • Email a picture of the group and biographical information on director and school of performance choirs to the Chair for inclusion in fall conference journal.
  • Return application materials to directors who provide return postage
  • Make contact with the selected choirs’ directors, once Chair has sent letters to all groups who submitted performance applications. You may send a congratulatory e-mail after the Chair has confirmed that letters have been mailed.
  • Inform the directors of the following:
    1. Program length: 30 minutes from beginning to end which includes traveling on and off stage.
    2. Rehearsal schedule, after performance times are coordinated with Chair.
    3. Performance time, coordinate with Chair due to conference session schedule.
    4. Location of church and assigned rooms to use prior to performance for dressing, rehearsing, etc.
  • Order plaques to be presented to each group by the Chair
  • Meet with directors prior to the concert session to show them the performance venue
  • Assist directors during rehearsal times
  • Coordinate with Members-at-Large to assist with groups at FBC

Technology Facilitator

  • Year Long Tasks
  • August
    • Create an online registration form for Honors Chorus.
      • Periodically email the created spreadsheet to HC Site Chairs, HC Coordinator, and Section Chair.
      • Make corrections on spreadsheets as needed. Directors usually email the HC Coordinator when they make errors and he/she will forward them to you.
      • Help teachers troubleshoot the online registration form when they have problems.
  • September
    • Shut down online registration on September 16th first thing in the morning.
      • Clean up the final spreadsheet and send to HC Site Chairs, HC Coordinator, and Section Chair.
    • Work with Kenney Potter to receive the rehearsal tracks to go on our podcast website.
  • October
    • Work with HC Coordinator to get all of the appropriate acceptance documents on the website
    • Make sure podcast page is update with practice tracks for Honors Chorus when the music is mailed
  • November
    • Be on hand at NCMEA conference to help in various MS sessions that have technology needs to be addressed
    • Work with All-State Coordinator to get appropriate documents on the website
  • February
    • Receive the rehearsal tracks for All-State from Kenney Potter and make sure they are posted by the middle of the month.
  • May
    • Work with Kenney Potter to receive the Honors Chorus audition tracks to go on our podcast website by the middle of the month.

Chair-Elect

  • Securing Clinicians: When securing clinicians, the following provides a general timeline to follow. For All-State, you should be working a year and a half ahead. For Honors Chorus, you should be at a minimum 2 years ahead in contracting.
    • August Board meeting: Have board brainstorm possible clinicians for All-State and Honors Chorus. Present list of past clinicians and discuss new possibilities.
    • Nov. Board meeting: Have board prioritize list of possible clinicians
    • Prior to January Board meeting: Contact all possible clinicians/composers via email.
  • • Secure Honors Chorus Clinician
    • Issue NCMEA Accompanist/Adjudicator/Clinician/Conductor Agreement and W-9 Form to Honors Chorus Clinician
    • Once agreement is signed, submit the original copy to the Honors Chorus Coordinator and keep a copy for Chair-Elect records.
    • Honors Chorus Coordinator assumes responsibility of all event details once the agreement is signed. Note: Honors Chorus Coordinator will issue the NCMEA Accompanist agreement to the accompanist.
  • Secure Commission Composer, if someone other than the Honors Chorus Clinician
    • Issue NCMEA Accompanist/Adjudicator/Clinician/Conductor Agreement and W-9 Form to Composer
    • Honors Chorus Coordinator assumes responsibility of all event details once the agreement is signed.
  • Secure All-State Chorus Clinicians
    • Issue NCMEA Accompanist/Adjudicator/Clinician/Conductor Agreement and W-9 Form to Clinicians
    • Once agreements are signed, submit the original copies to the All-State Coordinator and keep copies for Chair-Elect Records.
    • All-State Coordinator assumes responsibility of all event details once the agreement is signed. Note: All-State Coordinator will issue NCMEA Accompanist Agreements to all accompanists.
  • Order out-going Chair plaque from Carolina Trophies
  • Responsible include serving on the following committees: Executive Committee, Elections Committee (Chair), Constitution Committee, Policy and Procedures Committee, and Music Selection/Commission Committee
  • Chair the Elections Committee
    • Serve as a contact for assembling names of members interested on being on an election ballot.
    • Communicate to all candidates that they need to submit a brief statement discussing their qualifications and their vision for a position. Candidates should submit information directly to the webmaster to be posted.
    • At Nov. meeting introduce all candidates to general membership prior to voting
    • Prepare ballots for elections
    • Chair-Elect and Elections Committee will count votes and announce election results
  • Responsible for updating Honors Chorus Repertoire list each year and have posted on website
  • Responsible for updating All-State Repertoire list each year and have posted on website
  • Make sure conference rooms are properly equipped during NCMEA November InService Conference
  • Complete NCMEA Conference Attendance Form after each Middle School session
  • If needed, perform the duties of the Chairperson in the event of the absence of the Chairperson

Members-at-Large

  • Review suggested pieces for MPA Repertoire List and assign grade level distinction
  • Assist with Performance Choirs at NCMEA In-Service

Honors Chorus Site Chair

  • Choosing an audition site location:
    • The site should have ample parking for both cars and buses
    • The site should have a space big enough to hold all the students waiting on their classmates to audition.
    • The site should have a place for registration. (It works well for me if the “holding area” is NOT near the registration table. The holding area is going to be loud; it’s almost impossible to have that many students sit quietly. The registration table needs to be a calm place and that’s hard to accomplish if it’s near the holding area.)
    • The site should have 6 rooms in which auditions can be held. These rooms need to be spread out throughout the facility OR have soundproof walls. One judge should NOT be able to hear what’s going on in another judge’s room.
    • Each audition room also needs a piano. If there are not pianos, you will need to bring in electric keyboards for every room.
    • Each audition room needs a place for the judge to write that is not in the view of the student auditioning.
    • Each audition room needs a boombox/stereo on which the audition piece CD can be played.
  • April (prior to All-State)
    • Confirm site location for upcoming school year and send information to Honors Chorus Coordinator along with the address you would like Honors Chorus registration forms and monies received
    • Investigate any preparation workshops that might be available in the fall and email the information to teachers who brought students to your site last year. Also pass information on to HC Coordinator so it can be posted on the website.
  • August
    • Contact judges and ask if they will need a hotel room in your city/town the night before your audition day. Secure hotel rooms for those that need one.
    • Create new master spreadsheet for your audition site by erasing information from previous year so it’s ready for registration forms when they arrive. (The HC Coordinator will tell you exactly what the spreadsheet will need to look like because it’s imperative that all three sites use the same format!)
    • Create blank audition schedule spreadsheet that includes columns for each room (SI, SII, AI, AII, T and B) and rows for audition times that are 5 minutes apart. You should include the students’ name and student number on the audition schedule.
    • Email teachers from previous year reminding them of the September 15 mailing deadline and the address for online registration, include workshop information if applicable.
    • Create a “registration received” email that you will send to each teacher once you receive their registration in the mail. It should alert the teachers to any information they are missing or let the teacher know his/her registration is complete.
    • Create an “audition information” email that you will send to each teacher once the audition schedule is finalized. It should include information about the site location, directions, parking, where registration will be, etc. and reminders about having real copies of the music, bringing their NAfME card, etc. (I use this letter as a template and just cut and paste the school’s audition info at the end.)
    • Create a “verification form” that teachers will get at registration on audition day. It will include their name, school name, school address, student names, numbers and audition times.
    • Secure “runners” to help you on audition day. (I use my own students. They audition very first on audition day and then spend the rest of the day assisting me at auditions. They are assigned to a particular room/judge and take students from the “holding area” to their audition.)
  • September 1-15
    • The technology chair/HC coordinator will email registration information from the online registration site every few days.
    • Assign each school a number (East numbers begin with 100, Central with 200, and West with 300) and each student from that school a student number. For example, Southwest MS will be school 200 because it’s the first school to register in the central site. The first student from Southwest MS will be 200-01, the second student will be 200-02, etc. (I find it easiest to put the students into the spreadsheet by voice part. In other words, all the sopranos will be 200-01 through 200-03, altos 200-04 through 200-07, etc. This will make cutting and pasting into the audition spreadsheet MUCH easier.)
    • When you receive a school’s hardcopy registration and fees in the mail, write the date you receive it on the outside of the envelope. Schools should be scheduled for their auditions in the order that you receive their complete registration, that doesn’t mean they have just registered online, but that you have all of their information in hand along with a check for the correct amount. Keep the envelopes with the dates and postmarks until after auditions just in case there are any questions.
    • Send each teacher the “registration received” email with details about items they are missing or that their registration is complete
    • Around September 10, start scheduling students from schools who have completed their registration. (I like to color code my audition schedule. Each school is assigned a color so that I can see with ease whether all the students from a given school are scheduled close together in time. Schools who are traveling together, I “fill” their cells the same color so that I can make sure I keep them together too.) It’s important to schedule schools each evening leading up to the September 15 deadline. If you don’t, you’ll be setting yourself up for a couple of very late nights!
    • Log checks in Financial Report spreadsheet, provided by HC Coordinator
  • After September 15
    • Once you have received all the forms and checks for schools that have registered online for your site and you have finalized the audition schedule, cut and paste the audition times for each student back to the master spreadsheet.
    • Send each teacher the “audition information” email you prepared in August and cut and paste in their students’ audition times from the master spreadsheet.
    • Create “runners sheets” for your helpers to use to take students to their auditions. It should include columns with audition times, student numbers, and students’ names. (I use the audition schedule and just alter it to the specifics that I need.) Each room/runner should have his/her own sheet.
    • Create spreadsheets for the judges to use on the audition day so they can track their scores. It should include the audition time, student number and student’s initials. Remember that the judge should never know a student’s name, only their initials. (I use the “runners sheets” as a template and just delete the names and leave the initials.)
    • Cut and paste from the master spreadsheet to the verification form that you created in August. Print the verification forms.
    • Email judges with site information, hotel information and the start and end times for each room so they are aware of their schedule.
    • Fill out audition forms for each student who will be auditioning. (I use the verification forms to work from. Then I paper clip the verification form to the top of the stack of audition forms for each school.)
    • Make a plan for lunches on audition day. Purchase additional food to feed to helpers and judges throughout the day. Save your receipts so that you can be reimbursed by the HC coordinator.
    • Make signs to post at your audition site directing schools to registration and audition rooms.
  • Audition Day
    • Arrive early enough to put up signs and setup all the audition rooms with the necessary equipment (keyboards, CD players, extra pencils, writing surface for judge, etc.) • Greet and welcome judges. Take them to their audition locations and make sure they have everything they will need for the day.
    • Check-in schools as they arrive. Give each teacher their verification sheet with their students’ audition sheets. Have the teacher verify that all the information is correct. The teacher should give their students’ their audition sheets and they should take them into the audition rooms with them. Keep the verification sheets.
    • Have helpers/runners take 3-4 students at a time from the holding area to their audition. They should check-in with you at the registration table every 20-30 minutes and let you know who has gone into the audition room. It’s important to keep track of the status of each room so that you know whether or not they are running ahead or behind. It’s also important to notate if any students get to the audition room and then refuse to go in, which would make them a no-show (it happens!).
    • Facilitate lunch—save receipt for reimbursement
    • Help HC Coordinator with sorting completed audition forms as the judges turn them into the registration table.
    • Clean-up site as the day winds down

Secretary

  • Take minutes at all meetings
  • Send board meeting minutes out to all members via email
  • Request committee reports from committee chairs at least two weeks prior to board meetings with due date for receiving reports
  • Compile and send to members via email before meeting
  • Make copies of minutes from previous meeting to have on hand

New Teacher Coordinator

  • Work with section chair/NCMEA staff to compile listing of new teachers in the state and reach out at the beginning of school year.
  • Correspond with new teachers who have questions; connect them with good mentor figures in their counties/districts
  • Develop resources to support new teachers (such as a calendar of events and deadlines for the school year); share these through e-mail and the section website
  • Hold meeting for new teachers at NCMEA Conference in November