High School Site Info

Registration & Postmark Deadline: January 29, 2027
Cancellation Deadline: February 5, 2027

Upstate

Date: March 18-19, 2027
Location: Spartanburg High School

Midlands

Date: March 15-16, 2027
Location: Richland 2 Performing Arts Center

Lowcountry

Date: March 17-18, 2027
Location: Summers Corners Performing Arts Center

Information

Fees

The registration fee is $250.00 per choir. No money will be refunded due to cancellation after February 5, 2027. Any cancellations must be sent in writing/email to the Committee Chair. Checks should be made payable to SCMEA Choral Division. Schools registering two or more choirs may submit 1 check for their school Note: Late registrations and/or fees will not be accepted. Schools that fail to communicate check delays by the registration deadline will forfeit their registration.

Refunds

The following events do offer refunds for group cancellation by specific deadlines: Middle School Choral Performance Assessment and High School Choral Performance Assessment. For these events, refunds will not be automatically processed. Directors must request a refund by the published deadline. The refund request must be submitted in writing via email to the event chairperson. Please note: online payment processing fees can never be refunded at the fully charged amount.

Repertoire Requirements (including the warmup)

Each ensemble will perform only two selections. All music must be memorized. Repertoire must be quality choral literature that is both festival appropriate and appropriate for each individual ensemble (voicing, genre of ensemble, etc.). Judges have the discretion to take choice of repertoire into account for scoring using the performance rubric provided. Judges can take off points for choice of repertoire if they feel that the music chosen does not fit the voices within the ensemble. Directors must cite credible literature sources from which their repertoire was chosen. Acceptable sources may include but are not limited to:

SC All State Chorus Concert Repertoire
ACDA Repertoire lists
High School Honor Choral Clinic lists
Graded Literature Lists (UIL, Virginia, Georgia, etc)
Etc.

Music publisher/distributor difficulty ratings are not acceptable sources (example: JWPepper rating a piece as “Medium” difficulty does not necessarily translate to a 3 or a 4 grade level, therefore it is not accepted as a source for difficulty grading.)

Repertoire information, including instrumentalist needs for additional chairs and/or stands, will be required during the registration process.

Repertoire selections should be performed in the correct voicing for the choir. For example, an SAB ensemble must have Sopranos, Altos, and Baritones singing the written parts from the score. The ensemble would not be able to sing SA (Soprano/Alto) music and have the Baritones sing the Soprano or Alto vocal line in their octave.
There will be no previously recorded background accompaniment unless the recording is part of the composition.

Please use the following lists to determine the Grade Level Difficulty of your repertoire. 

Texas – UIL Prescribed Music List 2025-26

Virginia – Music Lists

Georgia – Choral LGPE — GMEA

Performance Procedures and Rules

Warm Up:

  • Choirs are provided a warm-up room for twenty (20) minutes. The warm-up room will have a piano or keyboard provided. 
  • A monitor will be provided to each warm-up room to notify when time begins and ends.
  • The twenty (20) minute warm-up time begins when the last member of the ensemble enters the room. 
  • A five (5) minute warning will be given to alert the director of the time remaining. 
  • Travel time from the warm-up room to the stage will be factored into the stage performance schedule. 
  • If your choir is late, the missed warm-up time will be forfeited. The festival must remain on schedule (as much as possible) for all choirs involved. If your choir arrives past their assigned performance time, the choir may not perform. 

Stage Performance:

  • Choirs will be adjudicated on two pieces.
  • All repertoire must not exceed 15 minutes of performance time.. 
  • Travel time on and off the stage will not count as part of the 15-minute performance time. Time will begin at the end of the presenting announcement.
  • Student teachers that are allowed by the mentor teacher to conduct at CPA may only conduct one (1) of the two (2) adjudicated pieces. 
  • Student teachers must be a current NAfME member and must provide their membership number when registering the choir. If this information is omitted, the student teacher will not be able to conduct the choir. 
  • Each director will be provided with professional recordings of his/her choir’s stage performance and each of the judge’s comments.

Marked Original Scores:

  • Directors must provide three original copies of ensemble repertoire with numbered measures. 
  • Copied music will not be allowed without a letter of permission from the publisher included with each judge’s copy. Letters for the judges and the Site Host will be provided at the registration table (4 TOTAL). 
  • Digital-download copies will be allowed, but either a receipt for purchase or publisher authorization script should be seen on each copy of the music presented. 
  • If copied music is used without publisher permission, the choir will be able to perform for comments only. 
  • Choral Public Domain Library (CPDL) Procedure:
    • Print off the Title Page of your piece that CPDL provides as a cover for your music, each of the judge’s copies, and your pianist (if applicable). 
  • Failure to provide three original copies of ensemble repertoire with numbered measures will result in the school performing for comments only – no rating will be given. Additionally, the CPA Chairperson will send written documentation of the situation to the school principal copying the director, and Choral Division President. 

Sight Reading Rules and Procedures

  • Sight Reading repertoire will be in the same voicing and highest graded difficulty of the choir’s stage performance repertoire.
    • Example:
      • An SSA choir that performed a grade 4 and a grade 5 piece onstage will perform SSA grade level 5 in Sight Reading 
      • An SATB choir that performed two grade 3 pieces will perform SATB grade level 3 in Sight Reading
  • Students may not be used for two ensembles in the same difficulty level and voicing category.
    • For example, if you have two SATB groups performing, the level of difficulty of repertoire should be different.
      • Example: one ensemble may sing Level 2 music, while the second group may sing Level 4 music. This will ensure that the director and students will not receive the same sight-reading music. 
  • Directors may choose to sightread ONE grade level below their stage level, but this will eliminate the possibility of a classification of “Distinction”.
  • All choirs are required to sight-read. 
  • If a choir performed for “Comments Only” on the stage, then “Comments Only” will be given in the sight-reading room.
    • Directors will not communicate with judges and ask that they put a potential rating on the score sheet as though the ensemble was being rated. 
  • Directors, student teachers, and school administrators are permitted into the sight-reading room. However, only the director may assist students with their learning of sight-reading music. Chaperones and students from other ensembles are not permitted.
  • Choirs from the same school will sight-read different sight-reading pieces if registered in the same voicing. Voicing information on the registration form indicates how many sight-reading copies are needed for the event. 
  • The sight-reading music will have lyrics. However, the director may specify the syllable(s) to be used by singers (i.e. “loo”, Solfege, count singing, etc.). Sight-reading the text is not recommended. 
  • Ensembles must sing the correct voicing and in the correct octave when sight-reading. For example:
    • A treble voiced singer cannot sing the Baritone vocal line in their treble octave. However, a treble voiced singer could sing tenor if they sing in the correct octave as written in the score. If a student sings in the incorrect octave from what is written in the score, the evaluation can reflect incorrect pitches in the final performance of the piece and that could negatively impact the final rating. 
  • Preparation Time
    • Ensembles will have six (6) minutes of preparation time before being evaluated. The evaluator will signal the director on timing as determined by the director before the six minute preparation time starts. 
    • The piano may only be used to arpeggiate the first (or tonic) chord and to sound individual reference pitches during the practice time. Two notes may not be played simultaneously on the piano. Two or more consecutive pitches from a particular voice part may not be played on the piano. The director may use their voice in any manner they wish during the preparation period. 
  • Evaluation Time
    • After playing the beginning pitches, the piano may not be used during the evaluated sight-singing performance. Likewise, the director is prohibited from talking or singing with the ensemble during the evaluated sight-reading performance. In addition, students and directors are prohibited from producing any audible sound that assists from keeping a pulse. Doing so will result in disqualification of the sight-reading score.
    • Directors and singers should heed all tempo indications, phrase markings, and/or dynamic indications in the sight-reading material. 

Adjudications

  • Scoring sheets and rubrics will be provided to all judges or will be done digitally. 
  • All performance judges will provide feedback on a written or digital score sheet and recorded verbal comments. 
  • Sight Reading judges will provide written or digital feedback only. 
  • Separate ratings will be given for performance and sight-reading. 
  • The Performance Rating and Sight Reading Rating will be combined for an overall rating to be awarded. 

PERFORMANCE SITE RULES:

Behavior

  • Teachers must accompany their choirs to the event and remain with them during event day. 
  • NO VIDEO RECORDING PERMITTED. This is a state event; directors, students and chaperones must adhere to copyright policy.
  • All mobile phones, smart watches/glasses, or other electronic devices, hats, sunglasses, and gum are prohibited. iPads may be used if on Airplane mode and checked by Site Host, Warm-Up Room monitor, and Sight-Reading Room monitor. Any item that would interfere with performances, aurally or visually, are not allowed. 
  • Students may not wander in and out of the performance area, especially during the adjudication of another group. 
  • There is to be no loud talking, laughing, or loud and disrespectful noises, or other performance disruptions. 
  • If a student, chaperone, parent, or director displays unbecoming or illegal behavior or damages property, they will be put on probation for the next year and the principal will be notified. Additionally, unbecoming behavior may jeopardize the school’s participation for the next year. 
  • No food or drink is allowed in the performance area. 
  • No smoking/vaping anywhere on or around the host site. 
  • Choirs are encouraged to observe other ensembles respectfully during the performance. 
  • If any interference occurs during a group’s performance, those responsible will have to leave the performance site immediately with their directors, chaperones, and will not be allowed to stay. A disciplinary note will follow and may result in probation or suspension of the school from the next year’s Choral Performance Assessment. 
  • All choirs, directors, chaperones, bus drivers, etc must remain in the designated “choral performance assessment areas.” Instructional areas and wings on campus not designed for event use are prohibited. Any campus visitor found in prohibited areas will be dismissed from campus. A letter will be sent to the school’s director and principal informing them of the action. Disciplinary action could result in probation or suspension. 

Consequences of Rules Violations Levels of Notification

If the Choral Director continues to commit Rules Violations after #1 and #2 are issued, either the students involved, or the Choral Director and the school choral program will be barred from participation at all SCMEA Choral Division events for up to two consecutive years contingent upon the severity of the violations. (b.) If the evidence of violations is the direct result of the Choral Director’s repeated negligence to review and adhere to the guidelines, the Choral Director (same or different school) and the choral program will be barred from participating in all Choral Division events for a period up to two consecutive years contingent upon the severity of the violations. The letters (a. and b.) will be mailed to the Choral Director, Principal, District Music Consultant, and Choral Division President containing the documented history of rules violations, dates, and quote the most recent standing rule(s) that were violated. Committee members who teach in the same region of South Carolina will continue to serve as a mentor during this period. 

One rule violation occurs: The choral director will receive a written letter from the committee stating exactly which standing rule was violated and that all guidelines must be followed or the director and/or school risks being placed on probation and/or barred from participation in future SCMEA Choral Division events if rules violations recur. The Principal will also receive a copy of the same letter if the violation compromised student safety at the event.

Two rule violations occur: the same choral director (even if transferred to another school in S.C.) again fails to adhere to the rules or commits two or more Rules Violations during the same event. the Choral director and school will be put on probationary status. The school choral director, school principal, and Choral Division President will receive written letters from the committee stating that the school may still participate, but the SCMEA By-Laws and Standing Rules serve a real and valuable purpose and it is the Choral Director’s responsibility to adhere to them. The letter will contain the event, date, and quote the exact standing rule(s) that were violated. The letters will also direct committee members who teach in the same region of South Carolina to serve as a mentor during this probationary period. Lastly, the letters will state that a recurrence of future violations will result in the students involved, or the Choral Director and the school choral program being barred from attending SCMEA events for a period of up to two years.