All-State Chorus Weekend Rules (updated 7/6/2008)

1. TEACHERS AND STUDENTS MUST BE PRESENT AT ALL ALL-STATE ACTIVITIES, i.e. general auditions, rehearsals, special auditions, performances, etc. TEACHERS MUST STAY AT THE SAME HOTEL AS THEIR STUDENTS.

2. a. In addition to the names of students selected for each choir, the following will be posted on the website:

1. Registration
2. Parent Permission/Rules
3. Meals
4. T-Shirts
5. Schedule

b. A weekend registration fee of ten dollars ($10.00), in addition to the audition fee of twelve dollars ($12.00), will be required of each student participating in either of the All-State choirs. This registration fee must be remitted prior to All-State Weekend. Please send only one school check, personal check, or money order payable to SCMEA Choral Division. You may pay for registration and meals (if you choose to eat in the cafeteria) in one check as long as you submit the checks with the appropriate information. If your school district is submitting a check, please make sure that your school information is indicated and mailed with the check.

c. T-shirts will also be available for purchase ahead of time. Please do not send your T-shirt check to Suzanne Young with your registration check. T-shirt information will be mailed to Beverly Laney at the address printed on the t-shirt form. T-shirts will not be available for purchase at All-State Weekend.

d. The following items will be available for purchase at All-State Weekend;
- Pins ($3.00)
- CDs of the concert performance
- Plaques with individual student names, voice part, and choir

3. Rehearsal Guidelines:

a. Dress for rehearsals will be informal-regular school clothes. (Hats, sunglasses, or any other item that would interfere with rehearsal are prohibited. Only knee-length shorts are permitted.

b. No gum, no talking, no tobacco products!

c. Each student is expected to devote his/her full attention to the director at all times in all rehearsals and performances.

d. Each student must bring a pencil and his/her music to ALL rehearsals, even if the music is memorized.

e. Each student will need a black folder for use at the concert.

4. General Guidelines: Students will be dismissed from All-State participation on the following grounds:

a. Vandalism of any kind- the student’s school will be held responsible for damages.

b. Possession of drugs without a doctor’s prescription.

c. Possession and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Disciplinary action, not excluding dismissal, will be taken on the following grounds:

a. Failure to adhere to attendance, housing, and rehearsal regulations.

b. Violation of curfew.

c. Any behavior found to be unbecoming by the All-State chairperson or his/her representative.

5. I-pods, MP3 players, personal tape players, CD players or radios with headphones will be allowed only at the motel at the discretion of the individual teacher. These items are not to be present during rehearsals.

6. Teachers are responsible for the conduct and behavior of their students throughout the entire All-State Weekend.

7. Any dismissed student may cause his/her school to be suspended from participation for one year. An explanatory letter will be sent to the student’s parents, choral director, school principal and district administration.

8. Members of the All-State Chorus and All-State Women’s Chorus will adhere to the following concert dress:

a. Men – dress suit or sport coat with dress pants, dress shirt with a collar, long tie, dress shoes and dress socks. No denim and no tuxedos.

b. Women – medium to low-heeled dress shoes. Dressy dresses or dressy skirt with dressy blouse that falls in length BELOW THE BOTTOM OF THE KNEECAP, BUT ABOVE THE ANKLE. (No cocktail or formal dresses allowed, no denim, no sequins.) NO PANTSUITS, NO MATCHING PANTS AND JACKETS will be allowed on stage for the performance. No spaghetti straps on blouses or dresses allowed. No bare midriffs, no bare backs, and necklines should be modest and appropriate for a concert. No slits in dresses or skirts above the bottom of the knee cap. All attire will be checked for compliance prior to the concert. Students not in compliance with the dress code WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM SINGING IN THE CONCERT and will put the school in jeopardy of suspension from All-State participation for one year.

9. The All-State Choruses will present a public concert at Byrnes Auditorium, Winthrop University on March 21, 2009 at 4:00 p.m.

10. Only participants will be allowed to attend any activities of the All-State Chorus Weekend. No one other than All-State members, official chaperones, and teachers may be present at hotels, rehearsals or facilities connected with the All-State events. No children,
even those whose parents are choral directors, will be allowed at any All-State rehearsal.

11. All chaperones must be at least 21 years of age – preferably older.

12. All SCMEA members are welcome to attend any part of the All-State weekend even if that member does not have students participating in these events.

13. Requests for exceptions due to extenuating circumstances must be made in writing to the All-state Committee Chairperson. The committee will make the final determination on any exceptions to the above rules. Failure of the teacher or student to follow the rules listed above will provide grounds for disciplinary action by the All-State Committee.