The MMEA Sr. District Festival is an opportunity for student musicians in grades 9-12 who are committed to their individual development as an instrumentalist or vocalist.  The audition and festival selection process is conducted by respected musician/educators who evaluate young musicians on a variety of musicianship skills for selection into the Northeastern District concert festival.  Soon after the audition, each student will be provided a copy of their audition score sheets, and for those students who are not selected, these score sheets will provide valuable feedback on areas of their performance that can be improved upon.  Success in this endeavor depends solely on the commitment level of the individual student and even students with strong auditions may not be selected due to the capacity of instruments or vocal parts for the individual performance groups. Auditions for Sr. Districts take place in November, and the festival is performed in January. Repertoire is typically available in June. Available ensembles include Band, Orchestra, and Jazz Band. Please reach out Ms. Michtom if you are interested in participating!

The MMEA Jr. District Festival is a similar experience as Sr. Districts, but targeted for a slightly younger demographic. Students in grades 7-9 are able to audition for Jr. Festival ensembles. The auditions are in January, and the festival is performed in March. Please reach out to Ms. Michtom if you are interested in participating!

Upon acceptance into the Sr. District Festival, students may receive an All State Recommendation. This allows them to register to audition for the All State Ensembles. The All State Ensembles are made up of the best high school musicians across the entire state of Massachusetts, and they perfom at the annual MMEA All State Conference in March. Students are only eligible for All State Recommendations if they participate in Sr. Festival.

Throughout the school year, opportunities may come up for students to participate in Honor Bands across the state. These bands are made up of students across MA who are recommended by their band directors. Students will spend a day rehearsing and perform a concert in the evening. These are very exciting opportunities for students, and often come with decorated conductors, composers, and college directors leading rehearsals. Students will also frequently get the chance to explore what band looks like on a college campus. Salem State and UMass Amherst are schools that do an Honors Band Festival every year. If you think you might be interested, let Ms. Michtom know. See below for an example of a program from the Salem State Northshore Honors Band, as well as the UMass Honors Band website.