The purpose of MPA is to provide each performing group with an opportunity to improve their performance skills and to evaluate those skills with a set standard of excellence, as well as to provide students and teachers with an opportunity to hear other choral groups from their region.

As of August 2024, the registration fee per ensemble is $150.

MPA is a great opportunity for your program to receive feedback on its performance and also serves as a form of assessment for your content area. This presents a valuable professional development opportunity for you! NCMEA has collaborated with NCDPI and now offers CEUs when you participate in and attend an MPA event. Your Site Coordinator will provide you with a tracking form at the end of the event, where you can self-report for up to three hours. You may also consider requesting sponsorship from your administrator or school district to cover the registration fees for your group(s) or to arrange transportation via bus(es). Fundraisers are another way to cover these costs -- World's Finest Chocolate is always a huge hit and is a quick and easy way to raise at least $1,500. Reach out to your community's small businesses and request sponsorship. Ask parents to help support their child and another child within your program. In general, it never hurts to ask!

Solo/Small Ensemble MPA is intended for either soloists or small groups of 20 or fewer singers. At this event, solos, duets, trios, and quartets are only required to perform one selection. Groups of five or more singers are required to perform two selections. In either case, the performer(s) are adjudicated by one judge and may receive in-person feedback on their performance.

Large Ensemble MPA is intended for groups that meet frequently to rehearse. A panel of three judges adjudicates these groups and will receive feedback in the form of recorded comments and an adjudication rubric. At Large Ensemble, the performing groups are required to sight-sing as part of the adjudication process. This is done in a separate setting without an audience. Directors may choose to have the group evaluated or to simply go for "comments only", meaning that the sight-singing will not be scored.

Registration opens on August 1st of the new school year and closes on February 1st.

Yes -- per our board's policy, each group participating in Large Ensemble MPA must sight-sing at the event. Sight-singing is done in a separate setting without an audience being present. Directors may choose for their ensemble(s) to sight-sing for "comments only", which means that you will not receive a rating or for comments and ratings.

No. Performers and ensembles must either have live accompaniment or can perform a cappella. You may hire additional instrumentalists to enhance your ensemble's performance, but this is not mandatory.

Traditionally, no. However, some accompanists play for multiple schools and may remain on site for the day. If not, your Site Coordinator or other local choral directors may have contact information for accompanists.

As of 2025, MPA registration opens on August 1st. Directors are encouraged to register as soon as possible, as Site Coordinators typically give priority to directors who register early. 

During the registration process, you will be presented with options to help the Site Coordinator plan around your schedule. This includes choosing your preferred day (if your site is a multi-day event) and time.

Each school may have its system set up differently. However, if possible, make checks payable to any iteration of NCMEA -- this may include "NCMEA", "NCMEA MSC MPA", "NCMEA MPA", etc. 

Once printed/written, the check should be mailed to your district's Site Coordinator. Addresses can be found here. 

Additionally, NCMEA has partnered with an online payment platform called CheddarUp. You now can pay using a card or eCheck.