NYSSMA Solos

NYSSMA Vocal Festival & In-House Festival

NYSSMA stands for New York State School Music Association. This is the organization that helps to run all the music in public education in New York State.

In the spring of each school year, WHS Vocal Students have the opportunity to prepare a NYSSMA solo and perform at either the "Big Festival" at Carthage, or at an in-house Vocal Solo Festival that happens in April and June.

We bring a judge/judges into the school, and they listen to the solos that the students prepare. The students will perform their solo and have to sing a short example of sight reading. Vocal solos are graded on a 100 point scale, with the solo being worth 90 points, and the sight reading worth 10 points.

NYSSMA solos DO NOT have any effect on the student's chorus or performance grade, however, NYSSMA solos are partly used to help place students into choirs for the upcoming school year. A combination of the NYSSMA solo score, in class effort/work, and an additional supplemental audition (if needed) will be used to help place students into either Treble, Concert, or Select Choir. 

Students elect to do a NYSSMA solo to see where they are musically, what areas they are excelling in, and what areas we can work together to improve.

Students will sign up for a NYSSMA solo before Holiday Break in December, and we rehearse together during available time during the school day and after school. There will be a schedule for available rehearsal times posted on the Chorus Room door in the music wing. 

The Carthage Solo Festival is currently scheduled for May 3rd and 4th 2024, and will be held at Carthage Middle School

Our NYSSMA Vocal In-House will be held over two days the first two weeks of June. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions!!

Thank you,

Rebecca Rose

Procedures for In Person Solos:

In House Students will be performed over multiple days. We have a wonderful judge coming to hear the kids.

All solos take place during the school day, with a few solos running into after-school. We start solos at 8:00 in the morning, and we make every effort to get all solos performed during school hours.

Students are expected to wear concert dress to their NYSSMA solos.