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from Chris Jones

Are O.C.M.E.A and NYSSMA the same thing?

No.  O.C.M.E.A is a county organization with its’ own constitution and bylaws.  NYSSMA is our state affiliate, but does not determine O.C.M.E.A policy.

 Who signs up my child for All-County auditions?

Students must be signed up for auditions by the teacher of their sheltering organization (band, orchestra, or chorus).  Students may not be signed up for auditions by a private teacher except in the case of private string students in a non-string district.  This is because these students have no sheltering organization, and the private teachers’ studio membership acts as the sheltering organization in this case.

My child takes private lessons but does not participate in the school music program.  Can s/he audition?

No.  Students must be members in good standing in their school’s performing ensemble in order to participate. The exception noted above only comes into effect if a string program does not exist in the school.  This exception is not offered to other ensembles because all Orange County districts have band and choral programs.

 What happens if my district doesn’t pay its dues?  If the district is not an O.C.M.E.A member district, the students may not participate on O.C.M.E.A events.

 Who do I send program information to? Any information to be printed in the festival program, including corrections, should be sent to the Vice President.  The program goes  to the printer almost a month before the festival, so timeliness is important!

 How do I order a recording?  All orders must be placed by the end of the festival.  Recordings may be ordered with the ticket orders prior to the festival and handed in a pre-rehearsals or on the festival weekend, or purchased the night of the concert in the front lobby. Be aware that the conclusion of the concert is a very busy time, so if you wish to order at that time you may have to wait in line, particularly at the Elementary festival.

 I never got a ticket order envelope! What do I do?

Ticket order envelopes are normally sent to participating students with their music.  If your child or student didn’t receive one, begin by calling your child’s music teacher.  The teacher can call the O.C.M.E.A Treasurer and obtain ordering materials.

 Can I pick up my recording at the end of the concert?

No.  The recording engineer and videographer (Elementary festival only) take their recordings back to the studio for editing and duplication.  This can take up to 8 weeks.

 How does O.C.M.E.A decide how many elementary chorus members my district contributes?  Your district is allotted a number of participants based on your population as a percentage of the county population of fifth graders.  The O.C.M.E.A elementary chorus chair calls BOCES each year for the current population data for each district’s fifth grade, then calculates what percentage of the whole county your district represents.  This is the percentage you are asked to contribute to the chorus.  There is a minimum of two participants per district.

 Where can I locate past programs or recordings of O.C.M.E.A concerts?

The O.C.M.E.A archivist holds these lists and recordings.