Student Day

Student Day ~
Co-Chairmen: Adam Ravain and Jaime Garcia-Bolao

Dear Students and Families,

Thank you for your interest in participating in Student Day with the Tallahassee Music Teachers Association! TMTA Student Day is a yearly program that allows students to demonstrate all they have learned about piano during the past academic year.

There are two components: a written test and a performance audition, each of which is held on a separate date each year. For the written component, students can demonstrate all the musical concepts they have learned by taking the theory test. For the performance audition, students have the opportunity to share their technical ability, musicality, and stage presence with visiting piano teachers who judge the Student Day event. These visiting judges provide a fresh perspective on each student's performance. Additionally, students with especially compelling performances may be selected to perform in the Student Day Honors Recital for the other members of the TMTA chapter. Students who receive qualifying grades on the theory test and auditions may be eligible for a certificate, a trophy, and a state medal.

In my experience, TMTA Student Day is the most rigorous preparatory piano program in our region. And I can guarantee that students who enroll in this program and continue through the upper levels will have a thorough understanding of piano technique, musicianship, and stylistic conventions for piano music from all historical periods. And most importantly, students graduate from this program as fully-competent, independent musicians who can use the piano as a method of recreation, a subject of study in higher education, or as a potential source of income.

If you or your teacher has any questions about the Student Day process or requirements, please feel free to reach out to me at adamravain@gmail.com. Thank you so much for your interest, and I hope to see you at our next Student Day event!

Best regards,
Adam Ravain, Student Day Chair

For Teachers:

Online Theory Testing:
- Test submission deadline: Saturday, March 13, 2021 before 1:00 PM
- Details: The content for each level will remain the same as in previous years.
Online Performance/Skills Exams:
- Video submission deadline: Saturday, May 29, 2021 before 5:00 PM
- Details: Technical and repertoire requirements for each level will remain the same as in previous years.
- Each student should submit one file folder including the following items:
  - One video per piece
  - One video containing all technique. Teachers select one item from each category/box.
  - Scanned PDFs of the music
  - The file folder should include the student’s name and level. Example: John Doe, Level III
  - Please upload the folder to Google Drive and share with TMTAStudentDay@gmail.com
- Audition videos will be reused for the Honors Recital, so students are encouraged to dress in appropriate concert attire
Location: The ONLINE Honors Recital will become available on Sunday, June 13, 2021 at 4:00 PM
Application & Fees Deadline: Sunday, February 14, 2021
Judges Forms Deadline: Sunday, May 2, 2021
Fee: $25.00 per student

Completed Judges Sheets and check can be mailed to:
Adam Ravain P. O. Box 16306 Tallahassee, FL 32317

The following materials are due on or before Sunday, February 14, 2021

One check per teacher, made out to TMTA @$25.00 per student (no refunds allowed)
Submit Teacher Information Form below.
Submit Student Information Form below for EACH student.

The following materials are due on or before Sunday, May 2, 2021

Fill out one Judge’s Examination form for each student entered. (Log into the FSMTA Student Activities Handbook here.)
Be sure the Judges Examination form is the correct level for each student entered.
Remember to list the students’ name, title and composer and time each piece.
Check either Achievement or Progress at the top right hand corner of the form.
Choose quality repertoire, NO ARRANGEMENTS are allowed.
Upper level students (V-XII) must have pieces from different historic periods.
All levels must use a variety of composers. Do not use the same composer twice.
Teachers please write in your student’s aural and written theory scores at the bottom of their judge’s form.

COMMON QUESTIONS TEACHERS ASK
Who can play on the Student Day Honors Recital?

JUDGES SELECT students to perform on the Honors Recital after reviewing the video submissions. The results will be available by June 5, 2021.
Only a small percentage of students are selected to perform.
Receiving Honors in both performance and skills in their Performance audition does not guarantee a place on the Honor’s Recital program; it is at the judge’s discretion.

OTHER STUDENT DAY HELPFUL INFORMATION
What is the difference between Achievement and Progress?

Achievement = the student has mastered the requirements of the level they are entering.
Progress= the student has not mastered all the requirements of the level they are entering.

What awards can my student expect if they are entered as Progress or receive a progress score on any of their theory tests or performance audition?

All Progress students receive a FSMTA certificate (red).
If a student is entered as Achievement and receives a progress score in any area they will still receive the TMTA Student Trophy when they complete all the requirements of their level.
Progress students do not receive the State Honors Medal.
Progress students may perform on the Student Day Honors Recital if selected by their judge as long as they receive Honors in both performance and skills in their Performance audition.

What awards can my student receive when entered as Achievement?

All Achievement students receive a FSMTA certificate (green).
Students entered as Achievement in levels 1-6 must complete both Theory tests and the Performance audition to receive a TMTA Student Day Trophy.
Achievement students can play on the Student Day Honors Recital if selected by their judge as long as they receive Honors in both performance and skills in their Performance audition.

What awards can my student receive when entered as Dual Track?

Students in level 7-12 may be entered as Dual Track; Theory only or Performance only.
All Dual Track students entered in levels 7-12 receive a FSMTA certificate (gold)
All Dual Track students entered in level 7-12 receive a TMTA Student Day Trophy.
Performance Only students can play on the Student Day Honors Recital if selected by their judge as long as they receive Honors in both performance and skills in their Performance audition.

How can a student earn a State Honors Medal?

State Honors Medals are awarded to students entered as Achievement (levels 1-12), who receive Honors in both performance and skills in their Performance Audition and pass both aural and written theory tests.
Primary level students must receive Honors in both performance and skills in the Performance Audition.
Dual track students (levels 7-12) are awarded the State Honors Medal by receiving Honors in both their aural and written theory tests (Theory only) or Honors in both performance and skills in their Performance audition (Performance only).

SIGHTREADING is usually given to all levels except Primary. This year, there is no sightreading requirement.

REPERTOIRE is up to you and your student. The FSMTA Handbook should be your reference guide. A few guidelines are listed below:

Select different composers for each of the pieces programmed.
No arrangements please!
No illegal copies please!
Levels 5-12 must program three different historic period pieces
Students may program pieces that are one level above or one level below the level they are entered

What are the guidelines for Performance Audition Scores? What about the Skills?
H = Honors 90-100                                                     Honors in Skills 9-11
A = Achievement 70-89                                              Achievement in Skills 7-8
P = Progress 0-69                                                        Progress in Skills 0-6

What are the guidelines for Aural and Written Theory Scores?
Aural Theory                                                               Written Theory
H = Honors 90-100                                                     H = Honors 90-100
A = Achievement 70-89                                              A = Achievement 70-89
P = Progress 0-69                                                        P = Progress 0-69

The following materials are due on or before Sunday, May 2, 2021

Fill out one Judge’s Examination form for each student entered. (Log into the FSMTA Student Activities Handbook here.)
Be sure the Judges Examination form is the correct level for each student entered.
Remember to list the students’ name, title and composer and time each piece.
Check either Achievement or Progress at the top right hand corner of the form.
Choose quality repertoire, NO ARRANGEMENTS are allowed.
Upper level students (V-XII) must have pieces from different historic periods.

All levels must use a variety of composers. Do not use the same composer twice.
Teachers please write in your student’s aural and written theory scores at the bottom of their judge’s form.
If there are scheduling issues, please encourage your parents/students to submit their videos any time before the May 29 deadline.
Please stay tuned for more details concerning how to communicate with the judges, as well as what to expect at the online auditions.