No Major Changes For Music This Year
By Richard Floyd | Thursday, August 13, 2009 11:59 AM
The UIL Music Program continues to operate in a relatively stable environment resulting in few rule changes for the 2009-2010 school year. In fact, only six rule modifications impact our music competitions. None of the rules are prohibitive and for the most part the rule changes are intended to create new options within the UIL music contest structure.
EXPANDED OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN MORE THAN ONE MUSIC CLASS. Beginning this year a student enrolled in multiple instrumental music classes may participate in the group representing each class provided the student is performing on a different instrument. For example a student who plays clarinet in the varsity band and wishes to learn to play saxophone and enrolls in a non-varsity band class to do so would be eligible to go to UIL contest with both groups. The same would be true for a string student enrolled in two string orchestra classes. [See Section 1102 (b)(1)(B)].
OPTION TO ZONE AREA MARCHING BAND CONTEST. By action of the Area Executive Committee and approval of the State Director of Music, the Area Marching Band Contest may be zoned to reduce travel for participating schools. A minimum of five bands must compete at each contest site, and one band per each five bands competing will be certified for advancement to the state contest. This accommodation has been made primarily for Area A because of the extensive travel conditions in the western part of the state. [See Section 1106 (j)(6)(A) and (B)]
CONSISTENT PENALTY FOR STUDENTS FAILING TO COMPLY WITH SOLO AND ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS. In the past there has been no consistent penalty from judge to judge and region to region for contestants who did not comply with the UIL Solo and Ensemble Performance Requirements. Some regions left the penalty to the discretion of the judge while others mandated disqualification or simply lowered the rating for that event one division. Beginning this year failure to comply with performance requirement as defined in the Prescribed Music List shall result in disqualification. [See Section 1108 (i)(2)]
NEW SIGHT-READING OPTION FOR AAAA AND AAAAA MIXED CHOIRS. Beginning in the spring of 2010 all SATB choirs that perform a majority of SAB music will have the option to sight-read SAB music in the sight-reading room. [See Section 1111(g)(8)]
NEW REQUIREMENT FOR SIGHT-READING JUDGES AT MIDDLE SCHOOL CONTEST. In the past there was no requirement regarding the use of a judge from the Recommended List of Approved Judges for middle school sight-reading contest. Beginning this year the chair of the middle school sight-reading contest panel must be a member of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. This rule change makes this requirement consistent for both high school and middle school. [See Section 1112 (a)(3)(B)]
SAFETY TRAINING. While not a UIL rule, Senate Bill 82, which is now in effect, requires safety training for all coaches or sponsors for athletic activities as well as any marching band directors. The UIL has developed a safety-training program that satisfies this new state requirement. Marching band directors can access this training program at: http://utdirect.utexas.edu/uilgate/index.WBX. The training will require approximately 30 minutes to complete and a Certificate of Completion can be generated at the end of the training session.
Please contact the UIL State Music Office if you have any questions or concerns regarding any 2009-2010 rule changes. And, best wishes for a rewarding and music filled school year.