All-State Popular Music Collective

The Contemporary Media Committee is excited to announce that the FMEA Florida All-State Popular Music Collective will return as part of the 2024 Professional Development Conference in January.

The Collective will focus on, and perform, mostly original music created by the students, and it will be run using a learner-centered pedagogical approach where the students will have significant autonomy over the choice of literature performed. Students will also be expected to participate in pre-conference communications to begin the planning process of creating literature.

Auditions will occur through video recordings, with links submitted to the FMEA website by October 22. Personnel selections will be made by members of the Contemporary Media Committee, and results will be communicated in late October or early November.

Eligibility

Any student, grades 9-12, participating in the Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) All-State Popular Music Collective must be enrolled/registered at a public school, private school, public charter school, home education music cooperative, or virtual school, and be sponsored by an FMEA member teacher from that school. Home education students must be sponsored by their FMEA/Component member teacher from that home education music cooperative. In addition, the student must be a regularly participating member of a school-based music program that is sponsored by an active FMEA member.

Academic Eligibility

Florida Statute 1006.15 (3)(a) requires students to maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent.

Participant Contract

An all-state participant's contract must be completed for every student auditioning for all-state groups. These contracts will be generated for the teacher to print when the students are entered online, and must be included with the entry forms sent to the FMEA office.

Participants

The collective will be made up of 1 DJ, 1VJ, 2-3 rappers/hip-hop artists, 2-3 vocalists, 2-3 guitarists, 1 bass guitarist, 2 keyboardists, 2 drummers, and potentially a few other instrumentalists. Staff will include a director, vocal coach, and sound technician.

Conference

Rehearsals and performances will be part of the FMEA Professional Development Conference in January. Accepted students, sponsoring teachers, and necessary chaperones, of accepted all-state students, are required to register and attend the FMEA Conference. See the Conference Policies for details and the Conference Registration page for prices.

Students will also be expected to participate in pre-conference zoom meetings to begin the planning process of creating music. The schedule for both Conference and Pre-Conference activities will be distributed with the announcement of selected students.

Audition Procedures

Auditions will occur through video recordings, with links submitted to the FMEA website by October 22. Personnel selections will be made by members of the Contemporary Media Committee, and results will be communicated in late October.

Videos should be uploaded to any free video or file-sharing site such as YouTube, Vimeo, TeacherTube, DropBox, Google Drive, etc. Make sure that the permissions are set so that anyone with the link can view the video without logging in. Teachers will be asked to copy and paste the link to the video into the online application.

Submit Your Students' Auditions

The online submission will generate an application that needs to be signed by teacher and principal, and participation contracts that need to be signed by students and their parents/guardians.  All paperwork, along with a check if not paying online, should be sent to the FMEA office:

FMEA
402 Office Plaza Dr
Tallahassee FL 32301
Fax: (850) 878-6844
info@fmea.org

Audition Requirements

All auditions will be submitted as video recordings and should include ONLY the student’s part. Except for DJ and VJ auditions, students should record their part while listening to the supplied Backing Track on headphones. DJ and VJ auditions should be a video recording of the student performing their mix. Quality sound will be the responsibility of the student and sponsoring teacher. In addition to musicality, students will also be evaluated on performance theatrics. The importance of musical creativity cannot be overstated. It is critical that students demonstrate their creative selves, especially with audition material containing a supplied backing track. Creative performance, that remains stylistically appropriate, is preferable to simply replicating a recorded version of the student’s part.

Backing Tracks
(downloads are disabled, please share the link or this page with your students to use for rehearsing and recording their video)

DJ - perform a three to four-minute set that includes a minimum of five samples or clips from at least two songs, and demonstrates your best work. Make sure to concentrate on sonic and rhythmic improvisation. Any included lyrics must be “school safe.”

VJ - Create a video recording using the supplied VJ backing track. Ensure the video showcases your best work.

Rapper/Hip-Hop - using the supplied backing tracks create and perform “school-safe” lyrics. And perform a segment of an original rap you have created (no more than one minute in length) demonstrating your best work (again, with “school-safe” lyrics).
Backing Tracks To Use: Rap/Hip-Hop Fast and Rap/Hip-Hop Slow

Vocalist - a) sing provided lyrics for the supplied backing track. And, b) sing a segment of one original song, a-cappella (no more than one minute in length and with “school-safe” lyrics) that showcases your range.
Backing Track To Use: Vocalist - {key} (choose the key that best fits your vocal range)

Lyrics are in the Backing Tracks link above.

Electric Guitar - a) perform a stylistically appropriate guitar part using the supplied backing track. And, b) perform a segment of something original you have created (no more than one minute in length) demonstrating your best work (your original can be performed on electric or acoustic).  In all cases (including original piece) audition videos should include ONLY the student’s part. Students should record their part while listening to the supplied backing track on headphones.
Backing Track To Use: Electric Guitar

Bass - a) perform a stylistically appropriate bass part using the supplied backing track. And, b) perform a segment of something original you have created (no more than one minute in length) demonstrating your best work.  In all cases (including original piece) audition videos should include ONLY the student’s part. Students should record their part while listening to the supplied backing track on headphones.
Backing Track To Use: Bass

Keys - a) perform a stylistically appropriate keyboard part using the supplied backing track. And, b) perform a segment of something original you have created (no more than one minute in length) demonstrating your best work. In all cases (including original piece) audition videos should include ONLY the student’s part. Students should record their part while listening to the supplied track on headphones.
Backing Track To Use: Keyboard

Drum Kit/Padding - a) perform a stylistically appropriate drum kit, or drum padding, part using the supplied backing track (from two different styles). And, b) perform a segment of something original you have created (no more than one minute in length) demonstrating your best work. In all cases (including original piece) audition videos should include ONLY the student’s part. Students should record their part while listening to the supplied backing track on headphones.
Backing Track To Use: Drums

Whatever - a) perform a stylistically appropriate part using the supplied backing track. And, b) perform a segment of something original you have created (no more than one minute in length) demonstrating your best work. NOTE: This category is for students who would like to audition on ANY instrument not included above. In all cases (including original piece) audition videos should include ONLY the student’s part. Students should record their part while listening to the supplied backing track on headphones.
Backing Track To Use: Whatever

Please see the Contact Us page if you have questions about this program.