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Suffolk County Music Educators Association
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

If you have any additional questions / concerns related to a SCMEA All-County Music Festival, please contact your child’s school music teacher or your district's Director of Music / Liaison. 

For Parents and Students

 1. What is the All-County Festival?
The SCMEA All-County Festival is a series of concerts that include musicians in grades 5-10 throughout Suffolk County. The rehearsals for All-County festival traditionally occur during the first two weekends in March culminating in seven concerts; two concerts traditionally on the second Saturday of March representing students in grades 9-10 from the West and East end of Suffolk County and five concerts traditionally on the second Sunday of March representing students in grades 5-6 from the West, Central and East end of Suffolk County and students in grades 7-8 from the West and East end of Suffolk County.
 2. How is a student selected to participate in the All-County Festival?
Members of SCMEA volunteer their time to select students from nomination lists submitted by music educators from public and private schools throughout Suffolk County. All students are eligible for nomination to their categorical division. Over 7000 students are nominated with approximately 2800 students selected to participate. Although performing a solo at NYSSMA is not required for nomination to participate in the All-County festival, participation is highly encouraged.
 3. What is SCMEA's All-County Festival attendance policy?
o Every child that is nominated for an All-County Music Festival receives a SCMEA Commitment Form early in the school year (October) from their school music teacher. This identifies the dates / times for each of the three rehearsals and concert. In order for a student to be considered for acceptance into an All-County performing ensemble, this form must be signed by the student, parent, school music teacher and Director of Music / Liaison. Once accepted, students are required to attend all parts of all rehearsals and the culminating concert (there are no exceptions). Failure to do so may jeopardize the student’s participation in future All-County Music Festivals.
 4. How are students notified if they are selected to participate in the All-County Festival?
The Director of Music / Liaison of your child's home school is provided a list of students selected to participate in the festival and notifies your child's music teacher. The Director of Music / Liaison forwards the All-County Festival music to the selected nominees during the second week of January. If you have any questions concerning the selection process, please contact your child's music teacher.
For Teachers

 5. What is the Procedure for contacting the All-County Chairpeople?
The SCMEA All-County Festival "Contacts List" has been updated for all of our teachers and music administrators. It is the procedure of SCMEA for all of our teachers and music administrators to contact the festival chairperson with any questions and/or concerns regarding our All-County Festivals. Contacting SCMEA with regard to the All-County Festivals use the following flow:

Teachers should contact the Division and Area Festival Chairperson first.

If additional support is needed AFTER contacting the Chairperson the teachers or music administrators would then contact the Division Assistant Vice President.

If the Division AVP cannot support your question or concern, teachers or music administrators should contact the Co-VP for Festivals.

Finally, if none of these executive Board members can address the question or concern, teachers or music administrators would contact the SCMEA President.

Parents should speak directly to their child's teacher, music administrator, SCMEA liaison or other school district official.

Please remember that most of the important information on our SCMEA All-County Festivals may be found at www.scmea.org/festivals under the "All-County" link on the left.