Good marks

This year 16 STA students along with students from 403 other high schools qualified for entry into the 60th Annual Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) State Music Festival. STA concert choir teacher Michelle McIntire describes the Music Festival as a meeting of the “best performers in the state.” The competition took place on the University of Missouri campus April 28 through April 30. The STA students drove to Columbia April 28 and competed April 29. According to MSHSAA, out of the 4437 total performances, 222 were piano performances and 1922 were vocal performances. Senior Libby O’Neil was the only STA student competing for piano; all other STA girls gave vocal performances. STA earned six Superior ratings, seven Excellent ratings and three Good ratings. MSHSAA gives five ratings, each denoted with a number. The first ranking is Superior, followed by Excellent, Good, Fair, and Weak.

How MSHSSA ranks

I. Superior

“This rating is awarded for a clearly superior performance. The performance is worthy of the distinction of being recognized as among the very best for the event and the class of participants being judged.”

II. Excellent

“This rating is awarded for an excellent performance. It is a performance of distinctive quality, reflecting more secure fundamental techniques, and a stronger musical effect than the III rating.”

III. Good

“This rating is awarded for a good performance. The player or group in this division shows the result of sound, fundamental training. The performance shows accomplishment and marked promise, but may be lacking in consistency of execution or in convincing musical effect.”

IV. Fair

“This rating describes a fair performance. It is a performance that is lacking in one or more fundamental techniques or in musical effect. This rating indicates room for improvement in preparation.”

V. Weak

“This rating describes a performance with obvious weaknesses and much room for improvement. The rating may indicate a performance with numerous errors in fundamental techniques or a lack of preparation.”

Source: MSHSSA Music Festival Definition of Ratings

The road to state

In order to qualify for the state competition, students must receive a Superior rating in their respective District Music Festivals. STA competed in the District 15 Music Festival, which took place March 24 through April 2 at Pleasant Hill High School. After Districts, 16 STA girls were eligible to compete at State. The students competing at Districts had to meet MSHSAA’s academic requirements by maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. MSHSAA also requires that students competing in both the State and District Music Festivals be active participants in a MSHSAA performance group. MSHSAA performance groups at STA include Concert Choir, A Capella Choir, Instrumental/Ensemble and Praise Band. Because students must earn a Superior rating at Districts to qualify for State, McIntire says that being able to compete at State is an achievement in and of itself.

“Its not easy to get a Superior rating,” McIntire said. “[It takes] more than just knowing your notes.”