All placement decisions are final, having been very carefully considered by the VYOA Conducting Staff.
The conductor acknowledges that voices change in young people over a short period of time and may be very different from an audition a few months ago. We hope that students see both of our choral ensembles as great opportunities and trust our judgment in placement. Feedback is welcome but these decisions are made carefully, with expertise and with high regard for the voices of the ensembles and for the community of singers.
No one should take the audition and placement process for granted. It is possible that substandard preparation and/or disruptive behavior could result in a student not being placed in an ensemble the following year. A demonstrated lack of progress or committment may also factor in placement.
It is our intention this year to provide brief feedback statements as part of the emails sent to notify students of placement decisions. We hope that this feedback will prove useful to students and their teachers in their work together. But you will get some feedback in your audition while singing for and working with the conductor.
Placement audition results are typically communicated via email in the first week of June. The student’s 2014-15 ensemble placement and audition feedback are sent to the email addresses provided in the student’s registration for the student, parents, and private teacher.
The VYOA artistic staff use an evaluation system developed and refined over the past two decades, assessing each student’s technical capabilities and musicianship.
Based on what we learn from the auditions (and to a lesser degree on what we know about students from previous interaction), the VYOA ensemble leaders collaboratively determine the appropriate placement for each of the 400+ students who audition.
Our goal is to offer each auditioning student a place in the VYOA ensemble that will provide a rewarding experience with the right mix of challenges, guidance, and opportunities for growth and success.
