​The Scholarship: The Scholarship Committee has developed the following criteria for awarding three music
scholarships to students in PMEA District 1.

1. Each award will be $1,000.00. (approved August 2008)
2. Three scholarships will be awarded each year; one in strings, one in wind/percussion and one in vocal
music.
3. The award will be based on music achievement and academic excellence.
Candidate Criteria:

1. All applicants must have definite plans for a career in music education or music-related field.
2. All applicants must currently be a senior in a PMEA District 1 High School .
3. All applicants must have participated in one of the PMEA District 1 Music Festivals during their senior
year.
Application Process: All applications must be submitted online. Paper applications will not be considered!

The completed application form, including uploads of the two recommendation letters, the high school transcript, and essay MUST be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on April 1, 2025.
Questions regarding the PMEA District 1 Scholarship should be directed to the PMEA District 1 Vice-President:
Lucas Beaver - [email protected]
Other Important Information:
1. Only ONLINE applications will be accepted. No paper applications will be considered.
2. The award recipients will be notified via email by May 15, 2025
3. The link to the application is available on the PMEA District 1 website.
4. The committee reserves the right to give no award in any area where applicants are not deemed qualified.

Applications for District 1 Mini-Grants will open on January 1. Please see this application form and the information below.
_________________________________________________
Each year, the PMEA District 1 Executive Committee discusses the ways in which we can best support our members.  It is our hope that the continuation of our mini-grant program will aid our members to reimagine our music offerings and give authentic musical experiences to their students.
Purpose
To provide grants to qualifying PMEA District 1 members who require funding for professional development, resources, equipment, or creative projects which will enhance music instruction, student learning and forward the mission of PMEA.
Requirements

• Applicant must be a current active PMEA member.
  
• PMEA District 1 members may submit grant applications in more than one area, but may only be awarded one grant per year.
  
• Grants will not be awarded to the same applicant in consecutive years.
  
• Applicant must complete the application form. No incomplete forms will be considered.  If the member is applying for multiple grants, separate applications must be completed for each request.
  
• Applications which are more specific are more likely to be funded than those which have less detail.
  

Funding

• Two (2) grants of up to $500 will be awarded in each of the following areas - general music, vocal, orchestra, and band.
  
• The PMEA District 1 Executive Committee reserves the right to not provide the maximum amount of grants in any area where applications are not deemed qualified.
  
• Applications of less than $500 are also welcome, as applicants are asked not to request more funding than is required.
  
• Grant funding must be paid to an entity such as a school district or a booster organization, as specified by the applicant. Funds cannot be paid to an individual.
  
• In the event of insufficient applicants, the executive board reserves the right to redistribute the grant awards among other content areas for which applications were received.
  

Please see this information from Eryn Carranza (audition site host)

Director Responsibilities
Before District Wide Audition (DWA) Day: 

• NEW!!! DIRECTOR PRE-REGISTRATION: You must complete the District Wide Audition (DWA) Day Director Registration Form (by Friday, October 4) to attend.  This will ask you to provide an estimated number of students attending and their audition room(s).  In addition, you must also include a copy of your PMEA card. This will be verified and must be current before students can audition.  You will receive this google form in your email or can access it from the District 1 website.  The information asked on this form allows the executive board and audition committee to best prepare for a satisfactory audition process for directors and students.  
  
• AUDITION FEE: Remind your students that there is a $5.00 audition fee for each instrument they plan to audition on (percussion registration includes mallets/timpani/snare in one fee). Cash and check (made payable to PMEA) will be accepted. There will also be the option to pay electronically via Ludus for $6/audition.  All fees must be paid at registration or the student(s) will not be permitted to audition. 
  
• Please remember that students are NOT permitted to drive themselves to the audition.
  

On District Wide Audition day:

• DIRECTOR/PROXY ATTENDANCE: Each director must attend auditions or provide a current PMEA member as a substitute. This substitute will not be responsible for representing any other school at the audition.  Please be sure to make note of this on the DWA Day Director Registration Form or contact the PMEA District 1 President or Festival Coordinator as early as possible so judging assignments can be made accordingly.  Every director/proxy will have an assignment for the audition timeframe.
  
• MEETING ATTENDANCE: Each director/proxy must attend the Director Meeting prior to auditions.  During this time, the audition procedures will be reviewed, updates will be announced and discussion for future auditions and festivals will occur as needed and judging assignments/responsibilities will be announced.  
  
• UPDATES TO AUDITION PROCEDURES: 
  
  • Audition numbers will be randomly assigned and not based on order of arrival/registration.  They will be sorted following the close of registration. 
    
  • Preliminary and Final Rooms will be utilized in rooms with the largest number of auditionees as long as there are enough current PMEA directors to facilitate preliminary room auditions. If there is more than one director at a school, ALL are expected to attend. It is recommended that schools bring 1 director per 25 students.
    
  • Students must use paper copies of the music; no iPads or similar devices are permitted in the audition room.
    
  • Digital scoring will be used; paper copies of scores may be used if there are connection issues. All directors are expected to bring a device in order to submit digital scoresheets.
    
  • Percussionists will demonstrate ability on ALL percussion excerpts (timpani, snare, mallet).
    
    • Reminder- students will have a maximum 30 seconds to tune the timpani by ear.  Students will select the pitch to be used as a reference note which they can play up to 3x. At the end of 30 seconds, the student will be directed by the SAA to begin the timpani audition.
      

• IF NEEDED- FILLING ANY OPEN SEATS IN SENIOR DISTRICT BAND:  As voted upon at 2022 District Band East & West Meetings.  If open seats remain after DWA Day, Applications will be accepted and student selection will be done by committee, using the following criteria in numerical order:
  

1.) Representation
2.) Director Feedback
3.) Prior Honors Ensemble Participation

​

Date: November 9, 2024
Location: Seton Hill University - Performing Arts Center
100 Harrison Ave, Greensburg, PA 15601
Time: 9:30 AM - 5 PM
Who: PMEA D1 and D5 members (free registration) - non-members $5 registration fee
Title: Flourishing in Music Education
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Christian Bernhard II Fredonia State University Professor of Music Education

Registration Link:
https://forms.gle/rU8bYfjWeujipVcT7

Please carefully read the entire message below regarding Honors Orchestra auditions on Monday, September 16 at Fox Chapel High School. There are 3 sections to the message below:
1. Director Responsibilities 
2. Director Pre-registration link
3. A copy of the information Mairi shared last spring.
______________________________________________________________
1. Director Responsibilities
To be in alignment with band and chorus, there have been a few significant changes to our procedures for the auditions. It is imperative that you and your students are aware of them prior to the audition night.
Director Responsibilities
Before Honors Strings Audition Day: 

• NEW!!! DIRECTOR PRE-REGISTRATION: You must complete the Honors Strings Audition Day Director Registration Form to attend.  This will ask you to provide an estimated number of students attending and their audition room(s).  In addition, you must also include a copy of your PMEA card. This will be verified and must be current before students can audition.  You will receive this google form in your email or can access it from the District 1 website.  The information asked on this form allows the executive board and audition committee to best prepare for a satisfactory audition process for directors and students.  
• AUDITION FEE: Remind your students that there is a $5.00 audition fee for each instrument they plan to audition on. No student will be permitted to audition if their audition fee is not paid at registration.

On District Wide Audition day:

• DIRECTOR/PROXY ATTENDANCE: Each director must attend auditions or provide a current PMEA member as a substitute. This substitute will not be responsible for representing any other school at the audition.  Please be sure to make note of this on the DWA Day Director Registration Form or contact the PMEA District 1 President or Festival Coordinator as early as possible so judging assignments can be made accordingly.  Every director/proxy will have an assignment for the audition timeframe.  Responsibilities can be reviewed on the following page.  
• MEETING ATTENDANCE: Each director/proxy must attend the Director Meeting prior to auditions.  During this time, the audition procedures will be reviewed, updates will be announced and discussion for future auditions and festivals will occur as needed and judging assignments/responsibilities will be announced.  
• NEW!!!UPDATES TO AUDITION PROCEDURES: 
  • Audition numbers will be randomly assigned and not based on order of arrival/registration.  They will be sorted following the close of registration at 5pm.
  • Students must use paper copies of the music; no iPads or similar devices are permitted in the audition room.
  • Digital scoring will be used; paper copies of scores may be used if there are connection issues. All directors are expected to bring a device in order to submit digital scoresheets.
    
    

_____________________________________________________________________
2. Director Pre-Registration

All directors attending the Honors Orchestra auditions on Monday, September 16 are asked to complete THIS FORM by Friday, September 13. All directors will be assigned a role during auditions as required for your students to participate.  Please indicate your instrumental specialties so that appropriate assignments can be made for the best interest of the students. Also, in an effort to help auditions run as smoothly as possible, please indicate your estimated audition counts in each instrument.
_____________________________________________________________________
3. Information from Mairi


Dear Fellow Directors:

I look forward to seeing you on Monday September 16th at PMEA District 1 Honors Orchestra Auditions. Auditions will be held at Fox Chapel Area High School (611 Field Club Road Pittsburgh, PA 15238). Please come through the auditorium entrance.


Please be aware of the following:

1. Students will pay a $5 registration fee (checks should be made payable to PMEA). 
2. No student will be allowed to register if a sponsoring PMEA member is not with them and prepared to listen to auditions. All directors must be prepared to present their current PMEA membership cards at registration.
3. Registration will open at 3:30pm and close at 5pm. The directors' meeting will start promptly at 5pm. Students who arrive after this time are not permitted to audition.
4. Please check the PMEA District 1 website for details about the audition pieces. Students need to follow the bowings as indicated on the approved editions.
5. For copyright purposes, students should own (and be playing from) an original copy of the music. All music must be paper copies; iPads and similar devices are NOT permitted in the audition rooms.
6. We will have pizza and water for purchase from 4:30-5:30pm.
7. Your students are NOT allowed to drive themselves to the audition.
8. I promise to have yummy food for the directors and a smile on my face to greet you.

The PMEA Honors Orchestra Festival will be held at Upper St. Clair High School on November 15th and 16th. Many thanks to Karen Chisholm and Doug Reichenfeld for co-hosting! Please have your students check these dates BEFORE they audition. They may not attend only part of the festival. They need to commit to both days.


I look forward to seeing you!
Mairi Cooper