Rules & Guidelines

Region 16 Home Calendar All Region Music Rules & Guidelines

Rules and Guidelines

(Approved May 01, 2023)

Region 16 will observe all rules and guidelines as set forth by the ATSSB State Board of Directors.

PARTICIPATION:

I. Participation is limited to schools in Region 16 eligible for membership in the Association of Texas Small School Bands. Eligibility according to state ATSSB bylaws is:

a. University Interscholastic League Class A, AA, AAA and AAAA schools and their feeders.

b. Private high schools whose enrollment falls into the Class A, AA, AAA and AAAA parameters and their feeders and are approved by the ATSSB State Board.

II. Head directors at each eligible school must be current members of the Association of Texas Small School Bands and the Texas Music Educators Association. The head junior high / middle school director, if different from the high school director, must be a current member of the Association of Texas Small School Bands and Texas Music Educators Association; the high school director’s card cannot be used for junior high tryouts.

III. In order to participate, students must be eligible according to the current UIL Rules of Eligibility.

a. The High School Bands will be comprised of students in grades nine (9) through twelve (12).

b. The Junior High Bands will be comprised of students in band through eighth (8) grade.

c. Junior High Bands will audition for the corresponding high school classification or the Junior High Honor Band

ENTRY PROCEDURES:

I. Deadline for the entry will be set prior to the audition date and all entries are final. Late entries must be approved by the region coordinator.

II. All entries must be done online with the TMEA Online Registration. Please pay for total number of entries registered. No refunds for DNA’s or ineligibles.

III. Each student auditioning for an All-Region Band will pay a fee of $10.00 per entry. Students auditioning for All-Region Jazz Band will be $15.00 per entry.

IV. If a student is selected to be a member of the Honor Band or Junior Honor Band, that student may not audition for the A-AA , 3A-4A High School Band or the A, AA Middle School Bands.

AUDITION:

I. Each school’s director(s) or qualified proxy must be present at the audition to help judge, monitor, or serve in any capacity designated by the region and/or contest coordinator. Any problems need to be referred to the region coordinator.

II. Music for the High School Honor Band audition is the ATSSB All-State material and is available in the Prescribed Audition List (PAL). The ATSSB website is the official source of errata for the PAL. (www.atssb.org). All audition pieces will be listened to in their entirety at the Region level. Students may use their own music in the audition room.

REGION 16 ALL REGION BANDS – All information for auditions will be posted on the Region 16 Web site. The groups are posted below.

Class A/AA Middle School Band (2 bands)
Class 3A/4A Middle School Band
Middle School Honor Band (all atssb ms classifications)
A/AA High School All Region Band (Non All State Track)
3A/4A High School All Region Band (Non All State Track)
ATSSB Honor Band (All State Track)
Region 16 All Region Jazz Bands

Ensemble instrumentation shall be set at the decertation of the Region Coordinator along the specific region band organizer.

III. Music for the A-AA/AAA/AAAAA High School, Middle School Honor Band, 3A/4A Middle School, and A/AA Middle School auditions will be at the discretion of the band’s organizer with input from the membership. This material will consist of selected scales and etudes. For the audition, there will be one scale and the chromatic scale. The selection of the cuts from the etudes will also be chosen by the region committee and will consist of any single phrase. Cuts will be listed in the warm up areas and at each tryout room. Audition music will be on the ATSSB Region 16 Web Site.

IV. Students may use their own music in the audition room.

V. High School auditions will utilize a five judge panel. Region audition guidelines as printed by ATSSB will be followed at the region level. The region coordinator will use discretion and place qualified personnel on the judging panels.

VI. Middle school auditions may utilize a three person judging panel if permission is given by the State Board. If a three person panel is used, no judge may listen to their own student. Every effort will be given to having a five judge panel at all auditions.

VII. Wind players will be allowed a one-breath warm-up. Percussionists will be allowed a fifteen second warm-up.

VIII. If a school is involved with a football playoff game which will prevent the students from performing their tryout music in person, they will be allowed to record their tryouts. Recording must be done on CD-R’s and must be certified by the Director and the School Building Principal.

IX. In reference to auditions for class A-AA-AAA-AAAA High School, A/AA Middle school, 3A/4A Middle School and Middle School Honor Band :

Procedures for recording for all groups except Honor Band

The entire audition must be completed in one sitting. Once the recording has begun, it may not be stopped.
Students will play all scales & etudes for the audition (no cuts). The student will be given a one breath warm up at the beginning of the audition.
“A single form listing students that are recording must be signed by the building principal and the Head Band Director. This form will certify that each student taped only once. There can be no stopping of the tape during the tryout recording.” (Region 16 Rules and Guidelines)
Each individual entry must be on it’s own track
The Region Coordinator must be contacted AT LEAST 72 hours prior to the audition in the event of football play-off conflicts or FIVE BUSINESS DAYS prior to all other UIL conflicts. Any conflicts not related to UIL will be determined on an individual basis by the Region Executive Committee.
Any malfunction of the CD will result in a DNA result for the participant.

a. All CDs must be in the possession of the Region Coordinator or Contest Host by the beginning of the Directors’ Meeting

X. Tracking – Students wishing to audition outside of their class, must turn in a tracking form to the region coordinator before the start of the region auditions. Any student entered outside of their class that does not turn in the tracking form, will revert back to their original class.

XI. Audition results will be final 30 minutes after posting of the last section.

REHEARSALS AND CONCERTS

I. Students selected for any All-Region or Honor Bands must be at all rehearsals. High School students may be granted permission to leave Friday rehearsal early to attend district ballgames. Patches will be given to those students who are present at rehearsals and the concert.

II. Facility use fees for each All-Region Band have been set by Region 16 members at $10.00 per band member. All-Region Jazz fees have been set at $20.00 per band member.

III. Instrumentation will be determined by the band coordinator with input and approval of the membership. Instrumentation may be adjusted after the tryouts are completed (students added and not deleted) as required by the needs of the music selected.

REGION OFFICERS – The region officers will consist of the Region Coordinator, Asst. Region Coordinator, and Region Secretary. Elections will be held at the spring region meeting for the region coordinator on odd numbered years and other officers will be elected on even numbered years. Each region officer will serve a two year term. In the case of a vacancy of office, the region coordinator will appoint someone to fill out the term of office.

REGION BAND ORGANIZER – There will be an organizer for each of the all-region group in our region. Organizers will be responsible for organizing auditions, hiring clinicians, and hosting the all-region group during all-region weekend. The band organizers are appointed by the Region Coordinator.

REGION Board of Directors – The region executive committee will consist of the region officers as well as the region band organizers. This committee will be used to review audition material, audition procedures, and other special projects as directed by the region coordinator.

Region Executive Committee – Will consist of the Region Coordinator, Asst. region coordinator, and Region Secretary. This will take care of region business during the school year between region meetings. The Region Executive Committee can approve online elections/voting as needed.

Region Review Committee (RRC) is responsible but not be limited to any region-level audition material and practices.
This committee will consist of a representative from two middle schools and one representative from each high school classification A through 4A. Additional members may be added at the Region Coordinator’s desecration.
This committee will serve for a two year term. Committee members will be appointed by the Region Coordinator and chaired by the Assistant Region Coordinator.
The committee will meet the Friday of All-Region Weekend. An emergency meeting may be called at the discretion of the committee chair.

Region Scholarships – Students that earn a spot and participate in one of the ATSSB All State ensembles will be awarded a scholarship of $100.00 for each year they are a member of the ATSSB All State Band. Students must present proof of enrolment in a college or trade school to the region coordinator. Also completion of boot camp will be excepted. Checks will be mailed to directly to students.
a. 3 year All State Ensemble Members – earn a bonus $100.00
b 4 year All State Ensemble Members – earn an additional $200.00