Middle Level Orchestra
Membership Requirement
For a student to participate in KMEA honor groups the sponsoring teacher must be an active member of the Kansas Music Educators Association.

Middle Level Orchestra

2023-24

Clinician
John Rutland, University of Central Missouri

Important Dates
Aug. 29 - Business Meeting @ Gardner-Edgerton HS
Oct. 25 - Nomination Deadline - $12 participation fee per selected student
Dec. 2 - Clinic & Concert @ Olathe West HS

Nominations
Nominations must be entered online in the KMEA Members site.

ECKMEA will offer a 7th/8th grade nominated honor orchestra. There will not be a 9th grade honor orchestra. 9th grade orchestra students are eligible to audition for ECKMEA high school instrumental groups.
Middle Level Orchestra
The Middle Level orchestra provides a festival experience top-performing students from all our district middle schools. Directors may nominate up to six (6) students from 7th/8th grade, per middle level building, with no more than 3 violins per 6 nominees from one school. The festival participation fee is $12 per student. These musicians prepare their parts at home, then spend the festival day working with a local clinician to prepare an afternoon honor performance for parents. This is a great enrichment activity for your leaders, and a wonderful opportunity for them to meet other great student musicians!

Festival Site
All the East Central Orchestra mini-convention orchestras rehearse at Olathe West High School on Saturday, December 2. The Middle Level Group will begin rehearsals in the gym at 8:00 AM and finish their concert at 3:30 PM (also in the gym). Please make sure your nominated students can stay for the full day. Lunch will be available for purchase on-site. Detailed information about lunch options and the day's schedule will be available later this fall.

Nomination
New to the process? Follow these steps:
  1. Renew your membership in NAfME or join NAfME. Be sure to indicate Kansas as your state affiliation. Please don't wait to do this on the deadline day, as sometimes there is a delay in processing.
  2. Now that you are a NAfME member, create an account in the KMEA Members website. Nominate your students by clicking on the Honor Groups tab. (note: you'll need to know the correct spelling of each student's name for the Festival Program and his/her emergency contact name and phone number).
  3. Generate an invoice for payment. This will generate an itemized invoice for your school's bookkeeper with instructions for payment. (note: you can pay with check, credit card through PayPal, or money order, but not with a purchase order). Make checks payable to East Central KMEA.
  4. (optional) - Seating for this honor group is random in each section. If you would like to nominate a student as a section leader, you can click on the Front Stand form in the registration process or you can also go to the tab above and print the nomination form. Fill it out and scan it back to the chairperson on or before the registration deadline. The Middle Level chair will assign the front stand seats of each section, then distribute all other nominated students throughout the section to strengthen the ensemble.
Festival Literature
Each middle school teacher provides music for nominated students. You need original music for your students, but feel free to team up with another director to help with costs if you don't have these pieces in your library already.
Overture to the Magic Flute, Mozart/Parrish
Winter Aire, arr. Denney
Adoration, by Price arr. Deel
Thunder Snow, by LaBrie
 
Chairperson
Elizabeth Copeland
Leawood MS
2410 W. 123rd St
Leawood, KS 66209
w: 913-239-5300
Important Dates - ML Orchestra
Aug. 27, 2024 - Tue
ECKMEA Business Meeting
Gardner-Edgerton HS
5:30 - Mentoring meet & greet
6:00 - Dinner
6:30 - General business
7:00 - Break-out meetings
Oct. 23, 2024 - Wed
Nomination Deadline — 7th/8th Orchestra, 5th/6th Orchestra
$12 participation fee per selected student
Dec. 7, 2024 - Sat
Mini-Conventions
Choir: Shawnee Mission NWHS
Orchestra: Olathe West HS
Band: Blue Valley HS

View Full Calendar