JB Lyle FAQ

JB Lyle Choral Festival is an annual event in which choirs perform for a panel of judges for ratings or comments. It is a performance-based assessment of a choir’s performance of three prepared pieces and sight-reading ability. Participation in JB Lyle is equivalent to standardized testing in other subject areas, and provides teachers, choir members, parents and administrators an authentic assessment of the quality of work being done by a choir.

Who can participate in JB Lyle Festival?

JB Lyle participation is open to choirs with members in grades 9-12 whose directors are members of the East TN Vocal Association (ETVA), TN Music Education Association (TMEA), and Music Educators National Conference (MENC). As of 2008, directors from out of state may apply to participate in JB Lyle by paying an Associate Membership fee, the institutional activity fee and the standard registration fees. Out of state directors must be members of their own state Music Education Association. There must be room in the schedule of the requested area for out of state groups to participate.

What does it cost to participate in JB Lyle Festival?

There is a participation fee of $3.00 per student per performance for schools bringing up to three choirs, and $2.00 per student per performance for schools bringing more than three choirs. In addition, the yearly school activity fee of $25 must have been paid. Out of state directors wishing to attend must pay a $20.00 associate membership fee.

When does JB Lyle Festival occur?

The JB Lyle festival occurs over the course of four days. One day’s session is held somewhere in the upper region of East TN, two days are held in the middle region (Knoxville area) and one day is in the lower region (Chattanooga area). On even- numbered years, the first day is held in the lower region. In odd number years, the first day is in the upper region. The middle region is always the middle two days of the festival. The precise location may change from year to year due to site availability.

What’s different in each area’s festival?

ETVA strives diligently to ensure that the JB Lyle experience is the same regardless of which day one attends. The same set of judges adjudicates all four days of the festival to ensure equality of rankings. The only major differences between the areas may be the quality of the venues, which are subject to availability.

What determines which day I attend?

The director requests which day and to which region their groups will be assigned at the time of registration. Additionally, the director is asked to indicate the earliest and latest times they can perform. The requests are honored on a first come, first served basis for ETVA regular members, based on the receipt of payment, within the limits of how many groups can be accommodated on a given day. There is no requirement that a director attend a festival in their local area. Out of state groups may only participate in areas where there is available space in the schedule.

Who judges JB Lyle Festival?

The festival judges are usually college directors from outside of Tennessee. Our rules require that the judges come from out-of-state. The ETVA college representative, who has the responsibility of running the festival, selects the directors. Whenever possible, at least one judge from the previous year is invited to judge again so as to provide some degree of consistency in judging from year to year.

What music may I choose for JB Lyle Festival?

The JB Lyle festival is intended as an adjudication of serious art music. Each group must prepare a total of three selections of no more than 15 minutes total duration. Two of the selections performed by each group must come from an approved music list and the third piece is the director’s choice which may be drawn from any source. All the pieces must be of “classical” nature. The group’s performance may be graded down for doing substandard literature. The music should demonstrate contrasting styles.

What are the approved lists for JB Lyle Festival?

ETVA maintains its own approved list, which may be found on the ETVA website. In addition, directors may use music that appears on the Texas, Florida, or Georgia approved festival lists. New titles may be submitted to the ETVA college representative for approval and addition to the ETVA list. These must be submitted by Jan. 15^th of each year to be used in the upcoming JB Lyle Festival.

What does a performance at JB Lyle involve?

Each choir’s performance at JB Lyle includes a 15-minute warm-up period, a 15 minute performance period, and a 15 minute period for sight-reading. These may be shortened slightly due to the necessity of moving from warm-up room to stage and then to the sight-reading area.

How are choirs evaluated at JB Lyle Festival?

The judges at JB Lyle use evaluation instruments developed by the Music Educators National Conference (MENC). A copy of the evaluation forms may be found at the following links:

Performance form

Sight-reading form

Each judge, including the sight-reading judge, will give a summative rating ranging from a 1 (superior) to 4 (fair) or more. The total from each judge will be added to determine your cumulative rating. A cumulative score of 4-6 constitutes a “Superior” rating. 7-9 constitutes an “Excellent” rating. 10-12 constitutes a “Good” rating. 13-15 constitutes a “Fair” rating. In addition to the written comments, a cassette recording of judges’ comments will also be made as your group performs.

How many copies of the music do I need to bring?

You should bring three original copies of each piece you will be performing at JB Lyle. These copies should have all measures clearly numbered. Xerox copies of copyrighted music are not allowed except within the bounds of the copyright law.

What else do I need to bring besides music?

Four copies of the Auxiliary Information form must be completed for each of the three performance judges and the sight-reading judge. Also, an Announcer Card is completed for each performing group.

What is included on the Auxiliary Information Form?

This form provides information about your group to the judges including whether the group is auditioned or non-auditioned, the amount of rehearsal time the group gets weekly, the normal size of the group (this allows you to indicate any absences from your group on your performance date), and also allows you to give the judges other information you think they need to know before hearing your group.

What is included on the Announcer Card?

The announcer card contains information which will be read as an introduction for your group, immediately prior to your performance on stage. It includes the name of your group, the names of the director and accompanist (if applicable), and the titles/composers of the literature you will perform.

Do I have to receive a rating?

Directors may choose to have their choirs perform for comments only. These choirs will NOT receive an overall rating.

Will my results be shown publicly?

The scores of all choirs that perform for rating will be publicly posted on their performance day and will be published on the ETVA website subsequent to the completion of the four-day festival. Choirs which perform for comment only will be listed as “comments only”.

Is there a dress code for JB Lyle?

There is no specific dress code for JB Lyle. Generally choirs wear their regular concert apparel, be it robes or formals or some other uniform. There is a category for appearance of the group on the adjudication form and the judges’ mark there is figured into the overall rating.

Will the performance be recorded?

Each choir’s performance will be recorded with the best audio quality possible at each site and one copy will be given to the director. These recordings constitute archival performances and as such are covered under copyright law. It is NOT permissible to duplicate the recording for any purpose (including duplication for students who performed) without formally obtaining a mechanical license for recording and duplication from the publisher of each piece of copyrighted music or their designated representatives. (The Harry Fox agency is the primary licensee of most published pieces in the US.)

Does a choir have to sight-read at JB Lyle Festival?

Each choir performing at JB Lyle must attempt sight-reading whether performing for rating or comment only.

Why is sight-reading required?

It is the opinion of ETVA that sight-reading is a valid and significant part of music education. This is reflected in the National and Tennessee Standards for Music Education. By requiring choirs coming to Festival to sight-read we feel we encourage sight-singing as a regular part of the curriculum for all choral students.

Will sight-reading affect my overall rating?

If the choir is performing for rating, the sight-reading score affects the overall rating. A group receiving ones in performance but who scores a three in sight reading will receive an overall two rating.

Who will hear us sight-read?

The sight-reading section takes place in a private room with a single judge. The general public does not observe the sight-reading session.

What is the source of the sight-reading material?

ETVA purchases the sight-reading materials composed for the Florida Vocal Association yearly. These materials are only available through license and a limited printing is made. Once they have been used, they are available for sale until they run out.

Who leads the choir in the sight-reading?

The individual choir’s director will lead the students through a rhythmic and a pitched sight-reading exercise with instructions/hints from the adjudicator.

What methodologies may one use for sight-reading?

A choir may use any method of sight-reading pitch including solfege (fixed or movable do), numbers, or neutral syllable. For rhythmic reading a choir may use their regular method including counting (1 and 2 and…), rhythm syllables (ta, ta, ti-ti, ta), or other standard methods of rhythmic reading.

Who chooses the difficulty level of the exercises to be performed?

The materials contain a variety of levels of exercises in various voicings intended for use from elementary through high school choirs. The director chooses the actual exercises to be performed from the options indicated by the adjudicator based on the voicing and age of the choir. It is up to the discretion of the adjudicator to grade a choir down if they sight-read at a level significantly below the level of difficulty of their performance selections.

How much can the director be involved in the sight-reading?

The director may point out potential difficulties in the exercise, although he/she may not verbally perform nor have a student perform an interval or rhythmic pattern. The director may set the key and tempo for the students and have them sing through a scale or arpeggio to confirm establishment of key. The director may ask leading questions and have students respond such as “where is do?”,, “what key are we in?”, “does this appear to be major or minor?” or “on what syllable/number does your section begin?” The director may verbally count off a measure to set tempo. Once the students begin singing or speaking a rhythm, the director may only conduct a standard pattern. The director may NOT cue entrances, sing along, or speak along with the students. If in doubt about whether a specific question or action is appropriate, the director may consult with the adjudicator.