The NYSSMA Solo Festival takes place annually in the spring. Traditionally the festival for piano students takes place in March with the festival for the band and orchestra instruments taking place in early May. The location moves from year to year within a rotating schedule which spreads the responsibility of hosting among several school districts.
Music teachers in all buildings provide information and register the students in early January. Deadlines for registration are designated in order to facilitate the complex task of enrolling hundreds of students from our district. Please see your building music teacher for further information and to verify the submission deadline for the building.
In performing at the Solo Festival participating students gain valuable feedback from knowledgeable, experienced professional musicians and music educators who function as the adjudicators. The NYSSMA Solo scores earned in the spring of the current school year are used as a major part of the criteria in selecting students for the NMEA All-County Music performing ensembles in the fall of the following school year. High School students who wish to audition for All-State performing ensembles should speak with their music teachers early as special preparations and registration is required. The All-State auditions may also be held at a different site and on a different date than the other NYSSMA Solo festivals.
The solo festival is overseen by officials from the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA). For further information about the NYSSMA organization, click here to move to the NYSSMA website.
The All-County Music Ensemble festival is organized and sponsored by the Nassau Music Educators Association (NMEA). Click here for the NMEA website.