Many students are interested in participating in the New York State School Music Association evaluation and festival…NYSSMA for short. Although this can be a wonderful musical experience, it can be a source of stress for both student and parents. At the Professional Voice Care Center, our goal is to take the stress out of this process. We can help to minimize the student’s anxiety (and in some cases, fear!), as well as the parents’ confusion. Parents often have questions due to lack of information from their child’s school……we have the answers! We’ll provide you with information about NYSSMA regulations specific to voice. In addition, we can assist you with the process of ordering NYSSMA-compliant sheet music or music books. Your singing instructor will make certain that you know the additional requirements for Level 6 All-State. This way, your child can be considered for All-State Chorus.
Our highly-qualified singing instructors can help your child choose the appropriate level for his/her NYSSMA solo. Solos range from Level 1 up to Level 6 All-State. We make the determination based on vocal skill level, musicianship, sight-singing ability, etc. Once the appropriate level has been established, we help the student to peruse appropriate song choices from that level. The result of this careful process: your child has the ideal solo for his/her voice.
Our process of NYSSMA song preparation is systematic and thorough. We provide instruction according to our belief that NYSSMA should be treated as a scholarly music competition. Hence, students are carefully trained in order to achieve high scores in each area that is evaluated by the NYSSMA adjudicator. These include:
- Tone (voice quality and projection)
- Intonation (pitch accuracy)
- Technique (including breath control and posture)
- Accuracy of notes and rhythms
- Interpretation (including dynamics, style, phrasing, expression, and artistry)
- Sight-Singing (For more information on our unique Sight-Singing Preparation program, click here).
Furthermore, we offer diction coaching in French, Italian, and German, as well as the toughest language to sing in properly….English!
All of our singing teachers have been vocal performers for many years. So, we can teach your child the “tricks of the trade” to make his/her NYSSMA performance as professional and polished as possible. In addition to the requisite musical and vocal skills, we train your child using our unique specialty: knowing the “acting” inherent in each song. When our students learn this valuable skill, it often gives them an “edge” in NYSSMA.
The comments of the adjudicators on our students’ NYSSMA evaluation pages speak for themselves:
“You sang with a wonderfully controlled and supported tone, full of color, shading, and expression.”
“Brava! What a treat it was hearing you sing…Your voice is so focused and lyric.”
“Well balanced presentation…artistry showed…complete understanding of all musical elements. Brava! Keep singing!”
“You are a wonderful performer. You set a heartfelt mood with your dynamics and expressive use of the text. You were quite prepared.”
“Lovely tone quality; clear and consistent throughout your range. You have a natural presence.”
We are pleased to offer NYSSMA Preparation in-person and via convenient interactive online platforms. Avoid driving during inclement weather, save on travel cost and time, and stay safe and secure in your own home.
If you want more information about singing lessons, feel free to fill out the form below. A Voice Program Coordinator will get back to you as soon as possible.