By Reinesse Wong
Due to COVID-19 conditions, this year’s NYSSMA competition has gone completely virtual. So how will it work, and should students sign up for it this year?
The NYSSMA competition has been viewed as an opportunity for middle and high school students to excel in their instrument/music to demonstrate dedication and passion. For high school students, entering NYSSMA and receiving a good score of 98 or higher can get you a seat in the All State Ensemble, which has an acceptance rate of around 12%. However, NYSSMA was cancelled last season, which left students without the opportunity to compete.
This year’s competition will be virtual, but it will not be performed live for a judge. Rather, recordings of playing will be sent in for review. There are four “tasks”; the first is registration, the second is the scales required, the third is a player’s solo piece, and the fourth is sight reading. These will all be submitted to a website for review by adjudicators.
Depending on the student, virtual NYSSMA may be better for those who have stage fright and a fear of playing for a public audience. Since it is a recording, it is possible it can be done as many times before being submitted.
Eesha Thaker, a senior at Irvington High School has participated in NYSSMA since middle school, and has decided to not do NYSSMA this year. Although she has decided not to, she wishes the best to those who participate.
“I feel like it’s a lot easier than in person because you can have multiple takes and you don’t have the same nerves as you would feel in person. I think the NYSSMA committee is doing the best job they can to bring the competition to students during this time in the COVID-19 pandemic.”
