Subchapter B: MUSIC (1112)

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Section 1112: ADJUDICATION

(a) SELECTION OF JUDGES.

The membership roster of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA) will be the recommended list of approved judges. The music Region Executive Committee will select three judges from this list subject to the following guidelines.

(1) List of Judges. In all organization event contests and evaluations (concert, sight-reading, and marching), one judge shall be selected from the recommended list of approved judges, a second judge shall be selected from the recommended or provisional list of approved judges and a third judge may be selected from the recommended or provisional list of approved judges or from other sources approved by the State Director of Music.

(2) Sight-reading Judges Panel Chair. In all sight-reading events, a judge selected from the Recommended List of Approved Judges shall be designated chair of the adjudication panel.

(3) Orchestra Judge. At least one judge with orchestra teaching experience shall be employed in regions having one or more orchestra entries.

(4) Residence. A high school choir, band or orchestra, judge shall reside outside the region or area in which he or she is being employed to judge. Exception: A judge who is otherwise qualified according to section 1112 may judge in the region or area where they reside if they have no involvement with public school music programs in the region of residence and there is no other real or perceived conflict of interest. Zoned junior high contests as well as high school solo and ensemble contest judges may be selected from other zones within the same region.

(5) Current Involvement. A judge should be currently teaching, conducting or performing in or retired from the field in which he or she is employed to judge.

(6) Education. A judge shall have a college or conservatory background in music.

(7) Limitation.

(A) A judge may not evaluate an organization event in music if that judge has served as a clinician-conductor for any school organization in that region or area and conference during the current school year. The rule does not apply to clinicians for All-Region, All-Area and All-State organizations.

(B) In marching competition, the following limitations apply:

(i) A director may not judge region marching competition in any region assigned to the same area in which he or she competes. This limitation applies only in years that the state competition is held in that judge’s conference.

(ii) A judge at the area level marching competition may not evaluate other bands in the same conference as that judge’s band, if that judge’s band has been selected to advance to the next level of competition. This limitation also applies to other music personnel such as music supervisors who reside within the school district of the advancing band.

(8) Prior Employment. A judge may not accept a judging invitation from a region, area or zone in which that judge formerly taught, unless two years have elapsed since the time of last employment in that region, area or zone.

(9) Return Engagement. A judge may not be invited for a return engagement to adjudicate an organization event (band, orchestra, or choir) in the same conference unless two years have elapsed since he or she last judged that specific event.

(10) Conflict of Interest. A region may not employ a judge, nor a judge accept an adjudication assignment if there is a known conflict of interest.

(11) Honorarium. The honorarium for each judge will be as follows:

(A) for organization events, $300.00 per day, plus $60.00 for each hour over a scheduled eight-hour day; and

(B) for solo and ensemble events, $250.00 per day plus $50.00 for each hour over a scheduled eight-hour day.

(C) Travel and per diem shall be paid on a schedule as prescribed by the Region Executive Committee.

(b) ADJUDICATION STANDARDS.

Each judge shall assign one of the following ratings in accordance with established Texas Music 
Adjudicators Association adjudication rubrics: Division I (Superior), Division II (Excellent), Division III (Average), Division IV (Below Average), Division V (Poor). The performance of the soloist, ensemble, or organization shall be the only factor considered when determining ratings.

(1) Final Rating. If judges’ ratings do not agree, the following chart will determine the rating to be awarded:

Charts for Computing Ratings- Three Judges-Five Ratings

         ^{Rating I    Rating II   Rating III  Rating IV   Rating V}

1-1-1      1-2-2      1-3-3      1-4-4      1-5-5

1-1-2      1-2-3      1-3-4      1-4-5       2-5-5

1-1-3      1-2-4      1-3-5      2-4-4       3-5-5

1-1-4      1-2-5      2-3-3      2-4-5       4-5-5 

1-1-5      2-2-2      2-3-4      3-4-4       5-5-5

              2-2-3      2-3-5      3-4-5

              2-2-4      3-3-3      4-4-4

              2-2-5      3-3-4      4-4-5

                            3-3-5

Judges shall not add plus (+) or minus (-) to division ratings.

(2) Irregularities. The judge shall call to the attention of the contest chair/event chair and the Region Executive Secretary any irregularities of performance or procedure on the part of the participant(s). The Region Executive Secretary in consultation with the Region Executive Committee shall determine what penalties in Section 29 may be assessed.

(3) Discourteous Conduct. Judges shall report any act of discourtesy by a participant or music director to the contest chair/event chair, who shall then forward the report to the Region Executive Secretary for consideration of appropriate action.

(4) Judge Conferences. Judges shall be instructed not to confer before ratings are placed on comment sheets.