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Circle the State with Song
Manual and Information
Mission Statement
The Indiana Music Educators Association's Mission is to support and advance music education in Indiana by representing the united interest of music educators and students and by providing professional leadership and service in music education to enhance the arts in the schools.
Objectives
In 1989 the Indiana Music Educators Association initiated and sponsored a children's choral festival called "Circle the State with Song." This statewide festival was organized for the following purposes:
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To provide students with an exciting and quality choral performance with other students from their area;
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To provide an opportunity for music honor students who are ready for more challenging music to work with guest choral clinicians;
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To provide music teachers an opportunity to observe and learn from the clinician working with the students, plus to share and discuss vocal pedagogy with other teachers;
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To sing quality children's choral repertoire;
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To provide a source of income for IMEA in its goal to support quality music education for all students in Indiana.
Opportunities for Growth
IMEA views Circle the State with Song (CSWS) as an integral part of our projects and is proactive in its support of CSWS. We encourage elementary and middle school music educators from all schools across the state to be involved. State Chairs and Area Coordinators will make every reasonable attempt to expand the number of schools participating in each area. |
History
The "Circle the State with Song" choral festival began as a program for elementary students from grades 4, 5, and 6. The festivals were held at seven different sites throughout Indiana during the month of February, 1989. In 1991 the Indiana Music Educators Association expanded the "Circle the State with Song" festival to include junior high/middle school students from grades 6-9.
General Information
Each of the twelve sites that host "Circle the State with Song" festivals includes both elementary and junior high/middle school choirs. Participation in the festivals has grown each year. More than 5,000 students take part annually in "Circle the State with Song."
An outgrowth of the CSWS festival is the commitment of IMEA to further the cause of good choral music. IMEA has commissioned seven pieces of choral music for CSWS festival choirs.
An additional outgrowth of the CSWS festival is the IMEA All-State Elementary and Middle School Honor Choirs, which began in 1992. Each of the Honor Choirs is a select group of approximately 140 singers chosen by audition tape and teacher's recommendation. After two days of rehearsal, the Honor Choirs are featured guest performers at the Indiana Music Educators Association State Convention in Indianapolis. In 1992, the IMEA All-State Children's Honor Choir was selected to perform at the MENC National In-Service Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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