FESTIVAL REGULATIONS
1. Festival participation fees are to be paid on the basis of the number of students registered on the forms. No reduction or refund is allowed for a student's nonparticipation.
2. Applicants must attend all rehearsals to be eligible for the concert. Students whose school is playing during a concert hour, in which they are a member of, will be allowed to participate with their school. The ensemble manager and concert chair must be notified in advance.
3. Students who are accepted and register for the Festival – but who do not participate in the Festival – will not be allowed to participate the following year. Exceptions for medical reasons/death in the family will be considered by the Executive Board upon receipt of documentation from the appropriate sources (physician, etc) and the school director.
4. Directors must notify concert coordinator regarding any selected student who is unable to participate in a festival as soon as possible. Only the concert chair may authorize substitutions at their discretion.
5. Chaperones are expected to be present for the entire duration of the festival including the dress rehearsal at Symphony Hall. Chaperones will be asked to fill out a Designated Chaperone Form for the festival and may be asked to complete a duty to help ensure the safety of the students.
6. Students may not leave the designated rehearsal spaces or Symphony Hall for any reason until after the Friday rehearsal and Saturday concert performance. As a result of this violation, students will not be allowed to participate in the concert and may not audition for the festival the following year. In the event the student has been accepted into the Eastern Division festival, they will forfeit their participation. If the same school repeats the action, the entire school will forfeit their audition for the following school year.
7. Students will be expected to be respectful and cooperative with the conductors, festival chairpersons, managers, staff, rehearsal and performance venue personnel at all times.
8. Students will be required to wear their MMEA issued name badges at all times during the festival.
9. Students will be served lunch during the festival and at Symphony Hall prior to the performance. Students may not go out to eat or order other foods to be brought in.
10. Students are required to participate in all scheduled daily rehearsals, performances, meals, and organized activities during the Festival. It is the personal responsibility of the student to be aware of the daily All-State Festival and Concert schedules and to be on time.
11. Students participating in the MMEA All-State ensembles are not permitted to purchase, possess, consume, or be under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or illegal substances at any time. Violators will be subject to stringent disciplinary action and sent home at their family’s expense.
12. Smoking is not permitted at any time or in any location during All-State Festival and Concert.
13. If a student is found responsible for theft, vandalism, or other illegal activities, the student and his/her parents will be expected to pay all damages. Violators will be subject to stringent disciplinary action and sent home at their family’s expense.
14. The student’s school rules apply for the duration of the festival and their school’s designated chaperone will be responsible for enforcing those rules.
15. In the event that an All-State student fails to adhere to policies and expectations, student will be removed from the festival and sent home at their family’s expense.
16. Internal Emergency Action Plan - In the case of an ill or injured student, the student’s designated school chaperone will be contacted first and will make the determination as to whether the parents should be notified. In the event that the student's designated school chaperone is unavailable or inaccessible, MMEA officers and/or managers will make the determination regarding parent contact and may contact parents directly and/or seek appropriate emergency medical action through the hotel's emergency response system.