Each year UIL Music holds an adjudication meant to assess the health of the choir programs. Two performances are judged: the Concert and Sightreading. The judges are chosen by the UIL Region Secretary based on recommendations by the Region Director. 

The Concert performance includes the choir performing three pieces, with one required acapella (no piano accompaniment). Two of these pieces must be chosen from the Prescribed Music List, a list chosen by a board of fellow Texas directors. The third piece can be the choir’s choice, most of the time the piece is chosen to match the personality of the choir and is handpicked by the director. Three judges provide ratings based on Tone, Technique, Musicianship, and other musical elements based on their experience and expertise. 

The Sightreading section is an assessment of the choir’s ability to read a piece of music they have never seen before. The piece is composed specifically for the contest and used at every contest in Texas. The choir receives the piece and is given 6 minutes to chant, audiate, hand sign, anything but sing. After 6 minutes, the choir performs the piece and the director gets two minutes after that to correct any mistakes or areas that were not secure, again with no singing. After a second performance of the piece, three judges provide a rating based on Tone, Technique, and Musicianship, and any other elements based on the Judge’s expertise and experience. 

A rating is given by each judge. A one is the highest score and five is the lowest score. A Sweepstakes award is given if the choir receives a majority of 1’s from all six judges in both concert and sight reading. 

This year, three Frenship middle schools performed at the evaluations and each campus earned a Sweepstakes Award.  

Frenship Middle School took a boys' non-varsity tenor bass choir and a girls' varsity treble choir. Both choirs received a one from every single judge and subsequently a sweepstakes award. The Heritage Middle School varsity choirs closed out a fantastic week with two sweepstakes awards. All three Terra Vista Middle School advanced choirs earned Sweepstakes at UIL Concert and Sightreading! 

Congratulations, Tigers!