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Rationale

• The GSB system will focus less on competition between choirs, and more on achieving against established standards in performance and sight-reading.

• Every choir will receive recognition for accomplishment, not just winners.

Based on the last three years (2003-2005) at State Contest the above scoring levels would have resulted in the following proportions of awards among 40 1A/2A, 43 3A, and 72 4A choirs:

GoldSilverBronzeCertificate

1A/2A:9(23%)14(35%)13(32%)4(10%)

3A:6(14%)16((37%)17(39%)4(10%)

4A:25(35%)37(51%)10(14%)0(0%)

Although the performance standards will not change from year to year, it could be possible to adjust GSB levels in the future if performance levels follow a trend. The scoring levels above are not necessarily based on “ratings” as in qualifying events, but have been skewed so that there would be fewer Gold level awards than Silver and Bronze. Certificate scoring levels reflect the smallest number of awards since weak choirs would have been excluded most likely through the qualifying process.

The GSB system of awards is supported by common practice in high school choral festivals around the nation as shown by ACDA Oregon’s survey of 50 states in 2004 (47 states using GSB or ratings-only format and only 3 using rankings).

The GSB system of awards is supported by Oregon high school choral directors responding to ACDA Oregon’s survey of 2003 in which 75 choir directors responded (3 respondents to 1 in favor of GSB). The possibility of a blend of ranking and GSB was not supported by high school directors responding to the survey (3 to 1 against).

Historically speaking, the ACDA Board recommended a GSB solution to pressures of competition at the State Contest soon after the advent of the State Choir Contest in the early 90’s, however, the proposal to the OSAA did not pass at the time. Concerns over complaints about judging at state and choir-versus-choir competition has remained a major concern of ACDA Board ever since, prompting the nationwide and Oregon surveys.

Recent years’ results have often separated top choirs by a mere one point out of 360 or resulted in ties. It makes more sense to recognize excellence among a larger group of Gold recipients than exclude many from recognition as occurs under the current rankings/placings method. Judging will always be largely subjective, whether rankings or GSB. A couple of points here or there should not determine four winners while other outstanding choirs are left out.