All-State Rules and Regulations are part of the All-State School and Emergency Permission Form and are to be signed by each student, parent, director and principal involved.

Rules and Regulations for LMEA All-State:

1. Teachers are required to screen students who are discipline problems and not allow them to audition.
2. Students are expected to follow their school’s rules while at LMEA All-State.
3. Students must be present and on time for registration, all rehearsals, and any other scheduled All-State events.
4. Students failing to adhere to their LMEA All-State schedule or the rules and regulations are subject to dismissal.
5. Students are responsible for their personal equipment and instruments, including any school instruments or other items checked out to them. LMEA will not assume responsibility for lost, damaged or stolen equipment or instruments.
6. Any student who participates in any type of vandalism will be subject to immediate dismissal. The student and the school will be held responsible for damages.
7. Any student in possession of prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription, any illegal drugs or other illegal substances, including alcoholic beverages, or who consumes any of these will be subject to immediate dismissal. The parent, director, and administrator will be notified.
8. Students’ teachers are required to be current LMEA members and to register for and be present at the All-State event and Professional Development Conference to ensure students are supervised/chaperoned when not in rehearsals or another scheduled All-State activity.
9. Parents or a designated chaperone are responsible for students when they are not in a rehearsal or at an LMEA sponsored event.

Consequences and procedures related to the violation of any rules:

1. The student’s principal, director and parents will be immediately notified of any rule violation.
2. A disciplinary committee consisting of the Executive Director, the LMEA President, and the Band, Orchestra, Vocal, Guitar, Handbell, or Jazz Ensemble Chairperson (as pertinent) shall review any disciplinary problems before dismissal from the All-State group is recommended.
3. Any student dismissed (sent home) from an All-State event will be prohibited from participating in any LMEA event for one (1) full year starting from the time of the dismissal.
4. Any school organization whose student (or students) must be dismissed from an LMEA All-State event will be placed on a one-year probation. If a student is dismissed within the probation period, that school organization will be prohibited from participating in LMEA All-State events the following year.
5. Any infraction and subsequent dismissal will be referred to the LMEA Executive Board for resolution and clarification.

• The ensemble director of each auditioning student must be a current LMEA member.
• Students must be enrolled in a Louisiana Accredited or Louisiana Non-Accredited Approved school and must be active members of that school’s string or instrumental ensemble program.
• If a student’s school does not have an ensemble, the student must be enrolled in a Louisiana Accredited or Louisiana Non-Accredited Approved school and be certified by an eligible music teacher at that school or by a private teacher who is an LMEA member.
• Information regarding accredited and non-accredited approved schools is available through the Louisiana Department of Education’s 2026–2027 nonpublic school approval information.
• Students must complete their first-round audition in their school’s LMEA district.
• District directors will verify that the teachers of all participating students are current LMEA members.
• Students are eligible for membership in only one All-State ensemble.

Homeschool Eligibility

• A student representing a homeschool must enter the audition process in the same LMEA district as the public school district in which the student’s home address is located.
• Homeschool classification is considered the same as the public high school within whose attendance boundaries the student resides.
• A homeschool student may not participate in high school events after the end of the fourth year following the first audition entry once the student declares high school status.
• Homeschooled students who audition must have an LMEA sponsor.
• Students must complete their first-round audition in the appropriate LMEA district.
• District directors will verify that the sponsors of all participating students are current LMEA members.
• Students are eligible for membership in only one All-State ensemble.

LMEA Sponsor Responsibilities

• An LMEA sponsor may be a homeschool student’s parent, private lesson teacher, or director of a homeschool or community music group, provided the sponsor is an active LMEA member.
• The sponsor is responsible for registering the student for LMEA events.
• The sponsor must be familiar with LMEA All-State rules and deadlines.
• The sponsor must be present as a chaperone at All-State.
• The homeschool campus name should consist of the student’s last name followed by “Homeschool,” such as Lopez Homeschool.
• The homeschool campus is responsible for all campus and individual student fees associated with the event.

Required Audition Forms

• Student Release of Information Form: This form must be printed, signed, and submitted to the district director. Follow the district director’s instructions for submitting the completed form. Auditions cannot be adjudicated without this form.
• Registration: Information for all auditioning students must be submitted by the district director or the district’s designee. Students and their directors must follow all district instructions and deadlines for submitting registration information.

Audition Date and Location

Each district director will schedule the date, time, and location for recording all string, harp, and piano auditions within the district.

Auditions must be scheduled early enough for all required recordings, registration information, forms, and fees to be submitted by the established state deadline.

Audition Fee and Registration

• The audition fee is $15 per audition.
• Ensemble directors should follow their district director’s instructions and deadlines for submitting school checks and registration information.
• District directors must confirm receipt of all audition fees and required forms by the date the audition files are uploaded.
• An audition cannot be adjudicated if the audition fee has not been received.
• All student audition information must be submitted by the district director or designee. Required information includes:
  • Student name
  • School
  • Grade
  • Instrument or voice
  • All-State ensemble preference
  • T-shirt size
  • Audio audition file
  • Verification that the Student Release of Information Form has been received
• All audition recordings and registration forms must be uploaded through the designated Google form by the established state deadline.
• Submission links will be provided to district directors.
• Students auditioning for more than one ensemble must indicate their ensemble preference when their registration information is submitted. This preference will be used if a student is selected for more than one LMEA All-State ensemble.

Multiple Instruments: Students may audition on more than one instrument, but must submit the audition fee and a separate registration for each instrument.

String, Harp, and Piano Auditions

• To help ensure equity, fairness, and consistency throughout the adjudication process, every piano and harp student must provide a PDF copy of the music being performed for the audition. District recorders will be responsible for uploading the student’s music along with the audition recording.

• String, harp, and piano students will complete one monitored audition at the district level.
• All string, harp, and piano auditions must be audio-recorded and submitted as MP3 files.
• Auditions will be recorded by the district director, the district’s designated orchestra chair, or an assigned audition monitor.
• Recorded auditions will be submitted to the Orchestra Division Chair for adjudication.
• Ordinarily, one harpist and one pianist will be selected for the All-State High School Orchestra when required by the repertoire.
• Harpists and pianists will be selected based on their district-level recorded auditions.
• Selected harpists and pianists will not participate in a separate state-level chair-placement audition.

Audition Cycle:

There is a 4-year rotation cycle of audition materials for strings, harp, and piano, consisting of selected major scales and prepared selections. 
Note: The Orchestra Division Chair can also elect to require orchestral excerpts from the upcoming All-State repertoire. If this occurs, the information will be posted to the LMEA website by the last Saturday in August.

• Scales (30% of score) – Scales will be chosen from the following major scales: C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, and Eb. These will rotate on a yearly basis as listed in the current year’s set (see below). Scales must be played as described, including the order, articulation, and minimum tempo. This portion of the audition will be evaluated on tone quality, note accuracy, intonation, bowing, and tempo. The students may use music to perform their scales.
• Prepared selections (70% of score) – There is a 4-year rotation of prepared selections consisting of one slow and one fast selection. Music must be performed in the order listed. This portion of the audition will be evaluated on tone quality, note and rhythmic accuracy, intonation, bowing, and tempo.

Set I   – 2024-25
Set II  – 2025-26
Set III – 2026-27
Set IV – 2027-28

Wind and Percussion Auditions

Wind and percussion students interested in participating in the All-State High School Orchestra should refer to the audition information provided in the All-State Band section.

These students must follow the applicable All-State Band audition procedures.

Audition Monitors and Recording Procedures

• Each district director will assign one or more monitors to record auditions and certify that each student performed the required materials without restarting.
• Monitors should be carefully selected to ensure consistency in audition procedures.
• An audio test of the recorder and audition room should be completed before auditions begin to ensure each student can be heard clearly.
• The instrument and audition number announced on the recording must be accurately entered on the track sheet.
• A link to the track sheet will be provided to the district director.
• When possible, monitors should verify that the audition was successfully recorded before the student leaves the room. This may be done by playing several seconds of the recording and checking the file length.
• Audition restarts are permitted only if a technical issue occurs with the recording equipment.
• Each audition recording must be unedited and contained in one continuous file.
• No portion of an audition may be dubbed or edited.

Track Sheet

• A track sheet, which will be shared with the District Director via Google Sheets, will be used to enter the audition information at the “room” level. This includes: Room Number, Recorder Number, File Name, File Duration, Last Name, First Name, Instrument/Voice, Audition Number.
• The Room Number, Recorder Number, File Name and Audition Number are to be determined by the District Director or his/her designee.
• There should be one track sheet for each room used at the audition.

Recording Equipment

• Given the two-fold purpose of these auditions (selection to All-State Orchestra and establishment of the preliminary ranking), it is paramount that the district director or the designated orchestra representative make every effort to utilize recording equipment that exceeds that of consumer grade.
• The recommended recorder is a typical “voice recorder” like those used for adjudicators at large ensemble assessment. District Directors have received information about these recorders.
• For optimal results and to ensure an even playing field for students, have students stand no more than four feet away from the microphone.

Audition Instructions and Order:

1. Start the recorder. Each recorded audition must be unedited and made in one single file.
   
2. Identification Information: The monitor will read the following script and identify each auditionee: “On (Insert Instrument), this is Audition Number (Insert Audition Number).”
   
3. Scales: The student will then play the scales on the current set’s scale sheet (in the printed order).
   
4. Prepared Selections: Next, the student will play the prepared selections in the order listed in the current year’s set.
   

Audition File Submission Procedures

• • Each district director or designee is responsible for submitting student information and uploading audio audition files through the Google form provided by the audition coordinator.
  • Only MP3 audio files will be accepted.
  • Submission links will be provided to district directors by the Orchestra Division Chair.
  • All required audition information, quota sheets, registration forms, and recordings must be submitted by Saturday, September 26, 2026.
  • District directors will communicate with schools regarding the collection of required information, including:
    • Student name
    • School
    • Grade
    • Instrument
    • All-State ensemble preference
    • T-shirt size
    • Audio audition file
    • Verification that the Student Release of Information Form has been received
  • Google Drive is one of the easiest and most accessible platforms for sharing files. However, some school districts restrict file sharing through school-managed Google accounts.
  • Audition files must be accessible to the Orchestra Division Chair to be considered for adjudication and inclusion in the All-State High School Orchestra.
  • Directors may need to consult their school district’s information technology department to ensure files can be accessed and included in the audition adjudication process.

Audition Results and Music Distribution

• Audition results will establish a preliminary rank order for students in each section and determine first- and second-violin assignments.
• Results will be posted by Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. under All-State Audition Results.
• Music for the All-State program is selected by the current year’s All-State conductor.
• Students selected for the string sections should receive their music approximately one month before the All-State event.

Tentative String Section Instrumentation

• First violins: 18
• Second violins: 18
• Violas: 12
• Cellos: 12
• Basses: 8

Additional instrumentation includes winds and percussion, with harp and piano added when required by the repertoire.

State-Level Chair-Placement Auditions

The following information applies to students selected for the All-State High School Orchestra.

Selected orchestra members will complete a recorded chair-placement audition, except for harp and piano students, who are selected through their district-level auditions and do not participate in a separate state-level chair-placement audition.

All-State High School Orchestra Virtual Chair Auditions

All selected students are expected to prepare their complete repertoire before arriving at the All-State event. Chair-audition excerpts will be released two weeks before the event, allowing students adequate time to prepare.

• Students selected for the All-State High School Orchestra will return to their original district audition site to record their chair-placement audition.
• Chair-placement audition recordings are due Saturday, January 9, 2027.
• Chair auditions will be completed virtually before the All-State event rather than conducted live upon arrival.
• Students will receive their chair assignments before arriving at All-State.
• Ties in chair-placement results will be resolved using the students’ rankings from their initial All-State auditions.
• Ordinarily, one harpist and one pianist will be selected for the All-State High School Orchestra when required by the repertoire.
• Harp and piano students will be selected based on their district-level auditions and will not participate in a separate state-level chair-placement audition.
• Chair-audition results will be released Wednesday, January 13, 2027.

Multi-District Honor Orchestra

The Multi-District Honor Orchestra will be held November 19–21, 2026, at Baton Rouge Magnet High School.

This exceptional honor ensemble experience provides high school string, wind, and percussion students, and middle school strings students with an additional opportunity to perform advanced orchestral literature alongside talented musicians from across Louisiana.

Although the event serves multiple districts, participation is open to eligible students throughout the entire state.

The Multi-District Honor Orchestra includes two ensembles:

• Multi-District Middle School Honor String Orchestra: A middle school string ensemble featuring violin, viola, cello, and bass students.
• Multi-District High School Honor Symphony Orchestra: A full symphony orchestra featuring high school string, wind, and percussion students.

High School String Student Selection

High school string students do not need to prepare or submit a separate audition for the Multi-District Honor Symphony Orchestra.

• The student’s All-State Orchestra audition will also serve as the audition for the Multi-District Honor Symphony Orchestra.
• Students should indicate their interest by selecting the appropriate box or space on the All-State audition form.
• By selecting this option, students indicate that they would also like to participate in the Multi-District Honor Symphony Orchestra if selected for the All-State Orchestra.
• No additional audition recording is required.  
• There will be a live chair audition at the event.  

High School Wind and Percussion Selection

• Membership for high school wind and percussion students will be determined through teacher recommendation.
• Recommended students will have the opportunity to perform as members of the Multi-District High School Honor Symphony Orchestra.

Middle School String Student Selection

• Membership in the Multi-District Middle School Honor String Orchestra will be determined through teacher recommendation.
• No separate audition is required for middle school students.
• There will be a live chair audition at the event.

The Multi-District Honor Orchestra offers students a meaningful opportunity to perform challenging, professional-quality repertoire, collaborate with musicians from other schools and communities, and participate in a high-level orchestral experience that strengthens music education throughout Louisiana.