CDMMEA Sight Reading Guidelines (revised 6/12/25)

We will be using sight reading that is created using
the site, SightReadingFactory.com.

The sight has published CDMMEA tabs to automatically set preferences to match our guidelines.
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Individual teachers have to send a support email and they will get a single use code to use for that one educator to purchase however many students ones. [email protected]

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 SENIOR FESTIVAL VOCAL SIGHT READING GUIDELINES (rev. 5/2025)

    Examples will be:

1. Created using the program Sight Reading Factory 
2. Set at Massachusetts MEA Central District Senior Festival Voice Audition
   1. There are no ties, accidentals, dynamics or articulations
   2. Consistent Tempo is a scored category (see score sheet)
3. Soprano &  Alto will be in treble clef, Bass in bass clef, Tenor in both,
4. Written in a Major key of up to 2 sharps or 2 flats with leaps no greater than a 5th, no accidentals and may not be in the same key as the solo,
5. 8 measures long in either 3/4, or 4/4 time, and may use any or all of the following note values; 
   1. Whole notes, half notes & dotted half notes,
   2. Quarter notes & simple eighth note patterns & dotted quarter – eighth patterns,
   3. Half & quarter rests.
6. Will begin and end on “Do” 
7. Vocalists at the senior high level will need to establish their own "DO" for the sight-reading example. Students will be scored on singing the correct interval relationship and not penalized for singing in a different key. Students may establish "DO" using any method that their music director recommends at the start of their 60-second practice time. NO reference pitch will be given.

Sr. Vocal Students:

1. Will be given a maximum of 60 seconds to look at the example before starting to sing,
2. While previewing the excerpt, students may tap or hum quietly to themselves,
3. Must sing written pitches (no humming, whistling, speaking, etc), in order to be fully scored (see audition sheet – sight reading),
4. May use solfege, numbers or a neutral syllable  when they vocalize,
5. Will have only one opportunity to perform the sight singing example, Requests to restart will not be allowed.

SENIOR FESTIVAL INSTRUMENTAL SIGHT READING GUIDELINES (rev. 5/2025)

    Examples will be:

1. Created using the program Sight Reading Factory 
2. Set at Massachusetts MEA Central District Senior Festival Instrumental Audition
3. Written in a Major key of up to 4 sharps or 4 flats with accidentals (excluding snare),
4. 8 measures long in either 3/4, 4/4 or 6/8 time, and may use any or all of the following note values; 
   1. Whole notes, half notes & dotted half notes, quarter notes & eighth note patterns  
   2. Dotted quarter/eighth patterns, simple eighth/sixteenth notes patterns, 
   3. Mixed eighth & sixteenth notes patterns, quarter & eighth note triplet patterns, 
   4. Half, quarter & eighth, rest combinations.
5. Limited to intervals up to a 5th, there may be ties, accidentals, articulations and various tempo markings (see score sheet)

Sr. Instrumental Students:

1. Will be given a maximum of 60 seconds to look at the example before starting to play,
2. While previewing the excerpt, students may finger, tap or hum quietly to themselves,
3. Will have only one opportunity to perform the sight singing example, Requests to restart will not be allowed.

**Please note: At this time, Sight Reading Factory does not supply sample Timpani, or Jazz sight reading examples. These will be created using the guidelines above.

JUNIOR FESTIVAL VOCAL SIGHT READING GUIDELINES (rev. 5/2025)
    
    Examples will be:

1. Created using the program Sight Reading Factory 
2. Set at Massachusetts MEA Central District Junior Festival Voice Audition
3. In the same clef that the student's solo song part is written,
4. Written in a Major key of up to 1 sharps or 1 flat with diatonic step motion only and may not be in the same key as the solo,
5. 4 measures long in either 3/4, or 4/4 time, and may use any or all of the following note values; whole notes, half notes & quarter notes (no eighth notes), 1/2 & 1/4 rests.
6. There are no ties, accidentals, dynamics, articulations, or tempo requirements (see sheet)
7. Will begin and end on “Do”.
8. Students singing in a different tonality, but with accurate intervals, will be Scored as performed

Jr. Vocal Students:

1. Will be given “Do” in the sight-reading tonality,
2. Will be given a maximum of 30 seconds to look at the example before starting to sing,
3. While previewing the excerpt, students may tap or hum quietly to themselves,
4. Must sing written pitches  (no humming, whistling, speaking, etc.), in order to be fully scored (see audition sheet – sight reading),
5. May use solfege, numbers or a neutral syllable  when they vocalize,
6. Will have only one opportunity to perform the sight singing example, Requests to restart will not be allowed.

JUNIOR FESTIVAL INSTRUMENTAL SIGHT READING GUIDELINES (rev. 5/2025)
    
    Examples will be:

1. Created using the program Sight Reading Factory 
2. Set at Massachusetts MEA Central District Junior Festival Instrumental Audition
3. Written in a Major key of up to 3 sharps or 3 flats with accidentals (concert pitch),
4. 8 measures long in either 3/4 or 4/4 time, and may use any or all of the following note values; 
   1. Quarter notes & dotted quarter notes (including dotted quarter/eighth groups),
   2. Whole notes, half notes & dotted half notes, simple eighth & sixteenth notes patterns,
   3. Half, quarter & eighth rest combinations.
5. Limited to a 5th jump, there may be ties, accidentals, articulations and various tempo markings (see score sheet)

Jr. Instrumental Students:

1. Will be given a maximum of 60 seconds to look at the example before starting to play,
2. While previewing the excerpt, students may finger, tap or hum quietly to themselves,
3. Will have only one opportunity to perform the sight singing example, Requests to restart will not be allowed.

**Please note: At this time, Sight Reading Factory does not supply sample Timpani, or Jazz sight reading examples. These will be created using the guidelines above.