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Subchapter B: MUSIC (1109)

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Section 1109: MEDIUM ENSEMBLE

(a) WIND AND PERCUSSION EVENTS.

Wind and percussion medium ensembles shall consist of a minimum of 11 and a maximum of 24 performers with no more than 2 players per part and shall perform in the following categories (event code in parentheses):

(1) Brass Ensemble (380);
(2) Woodwind Ensemble (282);
(3) Percussion Ensemble (581);
(4) Wind-Percussion Ensemble (881);
(5) Jazz Ensemble (981); and
(6) Experimental Ensemble (890).

(b) STRING EVENTS.

String medium ensembles shall consist of a minimum of 11 and a maximum of 24 performers with no more than 4 players per part and shall perform in the following categories (event code in parentheses):

(1) String Ensemble (480);
(2) String Ensemble with Winds and Percussion (481); and
(3) Experimental Ensemble (490)

(c) VOCAL EVENTS.

Vocal medium ensembles shall consist of a minimum of 11 and a maximum of 24 vocalists with no more than 8 to a part and shall perform in the following categories (event code in parentheses):

(1) Mixed Vocal Ensemble (180);
(2) Treble Medium Ensemble (181);
(3) Tenor-Bass Medium Ensemble (182);
(4) Pop/Swing Ensemble (980); and
(5) Experimental Ensemble (880)

(d) MARIACHI EVENTS.

Mariachi ensembles shall consist of a minimum of 11 and a maximum of 24 vocalists and instrumentalists with no more than two performers per part and shall perform in the following categories (event code in parentheses):

(1) Traditional. Traditional mariachi conforms to traditional mariachi instrumentation and part distribution (900).

(2) Experimental. Experimental ensemble that demonstrates the mariachi performance tradition but with no requirements in terms of instrumentation and/or part distribution (910).

(e) ELIGIBILITY.

(1) Grades. Medium ensembles in region contests shall be open to students in grades 9, 10, 11, 12.

(2) Eligibility. All participants in the UIL Medium Ensemble competition shall meet the eligibility requirements as listed under Section 1102 and be certified to represent his or her school in UIL competition by the school’s principal (or designee).

(3) Seventh and Eighth Grade Students. In composite organizations (5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, A), a seventh or eighth grade student may perform in the medium ensemble contest provided that the majority of the ensemble members are in grades 9-12.

(4) Limitation. A student may enter two medium ensemble events provided they are different events as listed in Section 1109 (a), 
(b), (c)  and (d), in addition to the limitations stated in Section 1108 (d).

(f) ENTRY PROCEDURES.
See Section 1103.
(g) PERFORMANCE REGULATIONS.

(1) Open Class. Medium ensembles shall perform in open class.

(2) Music Selection.

(A) A medium ensemble may select music from any source provided that no selection is (was) performed by the band, orchestra or choirs in a UIL organization event during the current school year.

(B) Medium ensembles are encouraged to perform more than one selection as long as the time limitation of 15 minutes is not exceeded.

(C) Repertoire should be comparable to Class 1 ensemble repertoire.

(D) A medium ensemble may not perform a selection that was performed by a similar medium ensemble from the same school in the previous year, unless at least half the members of the group did not participate in the medium ensemble the previous year.

(E) A medium ensemble may not perform a selection that is also being performed by any or all of the ensemble members as a small ensemble.

(3) Conducting. Any medium ensemble may be conducted.

(4) Performance Time. Performance time for a medium ensemble shall be limited to not more than 15 minutes, including performance, entering and clearing the performance area.

(5) Score. The judge shall be provided with a copyright compliant full score with measures numbered. Judges are prohibited from adjudicating a performance if a copyright compliant full score is not provided.

(6) Judges. It is recommended that all medium ensemble judges be selected from the Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA) active list or provisional list of judges.