Festival Performance Guidelines

1. You are responsible for ensuring the legality of your student’s performance being streamed on the internet. Please make sure you have permissions for every student to have their photo/video shared. IMES is not responsible for negligence on the part of the teacher to obtain the proper permissions.

CLICK HERE for a template release.

2. All music played must be published, printed, and currently available to directors. Rental music will be categorized the same as published music. That is, rental music must be available from an eligible publisher and shall be considered in all other matters of grading, time, and composer/arranger as published music.

3. Students must be enrolled in your school or organization to perform with your group (though a former student may be a guest soloist).

4. The performing groups may not solicit partners or sponsors of the IMES or any of our events for funds.

5. Professional, community, and area youth organizations should complete the requested information as it applies for the CHOIR FESTIVAL ONLY. The Concert Band Festival is limited to K-12 schools.

6. All deadlines set forth by The International Music Education Summit staff must be adhered to and all documents requested must be submitted.

7. Performances streamed through the Summit will not be archived. This is considered a ‘live’ performance. Should you desire to retain the recording for sale or streaming (via YouTube or Vimeo or any other online video hosting), we recommend you acquire licensing for mechanical rights (for CD’s and digital download sales) or synchronization (for streaming). This can be done through the publishers.

8. Your submission of this application to International Music Education Summit indicates that you have read the above music-programming rules and, if accepted to perform, will abide by them throughout the planning process. Failure to do so could result in your ensemble's invitation being withdrawn.

Recording Parameters

1. Choose an appropriate space
• Use a large room or hall with a high ceiling.
• Choose a room that has minimal background noise.

2. Use the proper equipment
• Use condenser microphones, if possible.
• Record directly to CD, if possible

3. Place the microphones for a better blend
• Use two microphones on a bar on one stand, or two stands about 4 feet apart.
• Set the microphones about 15 feet high and 12-15 feet in front of the ensemble.
• Plug the left microphone (when facing the ensemble) into the left of the recorder.

4. Set the recording levels carefully
• Check levels using the loudest passage of the piece.
• Set the levels just under the loudest level on the meter.
• If using a mixer, set input level first, then mix, then main, then recorder levels.

5. Don't adjust any levels during the recording

6. Submit your video in MP4 or WAV format.

For more helpful ideas on recording, visit this extremely informative article on the Midwest Clinic website.