I noticed on BrynnPark that they said there would be a "1 te, te" rhythm. If this is the same as "1 &, &", I thought this level wasn't supposed to have it? Just wondering because we will be taking this level next year and I need to know if we are going to have it regularly.
To be blunt with the Level 3, you never know what you're going to get. It's partially due to the wide ranges of groups that need to read it. 3A Varsities, 3C Varsities, 5A NV/Sub NV all read that level... talk about some pretty large disparities in ensemble levels! (It's resulted in some of the worst written traps I think over the years too!)
Add in the fact that post-COVID SR requirements are actually the Old Pre-COVID Level 1, it's hard to know. I'm also curious if UIL at some point increases those requirements again?
This years was very relatable to the Grade 3 pieces my kids had worked on. I could point and say, 'This is like this.' If you only played the minimal requirements of a Grade 2 and a Grade 1 on stage you were in a different situation as there were a lot of exposed'ish moments. The writing also made it hard to bring out the melody in one section. (During the rehearsal I told my kids to go one on a part in that section - I really do like the rehearsal opportunity!)
If you want to prepare your kids and they follow current rules, go find some older Level 1 pieces, and then get the current Level 3 and maybe some older Level 3 pieces in the mix. I generally feel if you can play the older Level 3 pieces you'll be fine under the new requirements.
I've been waiting for someone to catch this. All the composer did was find a loophole around the eighth - quarter - eighth rhythm by simplifying the quarter into an eighth followed by an 8th rest. Bogus if you ask me because the tonguing is the exact same as the forbidden eighth - quarter - eighth rhythm. You would think the committee would be smarter than this, but I guess not (or doesn't care)...
Read it. Yes they took out the "traditional" form of but this is essentially the same thing. To say otherwise is being pedantic. All three judges mentioned the "syncopated" rhythms. The contest host and region secretary mentioned the "syncopated" rhythm. My guess is this piece was written with e-q-e rhythm and when the criteria were revised, the rhythm was altered to "fit" the criteria. The sightreading criteria need to be more specific in regards to what is and isn't allowed. This is the reason there are so many issues with the pieces. Just like a few years ago when the level 3 started with trills ("Ascension"). Since the rules don't say there can't be trills, that meant they were fine to have. The whole "Try to avoid any device that might be viewed as a “trick”. Technically, rhythmically and harmonically, the music should be straightforward and logical." doesn't cut it. The last sentence is completely laughable when if comes to the most of the level 3s. But honestly, if the UIL music department really cared they would fix the problem. They aren't doing anyone any favors by allowing these type of pieces that would have made my composition professor in college angry (he would have kicked me out of the studio if I turned in some of the works UIL uses for SR). The sightreading music doesn't need to be an award winning composition, but shoul dbe something that shows students have basic music reading skills without having to worry about some weird tricks or traps. Heck, this year's level 3 wasn't even scored well. All three of my judges commented on the scoring and how it made it difficult for the band to balance to the melody. I could go on (all the pickup entrances, a random and unnecessary percussion break, weird intervals, etc) but makes my blood pressure rise just thinking about it.