Digital Music Showcase

Students are welcome to submit their original compositions for the opportunity to have them presented at the Annual FMEA Professional Development Conference in January.

General Guidelines:

1. All Florida students in grades K-12 are eligible to participate. Students must, however, be nominated by an FMEA member teacher.
2. Students can enter one of three divisions: elementary (k-5), middle school (6-8), or high school (9-12).
3. Students can submit compositions individually or as part of a collaborative group.
4. Each student can only be involved in one submission.
5. The submission deadline is 5:00 pm EST on November 1, 2023.

There are three submission categories:

1. Live Performance. This category includes musical compositions that involve one or more live performers who manipulate sound in real-time.
Guidelines for Live Performance:

• Submissions can include original compositions, mash-ups, partner songs, re-mixes, covers, etc. Live performance pieces must be no longer than 4 minutes in length.
• Compositions can involve any single musical style or combination of musical styles. While live performance compositions can include any combination of instruments and vocalists, they must prominently feature at least one digital instrument (computers, electric guitars, phones, electronic toys, tablets, synthesizers, midi controllers, microphones, electronic drums, loopers, etc.).
• The inclusion of other performing arts, such as movement, dance, theater, poetry, and visual art, are all encouraged.
• The primary digital components must be performed live. Pre-recorded sound files will be limited to short samples being triggered and secondary background material for pieces (i.e., soundscapes, drones, etc.). Longer pre-recorded sound files that play a significant role in the primary texture of the piece are prohibited.
• Students will have no more than eight minutes of setup time and four minutes of take-down time for personal equipment.

2. Fixed Media. This category includes musical compositions that are completely pre-recorded.
Guidelines for Fixed Media:

• Submissions can include original compositions, mash-ups, partner songs, re-mixes, covers, etc. Fixed media pieces must be no longer than 4 minutes in length. Submissions can be via either an audio or video file.
• Compositions can involve any single musical style or combination of musical styles.
• While fixed media compositions can include recordings of any combination of instruments and vocalists, they must prominently feature digitally produced sounds.
• Fixed media compositions can include video recordings of other performing arts, such as movement, dance, theater, poetry, and visual art.

3. Music with Video. This category includes musical compositions that include video.
Guidelines for Music with Video

• Submissions in this category combine original music with video.
• Original sound can be any combination of synchronized music and sound effects that support on-screen action/movement and/or mood.
• Video can be any combination of original material or existing video.
• Music with Video pieces must be no longer than 4 minutes in length. 
• Submissions must be in a video file.
• While Music with Video compositions can include recordings of any combination of instruments and vocalists, they must prominently feature digitally produced sounds.

Submission Process

FMEA member teachers may nominate as many students and/or student groups as they wish. Each nomination must include the following:

1. A video recording of a live performance of the full piece (for live performance category submissions) or a video or audio recording of the full piece (for fixed media category submissions), or a video recording of the full piece (for music with video category submissions).
   • The video should be uploaded to a video-sharing site such as YouTube, Vimeo, TeacherTube, or the composer's or school's/teacher's website. Make sure it's set so that anyone with the link can view the video. For example, in YouTube, this would be "Unlisted" but not private, and in Google Drive the sharing settings should be "anyone with the link" can view. The online application will ask for the link/URL.
   • If submitting an Audio recording (fixed media category only), it should be an mp3 file. The application will ask you to upload it. 
2. A full score as a pdf file (if applicable)
3. The online application will ask for: composer name(s) and email(s), school name(s), year(s) in school, composition title, duration, listing of instrumentation and equipment used, an analysis of the piece's form, one or two paragraphs describing the compositional/creative process, a listing of student performers that includes name, email, school name, year in school, and type of participation in the composition for each student, and links to uploaded video/audio files.

The submission deadline is 5:00pm EST November 1, 2023. Only applications completed by this time will be considered. Students whose works are selected for presentation at the annual FMEA Professional Development Conference will be notified by November 19 and will be expected to register for the Conference.

Online Nomination Application

If you have questions or experience any problems with the online nomination process, please use our Contact Us page.