<p>Angst -</p>
<p>And I love the fact that you can post your TRUE feelings to all of us - get GREAT advice and walk into the competition with a little more relaxed attitude!!!</p>
<p>Well, at least look like that on the outside.....we are PARENTS for goodness sake!!</p>
<p>Tell your daughter to GO GIRL!!</p>
<p>janenw</p>
<p>Susan, that was exactly my thought after reading your post, her voice probably stands out too much. My D. tried out for a madrigal group and she was shocked when she did not make it and later found out that her voice just stood out too much. She is actually also cutting back on her choral groups next year because its just not helping her with her solo singing anyway and she does not have time to focus on the main one she was in which required many hours of time with a very strict director. </p>
<p>Yes Razorback..you are right on with your post..one year judging was done by a beauty pagent winner.. and assorted other unqualified folks..Also there was one contestant who had the most obnoxious rowdy group of supporters..I mean they were screaming , catcalling and hooting to drum up the "audience response" which is part of the score. BUT I think they are trying to address these issues. I noticed that the kids who tried to emulate last years winner with their choice of song and presentation were not selected. (Got to see some of them at another event.) </p>
<p>Yeah I feel better about it..but Janenw.thanks for you nice post!</p>
<p>Angst, that might have very well been true in this case. But still, every judge varies in what they like so I was giving your daughter support in hoping she does not take the results of the contest too seriously because as you can see, judges varied a lot in this case I shared. She actually did make it into All State Chorus one year and also is in the select choir here which I think might be something like what madrigal is, not sure but it is a capella. I think it is good to experience all types of music....Broadway, pop, classical, jazz and it likely broadens one's singing abilities. But like with anything else, we all have our strengths and even if she won a classical voice award, I still think of her strength being showtunes. </p>
<p>By the way, last year when this situation happened with All States, she was not so much shocked but her school thought there was some mistake to see her get two state awards but not be IN the All State Festival itself to receive them (though traveled there for the concert to get them). They called the head for the state festival and even that person did a double take cause I don't think they had seen it happen before. Then it happened again this year. These things just vary and it is not that black and white. </p>
<p>I still advise you that if this year's contest your child is in leaves a bad taste as far as fairness or judging issues (not refering now to NOT winning but more to the process), you can choose to not participate in it in the future. It definitely is a different type thing than some of us have shared with things like All States, ARTS Awards, or NATS or that sort of music adjudication. </p>
<p>ABlestMom, you are too kind. While musical theater is certainly my D's passion (like so many other kids here!), she has other interests or abilities (like I also imagine is true of most kids here). </p>
<p>I'd be happy to share how NYU/Tisch goes next year because so many other parents and students on here were so helpful the past few years sharing their experiences and staying on for me and others that I would like to pass it on. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>This madrigal was a small group. She did end up in the group anyway. The director came back and asked her to sing with them.</p>
<p>Anyway, I think this is our last year with the competition. She calls it a dumb competition but one that gives a chance to perform in that type of venue. But next year she will make that call. She has participated in other types of music adjudication so she knows how judging varies.
This year has been better in the competition..they seem to have tried to correct their past issues..so we will see what happens.</p>
<p>boy susan, you're daughter must be perfect. congratulations.</p>
<p>Razorback, I truly think that your comment is not polite. If you want to be sarcastic and offensive, I don't think this is the place to do it. You know, when you posted as MrsArk, your offensive posts bothered many posters. Many of us know you then came back as Razorback and have been polite ever since. However, I don't think your post today is very polite. I have shared experiences around various topics. I usually do not start any threads.</p>
<p>I'd be the first person to tell you that my daughter is far far far from perfect. If you knew me in person, you would know that I also complain about things she does that I don't like. She is a great kid and she is my kid and like all the moms on here, we love our kids. She has her strengths but she clearly has her faults, like anyone else. </p>
<p>I don't think your post is in good taste. We share experiences here. I did not come on and start a thread about something she did but I spoke about personal experiences in reference to the topics being shared. And in fact, my purpose in sharing this one particular one was to show Angst that judging can be subjective to a point where even the head of the state program took a double take that someone won the scholarship awards but was not in the festival itself, because the judges for that part of the adjudication said one thing and the judges for the more selective awards said another and it just was what it was. It definitely was not a complaint. The idea was to explain an example of the subjectivity of judging these things. What one judge likes, another may not. That was all. Since I am no expert on these matters, all I have to go by is personal experiences and that is all I am able to share. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Susan,
Please know that countless people here value your generous and honest sharing, and can determine the difference between a sincere reply and one that is sarcastic and disingenuous. Your information and insight add so much to this forum.</p>
<p>Totally agree with you Monkey!!!
Keep posting Susan and thank you for always being willing to share your experiences!</p>
<p>susan, i'm so sorry you misinterpreted my comment. it was pretty complimentary, i thought. i don't believe i've ever criticized anyone. i do think it's inappropriate to try to place identities on people and discuss who they may or may not be. i have posted only a couple of times on this site recently only sharing some thoughts i thought were positive. again, i thought your daughter sounded pretty terrific and am sorry if you read anything else.</p>
<p>Razorback, I am just going to respond to the last post and then I wish to drop it on my end because I don't want to turn the forum into a back and forth thing of this sort. Thank you for the apology. While you are saying you meant to be complimentary, I could not help but read it as a digging kind of sarcasm because calling another child "perfect" is nothing I would even imagine saying if I WAS complimentary. She is far far from perfect. I have no clue what the congratulations were for. I was sharing experiences relating to another person's quandry. I have tried to be helpful to Angstridden now and in the past. </p>
<p>The only reason I brought up "identities" and we are ONLY talking posting names, not personal identities, is because I think that I and others have been tolerant to give a second chance here after some "mistakes" were made in the past and nobody has said anything on the forum about it. And yes, I think you have been positive on the forum as Razorback and I value your contributions. I know under any other identities in the past, some readers had been offended. Your post today felt offensive to me and back to the past. I accept your apology and good intentions. I do think using the word "perfect" is often seen in a derogatory fashion. NOBODY I know is perfect, including my own kids, far from it. And no congratulations were in order for my child in anything I posted on this thread. That is why I took your comments the way that I did. But let's move on and I welcome your continued participation and am confident we can resume respectful posting that shies away from any sarcasm or offense. Thank you and let's return to helping each other out, sharing experiences and being forum friends.
Susan</p>
<p>Susan,</p>
<p>You are always a class act. Thanks for all your postings!</p>
<p>To Soozievt:</p>
<p>I don't want to hijack this thread, but speaking of your daughter, how is she doing?</p>
<p>i, too, have no desire for a "back and forth." i posted a sincere compliment and received a couple of accusatory statements. so, I, too, am willing to forgive and just move on. i guess i can see the misunderstanding. my only interest is to share experiences and support. i am only on this forum as one person. i meant no offense to anyone and never have. no one needs to worry about forgiving me. </p>
<p>i often consider my daughter pretty perfect. she's just god's gift and i can't believe she was placed in my life, not because of her talent, of course, just because of the kind of person she is. so i consider the word, perfect, as a good thing. it doesn't have to be taken literally. no sarcasm was intended. your daughter sounds like a neat, talented kid and a congratulations (perhaps the wrong word?) would be just that it's great to have a kid like that. i probably would say the same regarding any of the kids here.</p>
<p>angst, i feel your pain. we've experienced so many contests like that. why do we keep at it?!? it can be fun though. but, i know exactly the kind of experience you're describing. in arkansas, you never know what you'll be up against. i could tell you some interesting stories. you just go on to the next one. how do you deal with it as a parent? you just get real mad and gripe all the way home. lol. i really have trouble letting it go sometimes. time helps. we've had some real disappointments, but, you just look to the next opportunity. hang in there</p>