FAQ’s

Calendar Questions

When is the Lander Choral Festival?

Date is TBA in February, 2022.

The date for the Lander Choral Festival will be announced as soon as possible.

What is the deadline for choral festival registration?

Registration must be completed by:

• Early Registration: submitted by January, 2022, TBA.
• Late Registration: submitted January, 2022, TBA.

Registration Questions

What is the deadline and what are the fees for registration?

• Early Registration fee is $60.00 (by January, 2022, TBA).
• Late Registration fee is $90.00 (January, 2022, TBA).

How do I register my choir for the festival?

Registration for the Lander Choral Festival is a four step process. You will provide:

1. Performance Information (titles, composers, composer dates, publication information, set up information, soloists, accompanist).
2. Changing Room Reservations Information (number of men and women). Students who change clothes on campus are strongly urged to use assigned changing rooms before or after their stage performance. Festival participants may not change clothes in campus building restrooms.
3. Optional Meal Reservations Information. (number of students and chaperones who will eat in the Lander Cafeteria). Cafeteria meals for choral festival directors, chaperones, and choir members are ONLY $6.00, including the salad and dessert bars!
4. Online payment of registration fee (only digital payment by p-card or credit card will be accepted).

What is the registration procedure?

• Please note: after you begin the registration process, you may save your registration and return to it any time before January 31, 2020.
• Changing room reservations for changing rooms are part of the registration process.
• Meal reservations are part of the registration process.
• Before you register, gather the following registration information:
  • Performance information:  titles, composers, composer dates, publication information, set up information, soloists, accompanist.
  • Changing room information:  number of men and women.
  • Optional Meal reservation information for the Lander Cafeteria (meal is ONLY $6.00, including the salad and dessert bars.): number of students and chaperones who will eat in the Lander Cafeteria.
  • A form of online payment (only digital payment by p-card or credit card will be accepted).
• Please call the choral festival staff, 864.388.8323, if you have any questions regarding registration.
• If you have gathered your information, you may start your Registration.

What information do I need to register?

• Performance information: titles, composers, composer dates, publication information, set up information, soloists, accompanist.
• Changing room information: number of men and women. Please note: Students in participating choirs are prohibited from changing clothes in campus restrooms.
• Meal reservation information for the Lander Cafeteria (ONLY $6.00, including the salad and dessert bars.): number of students and chaperones who will eat in the Lander Cafeteria.
• A form of online payment (only digital payment by p-card or credit card will be accepted).

Can I save my registration and return to it later?

Yes, you may save your registration and return to it any time before January, 2022, TBA.

Is there a way to register by mail?

All registrations and fee payments for the festival are handled online.

When is the Changing Room Reservation due?

Changing Room Reservations are due at registration time. Please note: Students in participating choirs are prohibited from changing wardrobe in campus restrooms.

When is the Meal Reservation due?

Meal Reservations are due at registration time.

Will I receive confirmation and a receipt for payment after I register?

Yes, a registration confirmation and a receipt for payment of the registration fee will be emailed to the director after registration is submitted.

May I bring more than one ensemble to the festival?

Yes! Participating schools may bring two ensembles: one mixed (SATB) ensemble and one homogenous (SSAA/TTBB) ensemble.

Where do I register when I arrive on campus?

Please register at the registration desk in the Johnston Commons of the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center when you arrive on campus.

Changing Room Questions

What if my choir needs changing rooms before or after they perform?

Changing room reservations are part of the festival registration process. Changing rooms will be available for every choir 30 minutes before warm up and 30 minutes after stage performance. Please note: Students in participating choirs are prohibited from changing wardrobe in campus restrooms.

What are the changing room procedures for each choir?

• Choirs that reserve changing rooms will meet their festival staff host at the registration desk a few minutes before their scheduled wardrobe change time.
• The host will escort the choir to their assigned changing rooms.
• When everyone is changed, the host will escort choir members to their warm up room.
• The host will escort the choir back to their changing rooms immediately following their performance.

What do we do with our “stuff” after we change and while we perform?

• Choirs should take all of the wardrobe “stuff” with them to their warm up room.
• There will be a designated place for “stuff” during the choir’s warm up and performance.
• Choirs are encouraged to place a chaperone in charge of watching all of the choir’s “stuff” in the designated area during warm up and performance.
• While we provide the space to park your “stuff,” Lander University and the Lander University Choral Festival are not responsible for its safety.

Warm Up Questions

What are the warm up procedures for each choir?

• Choirs that do not reserve changing rooms will meet their festival staff host at the registration desk a few minutes before their scheduled warm up time.
• Choirs will be escorted to their warm up room by their festival staff host.
• The festival staff host will show each choir the designated place for their “stuff.”
• Each choir will have approximately 20-30 minutes in their assigned warm up room.
• Each warm up room is equipped with a piano, but no risers.
• At the end of the warm up period the festival staff host will escort each choir to the stage.

Performance Questions

How many pieces will each choir perform?

Participating choirs are asked to perform two or three pieces. When three pieces are performed the first selection is considered a warm up piece and will be adjudicated, but not scored.  Performance selections may be a cappella or accompanied.

Do I need to bring music for the adjudicators?

Yes. Choirs must bring three copies of each piece with all measures numbered. Any cuts in the music or deviations from the printed score must be clearly identified.

How will the stage be set up for our performance?

The stage set will have six (6) sets of choral risers (three-step risers, making a total of four levels, including the floor), a music stand, a conductor’s podium, a page turner’s chair, and a 9-foot Yamaha grand piano with adjustable bench.

Will our performance be recorded?

All performances are recorded and each choir will receive a digital copy of their performance after the festival.

How is the festival adjudicated?

Three clinicians will adjudicate each choir’s performance using the Lander University Choral Festival Adjudication Form.  Adjudication scores and comments are given to each choir at the close of the festival. Scores for festival performances are announced at the awards ceremony at the close of the festival.  Judges will simultaneously record their comments as each choir performs. These comments will be given to each choir in digital form after the festival.

What will clinicians do with my choir?

One clinician will work with each choir in an open clinic format following the choir’s performance.

What will my choir and chaperones do after we perform?

Immediately following their performance, each choir will be escorted by their host to wardrobe changing rooms. Please note: students in participating choirs are prohibited from changing wardrobe in campus restrooms. After wardrobe changes, students and chaperones are asked to remain in the Cultural Center. Choirs are also encouraged to be in the Cultural Center before they sing to provide respectful support of other choirs and participate in the learning process as clinicians work with other ensembles.

Food Questions

Can participants eat snacks or drinks in the Auditorium?

No food or drink is allowed in the auditorium.

Can participants eat a meal on campus?

Yes, participants may eat in the Lander Cafeteria, provided a meal reservation is made by the director in the registration process.

What is the cost for on campus dining for choral festival participants?

Choral festival participants will pay $6.00 for their meal, if their director has made a reservation in the registration process.

How do we pay for on campus dining?

• Due to a record number of students enrolled at Lander, participating choirs who eat in the cafeteria are required to make a single payment for their entire group to expedite meal service in the cafeteria.
• The Lander University Cafeteria will accept Mastercard and Visa credit cards or checks made out to Aramark.
• Participating choirs that wish to pay with a school purchase order should contact Nancy Goplerud, goplerud-nancy@aramark.com, 864.388.8723, to make arrangements for payment.

Can participants eat off campus?

Yes. A wide variety of fast food destinations and other restaurants are available in Greenwood. A few of these places are within walking distance (10-15 minutes) of the Lander University campus.

Adjudicators/Clinicians

Who will be the adjudicators/clinicians for the festival?

Information about adjudicators/clinicians can be found here.

Driving Directions, Campus and Parking Maps

How do I get driving directions to the festival?

Driving directions from many locations can be found on the Lander University Campus Map and Directions web page.

Where do choirs perform at the festival?

All choirs perform in the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center at Lander University. The Abney Cultural Center is known for its excellent acoustics both on stage and in the hall. Every choir will have a truly professional performance experience on Cultural Center stage, which is quipped with a custom shell designed by Wenger, Inc., and professional stage lighting.

How will I find my way around the Lander University campus?

A Campus Map (pdf) can be found on the Lander UniversityCampus Map and Directions web page. The choral festival is located in the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center, marked CC on the campus map.

What is the GPS Address for Lander University?

Lander University uses the GPS Address of the Carnell Learning Center (LC on the campus map), which is adjacent to the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center Auditorium (CC on the campus map), the home of the choral festival. The GPS address is:

308 Willson Street
Greenwood, SC 29649

Where do I park at Lander University?

This campus parking map (pdf) will be useful if you are unfamiliar with campus locations and will help you determine the closest parking lots for campus buildings.

• Busses should park on campus in the FSC Lot 15 on the campus map, which can be accessed from Sproles Street on the northern side of the campus.
• Other vehicles of choral festival guests may park in any space on the Lander University campus, as long as the space is not marked “Reserved.” Unauthorized parking in “Reserved” spaces will result in towing.
• Parking in the Lide-FSC (FSC Lots, 5, 6, and 10 on the campus map) parking lots across Willson Street from the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center makes access to the festival very easy.

Where do busses park for the festival?

• Busses should park on campus in the FSC Lot 15 on the campus map, which can be accessed from Sproles Street on the northern side of the campus.

How much is parking at Lander University?

Parking for all visitors is free.

Festival Schedule

What is the general schedule for the choral festival?

In general the choral festival will run from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm.

What is the specific schedule for the choral festival?

The specific schedule will be posted here after the late registration deadline has passed.

Awards

Why are awards given at the choral festival?

Awards are one way to recognize the quality of participating choirs’ performances. While awards are not the most important reason to perform, they tend to keep students motivated and reward the hard work and artistry of participating choirs in a special way.

What awards are given at the choral festival?

Awards are given in several categories and are based on the adjudicator’s scores. Awards in the past have been given for:

• First, Second, and Third Place Overall Performance.
• Superior, Excellent, and Good Performance ratings.
• Outstanding Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass Section.
• Outstanding Student Accompanist.
• Outstanding Repertoire.
• Outstanding Small Ensemble.
• Most Inspiring Performance.