What is MPA?
MPA stands for Music Performance Assessment. Each year, the Florida Vocal Association (FVA) hosts Choral MPA in 16 districts throughout the state. These choirs perform for a panel of distinguished adjudicators who are respected choral directors in their own right.
How are choirs assessed?
In these assessments, state standards of tone quality, performance fundamentals, musical effect and other factors associated with the highest level of choral music performance are considered by each adjudicator. Each choir is also required to sight read music as a part of the assessment. The choirs are given time to study and then perform one rhythmic piece of music and one melodic/harmonic piece of music. This skill is the ultimate FCAT demonstration. It requires that each singer use every bit of musical knowledge and apply it on the spot to create a piece of music out of thin air.
Ratings
Choirs are then given a rating that best represents their level of achievement. Ratings range from Superior, Excellent, Good, Fair and Poor.
Music educators are the only teachers that subject themselves to this kind of evaluation. Imagine a math or history teacher having their students evaluated by history experts from around the state and given a rating based on their students’ performance. Music educators and students go through these assessments in order to become more effective educators and musicians.