Activities · Music and arts
Music, art and theater: NYSSMA, All-County, All-State and more
How the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) festivals work, how All-County and All-State students are chosen on Long Island, how to get ready, and where art and theater students can shine.
- NYSSMA is an evaluation, not a contest. You are scored on your own.
- Sign up through your school music teacher.
- Practice a little every day. Use the practice planner on this page.
- Art and writing: Scholastic Awards. Theater: school shows and stage crew.
General information. We list only rules and programs with an official page we opened. Rules, dates and fees change: always check the official page and your school. Facts checked November 9, 2026.
🎼 The NYSSMA Solo and Ensemble festival
- What: you play or sing a prepared piece from the NYSSMA Manual for a trained judge (an adjudicator). You get a score and written comments.
- Not a contest: each student is rated on their own. You do not compete against other students.
- Levels: the Manual lists levels I to VI, from beginner to most advanced. Your teacher helps you pick a level that fits.
- Who signs you up: your school music teacher. Solo and Ensemble entries register through DaCapo Music Festivals; Major Organization (band, orchestra, chorus) festivals register at NYSSMA.
- Zones: Nassau County is Zone 13. Suffolk County (including Deer Park) is Zone 14.
- The Manual: NYSSMA posted a new online NYSSMA Manual on July 1, 2026. Teachers use the newest edition. See NYSSMA Manual.
- Need accommodations? NYSSMA has an Accommodations Form 2027. Ask your teacher to send it early.
📅 2026-27 music dates on Long Island
- Suffolk high school All-County concertNYSCAME/SCMEA · Fri, Nov 13, 2026 (SCMEA calendar)
- Nassau PEAK Festival (grade 4)NMEA · Sat, Nov 14, 2026
- NYSSMA Winter Conference and All-State concertsDec 3-6, 2026 · Rochester
- NYSSMA Zone 13 (Nassau) Solo and Ensemble festivalsMar 5 to Jun 2, 2027 · many school sites
- NYSSMA Zone 14 (Suffolk) Solo and Ensemble festivalsMar 8 to May 25, 2027 · many school sites
- NYSSMA Zone 14 (Suffolk) Major Organization festivals (bands, orchestras, choruses)Apr 6 to Jun 9, 2027
- NYSSMA Zone 13 (Nassau) Major Organization festivalsMay 17 to Jun 4, 2027
Zone 14 (Suffolk) Solo and Ensemble sites, spring 2027
| Dates | Site | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 8-10 | Riverhead HS | Piano only |
| Mar 19-20 | West Islip Udall Rd MS | Includes jazz |
| Mar 31 | Smithtown HS West | |
| Apr 1 | Southampton HS | |
| Apr 2-3 | Miller Place HS | |
| Apr 5-6 | Patchogue-Medford HS | |
| Apr 7 | East Islip MS | |
| Apr 8 | Sachem HS North | |
| Apr 9-10 | Hauppauge HS | Piano too |
| Apr 12 | West Islip HS | |
| Apr 13 | Bellport HS | |
| Apr 14-15 | Northport HS | |
| Apr 27 | William Floyd HS | |
| Apr 28 | Ward Melville HS | |
| Apr 29 | Connetquot HS | |
| Apr 30-May 1 | Huntington HS | Piano too |
| May 6 | Mattituck-Cutchogue HS | |
| May 7-8 | Central Islip HS | Piano too |
| May 14-15 | Newfield HS (Middle Country) | |
| May 21-22 | Brentwood HS Freshman Center | Piano too |
| May 25 | Longwood JHS |
NYSSMA says the calendar is "accurate as of printing deadlines", so dates can change. Your teacher picks the site.
🎯 How to get ready
On the day
- Bring your music. Ask your teacher which copy the judge needs.
- Arrive early. Warm up.
- Smile, say your name and piece, and breathe.
- Made a mistake? Keep going. Judges listen to the whole piece.
After
- Read the judge's comments with your teacher.
- Pick 2 things to work on next.
- Write your score and level in your activity record.
🏛️ All-County festivals on Long Island
Suffolk: SCMEA
- For musicians in grades 5-10 across Suffolk County.
- Music teachers send nomination lists. SCMEA says over 7000 students are nominated and about 2800 are selected.
- A NYSSMA solo is not required for nomination, but it is highly encouraged.
- In October nominees get a commitment form. Selected students must attend every rehearsal and the concert.
- Rehearsals are traditionally the first two weekends in March, with concerts that month.
- Parents: SCMEA asks families to contact the school music teacher, not SCMEA.
- High school All-County (with NYSCAME) had its concert on Nov 13, 2026.
Nassau: NMEA
- Divisions: Division 1 (grade 5), Division 2 (grade 6), Division 3 (grades 7-8), Division 4 (grades 9-10), Division 5 (grades 11-12). PEAK festival for grade 4.
- Students are chosen using NYSSMA scores from the previous school year, teacher recommendation, instrument balance and the music.
- A school music teacher must nominate the student. Nominated does not always mean selected.
- PEAK Festival: Saturday, Nov 14, 2026.
⭐ NYSSMA All-State
- Students are heard at their zone's spring festival in an All-State evaluation. The teacher completes the online application and registers the student.
- NYSSMA's selection rules: students who receive a 98, 99 or 100 are eligible for consideration. A selection committee meets in late June and works in score and rank groups.
- The committee may also look at teacher recommendations, zone representation, grade level (especially grades 10 and 11) and the needs of each ensemble.
- The student must be a participating member of the matching school music group at the audition and at All-State.
- All-State groups perform at the NYSSMA Winter Conference in Rochester (Dec 3-6, 2026).
🎨 Art and writing
- Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (grades 7-12): see dates, fees and fee waivers on our contests page.
- Build a portfolio: keep photos of your best work with the date and what you learned. Art colleges and many arts scholarships ask for one.
- School shows: ask your art teacher about district art shows and student exhibits.
- More contests (writing, film, history): all student contests.
🎭 Theater
- School musical and plays: on stage, in the pit orchestra, or on crew (lights, sound, sets, costumes, stage manager). Crew jobs are real theater skills too.
- Teeny Awards: run by East End Arts (Riverhead) since 2002. Volunteer judges see shows at over twenty high schools on the East End of Long Island; the ceremony is in June. Ask your drama teacher if your school takes part.
🔗 Sources
We opened and checked every source in this list on Nov 9, 2026. Rules and dates change: always read the official page.
- NYSSMA home page, news and festival information: nyssma.org
- NYSSMA, 2027 Festival Calendar (PDF, Zones 13 and 14): nyssma.org; Zones: nyssma.org/zones; Winter Conference: nyssma.org
- NYSSMA, The All-State Process and All-State Selection Process (PDF): nyssma.org, PDF
- NYSSMA, The new NYSSMA Manual is live (July 1, 2026): nyssma.org
- Levels I to VI and how the festival works: Commack UFSD NYSSMA page (a Suffolk district): commack.k12.ny.us
- Suffolk County Music Educators' Association (SCMEA), FAQ and calendar: scmea.org
- Nassau Music Educators Association (NMEA), FAQ and All-County information: nassaumusic.org, All-County information
- East End Arts, Teeny Awards: eastendarts.org
- Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, How to enter: artandwriting.org