What is LGPE?
Every year I am asked by parents, faculty, and administration what LGPE is. Sponsored by the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), Large Group Performance Evaluation (LGPE) is the annual assessment of student achievement by each school’s musical ensembles. Although these evaluations are not counted as part of the school’s performance each year, it does, however, provide school administrators and the community with the state of music programs at each school within a school district.
Directors will choose musical literature that will demonstrate the various fundamental performance stands and concepts in the curriculum. The degree of difficulty of the compositions will vary depending on the knowledge and skills of the ensemble. Music is categorized by six different grade levels, Grade Level I compositions are for novice and beginner groups, whereas Grade Level VI is written for advanced and college-level performers. Here at Richmond Hill Middle School, our audition-based Chamber Orchestra participates at LGPE taking Grade Levels II and/or III literature. This matches the middle school orchestra curriculum and standards as set by the Georgia Department of Education Music Standards.
It is important to know that these are public evaluations and parents are encouraged to attend LGPE. With many other performances, this is also an opportunity for students to listen to other string programs in Southeast Georgia.
Each group who participates is judged by a panel of 3 judges for their performance. A fourth judge is placed in the sight-reading room for this portion of the evaluation process. The judges are approved by GMEA by a panel of teachers on each individual panel (Band, Orchestra, and Chorus) based on preset criteria. Once the approved list of judges is released for the year, each GMEA district in the state will choose the 4 judges, one of whom will serve as a head judge. The head judge is responsible for making the final decisions at the event and everyone is on the same page. These judges are assigned by GMEA.
Each judge has a score sheet, each element of the judging criteria is based on the National and State Music Standards. These are the same standards we are utilizing in our curriculum. Since many of our standards coexist, we work on focus areas such as tone, intonation, balance, blend, and musicality or how we communicate the music to the listener. Since each year’s group varies, the director will determine the level of the group and choose appropriate music for that level. These selections are from a preapproved list of compositions. These three pieces are then adjudicated and scored as below:
I – Superior: Outstanding performance. Worthy of distinction of being recognized as among the very best.
II – Excellent: Usually good performance in many respects, but not worthy of the highest rating due to minor defects. A performance of distinctive quality.
III - Good: A good performance, but not one that is outstanding. Shows accomplishment and marked promise, but lacks one or more essential qualities.
IV – Fair: A performance that shoes some obvious weakness, generally weak and uncertain.
V – Poor: A performance that reveals much room for improvement. The students reveal almost a complete lack of preparedness and understanding.
After our stage performance, the ensemble will move into the sight-reading portion of the evaluation. It is expected that we work on sight-reading skills throughout the school year. During this portion of the evaluation, the students and the conductor will be given a piece of music which is at their performance level (i.e. if we take Grade II then we will receive between grades I and II music). We are then provided a short amount of time to review the piece of music as a group where students can sing, sizzle, and clap notes and rhythms while the director provides instruction. There is no talking from students or playing during this time. After the time has expired, the group will them perform the piece for the judge at the best of their abilities. The ensemble is then graded based on their performance and their practice time.
As you can see there are many elements which go into this evaluation. It is no small feat to earn a Superior Rating, it is a lot of hard work on part of each student. To earn a Superior is a huge honor, one student should not take lightly. Achieving this honor places, the group in the top tier of ensembles. We do not take this lightly here at Richmond Hill Middle School and students are expected to be their best every day rather they perform in the beginning ensembles or our chamber orchestra. This mindset of Excellence and growth attitude is what sets us apart and earning the reputation of “Excellence through Music.”
Directors will choose musical literature that will demonstrate the various fundamental performance stands and concepts in the curriculum. The degree of difficulty of the compositions will vary depending on the knowledge and skills of the ensemble. Music is categorized by six different grade levels, Grade Level I compositions are for novice and beginner groups, whereas Grade Level VI is written for advanced and college-level performers. Here at Richmond Hill Middle School, our audition-based Chamber Orchestra participates at LGPE taking Grade Levels II and/or III literature. This matches the middle school orchestra curriculum and standards as set by the Georgia Department of Education Music Standards.
It is important to know that these are public evaluations and parents are encouraged to attend LGPE. With many other performances, this is also an opportunity for students to listen to other string programs in Southeast Georgia.
Each group who participates is judged by a panel of 3 judges for their performance. A fourth judge is placed in the sight-reading room for this portion of the evaluation process. The judges are approved by GMEA by a panel of teachers on each individual panel (Band, Orchestra, and Chorus) based on preset criteria. Once the approved list of judges is released for the year, each GMEA district in the state will choose the 4 judges, one of whom will serve as a head judge. The head judge is responsible for making the final decisions at the event and everyone is on the same page. These judges are assigned by GMEA.
Each judge has a score sheet, each element of the judging criteria is based on the National and State Music Standards. These are the same standards we are utilizing in our curriculum. Since many of our standards coexist, we work on focus areas such as tone, intonation, balance, blend, and musicality or how we communicate the music to the listener. Since each year’s group varies, the director will determine the level of the group and choose appropriate music for that level. These selections are from a preapproved list of compositions. These three pieces are then adjudicated and scored as below:
I – Superior: Outstanding performance. Worthy of distinction of being recognized as among the very best.
II – Excellent: Usually good performance in many respects, but not worthy of the highest rating due to minor defects. A performance of distinctive quality.
III - Good: A good performance, but not one that is outstanding. Shows accomplishment and marked promise, but lacks one or more essential qualities.
IV – Fair: A performance that shoes some obvious weakness, generally weak and uncertain.
V – Poor: A performance that reveals much room for improvement. The students reveal almost a complete lack of preparedness and understanding.
After our stage performance, the ensemble will move into the sight-reading portion of the evaluation. It is expected that we work on sight-reading skills throughout the school year. During this portion of the evaluation, the students and the conductor will be given a piece of music which is at their performance level (i.e. if we take Grade II then we will receive between grades I and II music). We are then provided a short amount of time to review the piece of music as a group where students can sing, sizzle, and clap notes and rhythms while the director provides instruction. There is no talking from students or playing during this time. After the time has expired, the group will them perform the piece for the judge at the best of their abilities. The ensemble is then graded based on their performance and their practice time.
As you can see there are many elements which go into this evaluation. It is no small feat to earn a Superior Rating, it is a lot of hard work on part of each student. To earn a Superior is a huge honor, one student should not take lightly. Achieving this honor places, the group in the top tier of ensembles. We do not take this lightly here at Richmond Hill Middle School and students are expected to be their best every day rather they perform in the beginning ensembles or our chamber orchestra. This mindset of Excellence and growth attitude is what sets us apart and earning the reputation of “Excellence through Music.”