IHSMA Outstanding Performance Showcase

• Iowa State University, Simon Estes Music Hall
  • Address: Simon Estes, Music Hall, 2427 Union Dr, Ames, IA 50011

Congratulations on being selected to perform at the Iowa High School Music Association Outstanding Performance Showcase (OPS)! Your selection represents one of the highest honors available through the State Solo and Small Ensemble Festival. The Showcase celebrates exceptional musical achievement and provides an opportunity to perform for an appreciative audience in a professional concert setting.

Before You Arrive

• Review all information provided by your director and the IHSMA office, including your assigned performance time.
• Arrive at the venue well before your scheduled performance to allow time for parking, check-in, and preparation.
• Wear the concert attire recommended by your school or director.
• Bring your instrument, music, and any required equipment or accessories.
• Ensure your instrument is in good working condition and arrives ready to perform.

Check-In

Upon arrival:

• Check in at the designated registration area.
• Receive any final instructions regarding warm-up, staging, and performance order.
• Meet your accompanist if one has been arranged, or confirm arrival if you are performing with your own accompanist.

Warm-Up

Practice rooms or designated warm-up areas will be available.

Use this time to:

• Warm up comfortably without overplaying.
• Focus on tone, breathing, technique, and musical expression.
• Stay relaxed and mentally prepare for your performance.

Your Performance

When it is your turn:

• A volunteer or stage manager will escort you to the performance area.
• Walk confidently onto the stage.
• Take a moment to compose yourself before beginning.
• Perform exactly as you have prepared.

Unlike the State Solo and Small Ensemble Festival, the Outstanding Performance Showcase is not an adjudicated event. There are no ratings or rankings. The Showcase is a celebration of musical excellence and an opportunity to share your performance with family, friends, fellow musicians, and the community.

Audience Expectations

Audience members are encouraged to:

• Remain seated during performances.
• Silence all electronic devices.
• Enter and exit the performance space only between performances.
• Show appreciation with applause at the conclusion of each performance.

Photography and Recording

IHSMA may photograph or record performances for promotional, educational, or archival purposes. Audience recording policies will be communicated at the event.

After Your Performance

Following your performance:

• Exit the stage as directed by event staff.
• Take time to enjoy performances by other outstanding student musicians from across Iowa.
• Celebrate your accomplishment with family, friends, and your director.

Make the Most of the Experience

The Outstanding Performance Showcase is more than a performance—it is an opportunity to:

• Hear exceptional musicians from across the state.
• Gain ideas and inspiration for future performances.
• Meet fellow student musicians who share your passion for music.
• Represent your school and community with professionalism and pride.

Congratulations!

Being selected for the Outstanding Performance Showcase places you among Iowa’s finest young musicians. Your dedication, preparation, and artistry have earned this opportunity. Perform with confidence, enjoy the experience, and take pride in everything you have accomplished.

The Outstanding Performance Showcase is organized into multiple performance centers, allowing audiences to experience an outstanding variety of Iowa’s finest vocal and instrumental performances throughout the day. Performers will receive an assigned performance time and location prior to the Showcase.

Performance Centers

The Showcase is typically divided into four performance centers:

Center I

• Vocal ensembles of five or more singers
• Madrigal groups
• Chamber choirs and other small vocal ensembles

Center II

• Vocal solos
• Vocal duets, trios, and quartets

Center 3

• Woodwind solos
• Low brass solos
• Instrumental duets and trios
• Additional small chamber ensembles

Center 4

• Percussion solos and ensembles
• High brass solos
• Brass chamber ensembles
• String choirs and selected chamber ensembles

Performance assignments are made by IHSMA to balance programming, provide appropriate performance spaces, and create an engaging experience for audiences.

Performance Order

Each performer or ensemble is assigned a scheduled performance time. Performances generally begin promptly and continue throughout the day in each performance center. While every effort is made to remain on schedule, minor adjustments may occur as performances progress.

Stage Flow

To ensure a smooth and professional concert experience:

• Performers report to the designated staging area prior to their scheduled performance.
• Event volunteers and stage personnel coordinate movement to and from the performance space.
• Performers enter the stage, perform their selection, acknowledge the audience, and exit as directed.
• The next performer or ensemble is then prepared for a timely transition.

This continuous performance flow allows each center to maintain an efficient schedule while minimizing interruptions between performances.

Concert Format

Unlike the State Solo and Small Ensemble Festival, the Outstanding Performance Showcase is a featured concert, not an adjudicated event. Selected students and ensembles perform as recognition of their exceptional musical achievement during the State Solo and Small Ensemble Festival.

Each performance is presented as part of a professionally produced concert celebrating the highest levels of student musicianship across Iowa. Audiences are encouraged to move between performance centers throughout the day to experience the wide variety of outstanding vocal and instrumental performances featured in the Showcase.

Selection for the Iowa High School Music Association Outstanding Performance Showcase (OPS) recognizes exceptional musical achievement and carries the responsibility of representing your school, director, and community with professionalism. Your conduct throughout the day contributes to a positive experience for fellow performers, audiences, volunteers, and event staff.

Represent Your School with Pride

Students are expected to demonstrate the same level of professionalism off the stage as they do during their performance by:

• Treating fellow performers, directors, accompanists, volunteers, and staff with courtesy and respect.
• Following directions provided by event personnel.
• Arriving at staging areas on time and prepared to perform.
• Maintaining appropriate behavior throughout the event.

Respect the Performance Environment

OPS is presented as a professional concert experience. Students should:

• Remain quiet in hallways, warm-up areas, and near performance spaces.
• Silence mobile phones and electronic devices during performances.
• Enter or exit performance areas only between performances whenever possible.
• Avoid actions that may distract performers or audience members.

Support Fellow Musicians

One of the most rewarding aspects of the Showcase is the opportunity to hear outstanding performances from students across Iowa. Students are encouraged to:

• Attend performances beyond their own.
• Applaud all performers respectfully.
• Celebrate the accomplishments of fellow musicians.
• Foster a positive and encouraging atmosphere throughout the day.

Care for Facilities and Equipment

Students are expected to:

• Respect the performance venue and its facilities.
• Handle instruments, music stands, percussion equipment, and other materials with care.
• Dispose of trash properly and help keep rehearsal and performance areas clean.
• Follow any venue-specific guidelines provided by event staff.

Professional Appearance

Students should wear the concert attire recommended by their director and maintain an appearance appropriate for a formal public performance. Professional attire reflects the significance of the recognition and the high standards of the Outstanding Performance Showcase.

Be an Ambassador for Music Education

As an OPS performer, you represent not only your school but also music education across Iowa. Your preparation, attitude, and professionalism help demonstrate the value of music education and the dedication required to achieve at the highest level.

Your selection to the Outstanding Performance Showcase is an outstanding accomplishment. By demonstrating professionalism, respect, and encouragement throughout the day, you help create an exceptional experience for everyone involved and honor the tradition of musical excellence celebrated by the Iowa High School Music Association.

The Iowa High School Music Association Outstanding Performance Showcase (OPS) represents one of the highest recognitions a student musician can receive through the State Solo and Small Ensemble Festival. Selection to perform is a reflection of exceptional preparation, artistry, and musical achievement.

Recognition of Excellence

Each year, IHSMA adjudicators identify performances that demonstrate exceptional musical quality, technical proficiency, and artistic expression. From the thousands of events presented during the State Solo and Small Ensemble Festival, only a limited number are selected to perform at the Outstanding Performance Showcase.

Being chosen is a significant accomplishment that recognizes both individual dedication and the support of directors, accompanists, families, and school music programs.

Celebrating Iowa’s Finest Student Musicians

The Showcase brings together outstanding vocalists, instrumentalists, chamber ensembles, percussionists, and small choirs from across Iowa. It provides audiences with the opportunity to experience a wide variety of exceptional performances while celebrating the depth and quality of music education throughout the state.

A Professional Performance Opportunity

Unlike an adjudicated festival, the Outstanding Performance Showcase allows students to present their music in a concert setting designed solely to celebrate artistic excellence. The experience mirrors a professional recital or chamber music performance, giving students the opportunity to share their work with an appreciative audience.

Inspiring Future Growth

For many students, the Showcase becomes a memorable milestone in their musical journey. It provides opportunities to:

• Perform alongside some of Iowa’s finest student musicians.
• Experience a high-level concert environment.
• Gain inspiration from outstanding performances across many musical styles and ensembles.
• Continue developing confidence as a performer and musician.

Representing Your School and Community

Every selected performer serves as an ambassador for their school and community. Your performance reflects the commitment of your music program, the guidance of your director, and the support of those who have encouraged your musical development.

Celebrating Music Education

The Outstanding Performance Showcase is more than a concert—it is a celebration of what music education makes possible. It recognizes the dedication, discipline, creativity, and collaboration that students develop through years of study and performance.

Your selection affirms that your hard work has resulted in a performance of exceptional quality. IHSMA is proud to recognize your achievement and celebrate your contribution to the tradition of musical excellence across Iowa.