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A Note to Parents

Dear Parents and Students:

Achievement Day will soon be here! The Charleston Music Teachers Association sponsors this annual event for the purpose of encouraging students to perform at a higher level of musicianship and to support systematic musical growth. During Achievement Day, participating students will have the opportunity to be heard and critiqued by an adjudicator. An added benefit for the students is the realization that they are part of a large group of young musicians within the Charleston area community.

Achievement Day Information

Saturday, March 2, 2024
Charleston Southern University (Horton School of Music)
9200 University Boulevard Charleston, SC 29406
Registration Deadline: Friday, February 9, 2024
Registration Fee: $20.00
Honors Recital: Sunday, March 10, 2024 at 3:00 PM
Location: James Island Presbyterian Church
1632 Fort Johnson Rd, Charleston, SC 29412

Music: Remember to bring your music with measures numbered. Your teacher will help with this. YOU MUST BRING YOUR MUSIC! Photocopies of music will not be permitted. Students arriving without their music will only be graded on Applied Technique, Sight Reading/Singing and the written Theory Test.

Voice students should communicate the time and place of their audition with their accompanist, and should make arrangements to reimburse the accompanist. The teacher is not allowed to accompany their own student at the audition.

Ratings: Students will participate in four categories:

  • Performance: Two pieces of contrasting styles, performed by memory.
  • Technique: Scales, chords, cadences, intervals, arpeggios at the student's level.
  • Sight Reading/Singing: playing unfamiliar music on the spot as accurately as possible.
  • Theory: Written test at the student's level.
Students will be heard individually and receive points in each category by a professional adjudicator.
  • "Outstanding" - 3 points
  • "Excellent" - 2 points
  • "Very Good" - 1 point
  • "Good" - 0 point (student not prepared)
    Total Scores:
  • 10-12 points: Blue Ribbon
  • 8-9 points: Red Ribbon

Your teacher will fill out the Achievement Day registration form for you. The $ 20.00 fee should be given to your teacher as soon as possible so he or she may meet the deadline for registration.The members of CMTA want Achievement Day to be a positive experience or all students and parents who participate! If you have any further questions, please check out the CMTA Achievement Day web site: cmtachieve.org.

Achievement Day Map

The map at the bottom of this letter includes directions to the Horton School of Music. There is a parking lot adjacent to the building as well as several others nearby.

Please be sure to leave enough time in your commute to navigate traffic in Charleston.

There will be signs on campus directing people to the Registration area. After registering, students will be escorted to their auditions.

Finally, it is requested that parents/guardians wait in the Registration area for their child – no child will be discharged unless an adult is present.

Driving Directions (from I-26)

  1. Take Exit 205B to merge onto US-78 E toward US-52.
  2. Turn Left onto BUC Club Blvd.
  3. Turn Left onto Alumni Dr. Horton School of Music will be on your Left. There are several parking lots nearby. Look for the Achievement Day signs.
CSU Map - Lighstey Horton Whittington Thurmond