Ovation: RIT’s Performing Arts Showcase | Government and Community Relations

Friday, February 2, 2024
Ingle Auditorium
Student Alumni Union
6-8pm

Judges

Erica is the inaugural director of the School of Performing Arts, here at RIT. She holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree in ethnomusicology from Brown University, and holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Mills College.

Outside of her experience in academic leadership, Haskell is well established in the music industry as co-founder and curator of Free Dirt Records, an independent record label and services company founded in 2006. Based in Washington, D.C., the label is a consciously artist-centric company dedicated to partnering traditional understandings of American roots music with new expressions that expand listeners’ understanding of American music.

Free Dirt Record artists have been nominated for two Grammy Awards in the last several years. Haskell is also co-producer of the critically acclaimed American folk music album Starlight on the Rails by U. Utah Phillips, released on AK Press and Daemon Records.

In her scholarly work, she has explored the politics of music, applied ethnomusicology, and the involvement of international humanitarian organizations in cultural events and projects in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In addition to her written publications and curatorial work, Haskell produced several visual podcasts with her students about Congolese refugee musicians living in Connecticut

Jimmie Highsmith, Jr.

Jimmie, or as friends call him, Tjari, was born September 18, 1967, in “Flower City” Rochester, NY.

Critically acclaimed, 1986 SOTA Alumni, Grammy® Nominated and award-winning Saxophonist/Flutist Jimmie Highsmith Jr. has shared the stage with and opened for multiple Grammy® Award winners, including Najee, Alicia Keys, Natalie Cole and Wynton Marselis.

In the last 20 years, he has recorded 11 top-selling smooth jazz CDs sold thousands worldwide.

Jimmie has also been honored to play on over 200 recordings with other musicians, singers, and rappers.

Jimmie Highsmith Jr’s sax work and production represent some of the best in the Smooth Jazz Genre.

Yunn-Shan Ma

Taiwan native Yunn-Shan Ma is active as a conductor, pianist, and educator in both America and Asia. Praised as being “extremely musical” and “having the gift of keeping the orchestra tight with her hands,” Ma’s range of conducting experience bridges the gap between professional, semi-professional, collegiate, and youth ensembles. With a passion for orchestral, operatic, choral, and contemporary repertoire, Ma has guest conducted select performances across Europe, Asia, and North America, including the Dohnányi Orchestra Budafok in Hungary; Cadaques Orchestra in Spain; North Czech Orchestra in the Czech Republic; Taipei Civic Orchestra; Evergreen Symphony Orchestra; and the Chin-Yun Choir in Taiwan. US engagements include Symphoria; the New York State Ballet; Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra; Genesee Symphony Orchestra; Greater Rochester Women’s Philharmonic; Geneva Light Opera; Syracuse Vocal Ensemble; Eastman School Symphony Orchestra; Eastman-Rochester Chorus; Eastman Chorale; and Eastman’s new music ensemble OSSIA.

A devoted educator, Ma has served as a frequent guest clinician and adjudicator at competitions and festivals. She has been on the faculty of the Taipei International Choral Festival since 2015. Under her astute leadership, the RIT Philharmonic Orchestra was awarded an Honorable Mention in Orchestra Performance at the American Prize 2021, while Ma herself has been a finalist in the Conducting

Competition and a semifinalist for the Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award for Conductors' Orchestral Programming.

Ma received her Doctorate of Musical Arts from the Eastman School of Music following conducting, piano, and violin performance education at the National Taiwan Normal University and the pre-college division of the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna, Austria. Her current conducting positions include Music Director of the RIT Philharmonic Orchestra; Music Director of the St. Kateri Parish in Irondequoit NY; and Music and Artistic Director of the Taiwanese Choral Society of Rochester.

Seth Sealfon

Seth Sealfon is an RIT grad from the school of engineering (BSEE ‘97).

Outside of academics at RIT, Seth was a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity and the Varsity swimming/waterpolo team.

Currently, in addition to working in the engineering field, Seth has also had the honor of playing with and managing the Uptown Groove, which is a prominent Western and Central NY corporate event and wedding band.

He is excited to be a part of this year’s RIT performing arts showcase!

Contest Rules and Entry Criteria

The showcase is open to all current RIT students (undergraduate or graduate level) who enjoy dance, music, theatre, comedy, juggling, and more. Students may participate as an individual, ensemble or group. There is no fee to register.

Prize money will be awarded to the top two performances of the showcase. First place will receive $1,000 and second place will receive $500.

Registration forms must be submitted by the deadline of November 17, 2023, via the RIT Performing Arts Department CampusGroups page. Questions can be submitted to the Director of Imagine RIT, Ann Ielapi, at imagine@rit.edu.

Event organizers will review submissions using CampusGroups. An audio/video file of your performance (YouTube link preferred) must be included with your submission to be considered for the final show. Finalists will be chosen by January 14, 2024. Winners will be announced at the conclusion of the event on February 2, 2024.

Submit your registration here

* All awards, prizes, and/or gifts given by RIT are taxable to the recipient, students, and non-students alike.

For Non-resident aliens: Any awards, prizes, and/or gifts received by a non-resident alien are immediately taxable at 30%.

All non-resident alien prize recipients should contact RIT payroll/accounts payable as soon as possible to make arrangements to pay their tax due upon receipt of the award/prize/gift. A 1042-S document will be issued at year-end to summarize the amount of miscellaneous income that is being reported to the IRS.

For U.S. citizens and/or U.S. resident aliens: Any awards, prizes, and/or gifts received by a U.S. citizen and/or U.S. resident are taxable at TBD%.

All U.S. citizens and/or U.S. resident alien prize recipients will receive a 1099-MISC document from RIT’s payroll/accounts payable, if applicable, at year-end to summarize the amount of miscellaneous income that is being reported to the IRS.

General Rules

The showcase is open to all RIT amateur students and student groups with the exception of Faculty led ensembles. The students and/or student groups may consist of student clubs, organizations, or unaffiliated groups or individuals.

All categories of the Performing Arts will be judged together to determine a final winner. Approximately fifteen finalists will be chosen from the applications to compete during the Ovation event. No more than three performing groups or individuals from any category will be selected to perform in the final showcase.

Submissions containing copyrighted material (e.g., music, dramatic works, etc.) may require permission from the copyright owner(s). In some cases, RIT may already have the appropriate permissions. However, submissions will be reviewed to determine whether additional or separate permissions are required prior to the event. In the event permission is not obtained for a submission prior to February 2, 2024, the submission may not be included in the event.

Each type of performance must adhere to the category-specific criteria below.

Dance

Sole or ensemble dance.
All dance pieces must not be more than 4 minutes.
Please indicate the song(s) you will use on your registration form. If an original music mix is being used, please submit a copy of the recording with your registration form.
No sound enhancements on tapes may be used. Background sound enhancements of taps, clogging, etc. are not permitted.
The sound system in Ingle auditorium can use a MP3 Player or iPod/iPhone.

Music - Instrumental

Solo or Ensemble: Jazz, classical, etc.
Instrumental pieces may not be over 4 minutes.
Instrumental participants must include a copy of the music with the registration form.
Instrumental pieces are not required to be memorized, but it may be to your advantage to have it memorized.
An electric keyboard may be used.

Theatre and Monologue

Monologues or Soliloquies, performance pieces, scenes from comedies, tragedies or drama, or One-Act Plays must be at least 3 minutes and no longer than 4 minutes in length.
Interruption by audience applause does not count against time.
A copy of the script must be turned in with the registration form.
Set up and tear down on stage is limited to 5 minutes.

Variety

Comedy, juggling, acrobatics, magic or novelty acts no more than 4 minutes in length.
Interruption by audience applause or laughter does not count against time.
Set up and tear down on stage is limited to 5 minutes.

Vocal - A cappella or with piano or guitar

Solo or ensemble singing with or without accompaniment.
Vocal pieces may not be over 4 minutes.
Vocal participants must include a copy of their music with the registration form. Music turned in must have both music and lyrics.
If using recorded music for accompaniment, there should be no voices in the background unless it is those of actual performers.
If recorded musical accompaniment is required, a CD or playable music file must be delivered to imagine@rit.edu, University Services Center suite 2350 one week in advance of the challenge. Challenge committee will not edit or mix any music files for the performer.
Accompaniment time is included in the time limit.
We strongly encourage that vocal pieces be memorized.

Vocal - with band

Solo or ensemble singing with an accompaniment.
Vocal pieces may not be over 4 minutes.
Vocal participants must include a copy of their music with the registration form. Music turned in must have both music and lyrics.
If using recorded music for accompaniment, there should be no voices in the background unless it is those of actual performers.
If recorded musical accompaniment is required, a CD or playable music file must be delivered to imagine@rit.edu, University Services Center suite 2350 one week in advance of the challenge. Challenge committee will not edit or mix any music files for the performer.
Accompaniment time is included in the time limit.
We strongly encourage that vocal pieces be memorized.

We ask that all performing arts entries are sensitive to a diverse audience which includes families and children (people of all ages).

All materials to be performed are subject to review and approval by event organizers. Materials which include foul language, racial or religious overtones, or other topics/subjects deemed inappropriate by event organizers will not be allowed.

Be considerate of other participants.
If special introductions are desired, please send with entry.
No Props, costumes, set pieces will be provided.
A sound system, microphones and lighting will be provided.
No explosive devices or smoke bombs will be allowed.
For ensembles and groups, a majority of participants should be current RIT students. Remaining participants may be faculty, staff, alumni, or non-RIT students/individuals.
Individuals may participate in more than one performance.
At the judges’ discretion, points may be deducted for performances that go over the allotted time.
Material used may be original or obtained from any source and/or any suitable subject.

Final Judging

A panel of judges will use a scoring rubric that addresses the following categories: execution, artistic expression, presentation, creativity, and audience reaction.

Please direct all questions related to the competition to the Director of Imagine RIT, Ann Ielapi, at imagine@rit.edu or call 585-475-4329. Thank you.