UIL choir sight-reading practice
The best preparation for the sight-reading room is reading something new every day, at your level, in your voicing, in the keys you will see there. abcSightReading writes a fresh exercise every time you press Generate, inside the limits of the UIL level you choose.
What each level uses
These are the settings the generator applies for each level, from UIL's choir sight-reading criteria.
| Level | Keys | Meters | Voicings | Measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F, G major | 4/4, 3/4 | SATB, SAB, SSA, two-part treble, TTB, two-part tenor-bass | 24-28 |
| 2 | F, G major | 4/4, 3/4 | SATB, SAB, SSA, two-part treble, TTB, two-part tenor-bass | 24-28 |
| 3 | Bb, F, C, G, D major | 4/4, 3/4 | SATB, SAB, SSA, two-part treble, TTB, two-part tenor-bass | 32-36 |
| 4 | Bb, Eb, F, C, G, D, A major | 4/4, 3/4, 2/4 | SATB, SAB, SSA, two-part treble, TTB, two-part tenor-bass | 32-34 |
| 5 | Ab, Eb, Bb, F, C, G, D, A, E major | 4/4, 3/4, 2/4 | SATB, SAB, SSA, two-part treble, TTB, two-part tenor-bass | 32-36 (6A: 44-52) |
Always check the current criteria on the UIL website.
A daily routine that works
- Rhythm first. Chant the rhythm on your counting system before anyone sings a pitch.
- Find do. Name the key, sing the tonic triad, and have each section find its first pitch.
- Read in solfège. Turn solfège on to check, then off to read for real.
- Sing it once, fix one thing, sing it again. Then press Generate for a new one.
Short and daily beats long and weekly. Directors with students who need more than rehearsal can assign practice with an Educator plan (coming soon) and see the minutes each student put in. Building up to it from the beginning? abcStepByStep starts from ta and ti-ti.
Questions
What is UIL sight-reading?
At UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Evaluation in Texas, a choir gets a piece it has never seen, has a set time to study it with its director, and then sings it for judges. The music is commissioned for each level, with published limits on keys, meters, rhythms and harmony.
Which level should my choir practice?
The one UIL assigns your choir by conference and whether it is a varsity or non-varsity choir. Level 1: 1C varsity, all middle school non-varsity, and 1A to 3A non-varsity. Level 2: 2C and 3C varsity, and 4A non-varsity. Level 3: 1A to 3A varsity, and 5A and 6A non-varsity. Level 4: 4A varsity. Level 5: 5A and 6A varsity. Practice a level below to build confidence, and your own level most days in the weeks before contest.
Is this made by UIL?
No. abcSightReading is an independent practice tool, not affiliated with or endorsed by the University Interscholastic League. The levels follow UIL's published choir sight-reading criteria.