21 WCS Band Students Qualify For State Solo And Ensemble Contest
February 2, 2022 at 12:00 a.m.
21 WCS Band Students Qualify For State Solo And Ensemble Contest
By Staff Report-
This year, 39 musical soloists and ensembles competed at NorthWood High School. Thirty-four of those performances earned a gold rating, with another five earning silver, according to a news release from Warsaw Community Schools.
Kyle Travis, assistant band director at Warsaw Community High School, said, “This contest is such a unique opportunity for our students. Much of what we do in the band program is a group activity, where ensembles of 30 or more students have to work together to create music. With this activity, it is focused on individual students in their solo performance or a small group of students performing in an ensemble. The performance is a showcase of each individual student’s hard work, which is really rewarding to see.”
Warsaw band students in sixth through 12th grades competed at this year’s contest and were placed in different groups based on years of experience. The most experienced students have the opportunity to compete at state finals if they earned a gold rating at this weekend’s contest.
“We’re so excited to have 21 students competing at our state event,” said Travis. “This is the highest number of students we’ve had to qualify for the event in a long time. It says a lot about how hard our students are working and what they are capable of. I’m so proud of all of our students that competed.”
The ISSMA State Solo and Ensemble contest will take place at North Central High School in Indianapolis Feb. 26.
Several students will also have the opportunity to perform their music for the public at the band’s Winter Showcase concert on March 29.
Admission will be free of charge.
This year, 39 musical soloists and ensembles competed at NorthWood High School. Thirty-four of those performances earned a gold rating, with another five earning silver, according to a news release from Warsaw Community Schools.
Kyle Travis, assistant band director at Warsaw Community High School, said, “This contest is such a unique opportunity for our students. Much of what we do in the band program is a group activity, where ensembles of 30 or more students have to work together to create music. With this activity, it is focused on individual students in their solo performance or a small group of students performing in an ensemble. The performance is a showcase of each individual student’s hard work, which is really rewarding to see.”
Warsaw band students in sixth through 12th grades competed at this year’s contest and were placed in different groups based on years of experience. The most experienced students have the opportunity to compete at state finals if they earned a gold rating at this weekend’s contest.
“We’re so excited to have 21 students competing at our state event,” said Travis. “This is the highest number of students we’ve had to qualify for the event in a long time. It says a lot about how hard our students are working and what they are capable of. I’m so proud of all of our students that competed.”
The ISSMA State Solo and Ensemble contest will take place at North Central High School in Indianapolis Feb. 26.
Several students will also have the opportunity to perform their music for the public at the band’s Winter Showcase concert on March 29.
Admission will be free of charge.
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