Coming later this Jan. the band and orchestra students have the chance to perform and be rated,at the Ohio Music Education Association, OMEA, Solo and Ensemble competitions.
“I think it’s a good opportunity that allows you to do something that you don’t the chance to during the normal classes,” said Alice Lundgren, 9
For the solos and ensembles,each student musician gets to pick the piece they will perform in front of the judges, from a list of music. The piece they pick also relates to what class they perform in. There are three classes,A, B, or C, with class A being the most challenging.
“I like the idea of the competitions because after you perform and receive your rating, you feel nice, and it’s a reward for all the time you put into the piece,” said Audrey Simons, 9.
The competition for both wind and string instruments will be held on the same day, Jan. 28.
“ Performing last year was a lot of work, but it was an interesting experience , and overall I enjoyed it and thought it was all worth the time,” said Andre Harte, 9
After performing their piece in front of the judges, the players will be given a rating , between one and five, with one being the highest, and the most honoring.
All in all, the OMEA Solo and Ensemble competitions are an excellent way for the young musicians to get the chance to select a piece, prepare it, and then perform in front of judges to receive feedback on their playing.