Wildcat musicians put talent on line during festival competition

Band, choir, and orchestra. The three branches of the music department all came together on March 4 to perform in the annual District Solo and Ensemble extravaganza. The event took place at Menasha High School and included Wildcats from all grades and all levels of talent.

Preparation for this event started in December, when students chose which piece they wanted to learn and get judged on. West and North Orchestra director Yukiko Grine prioritized in-class practice time for students to be the most prepared.

“The process starts by students choosing what event to do, whether that be a solo or an ensemble, and then choose a piece to perform. Students then get a lot of class time to work,” she said. “Ideally, they get as much help and advice from their teacher as possible, but they are also responsible for spending quality, independent time using various practice strategies.”

Musicians have a variety of different approaches they can take to learning their pieces, such as sight reading, slowing down sections, and more. Freshman band student Kyle Stephany utilized his outside resources to quickly master his music.

“I played my trumpet part on the piano to better understand the rhythms,'' he said.

Another freshman trumpet player, Rowen Stellpflug, put in hours, both in and out of school, to maximize the amount of practicing she got before the festival.

“I brought my trumpet home, used class time, and signed up for W-hours to get as much practice time as possible,” she said.

For freshman Zosia Bowlus-Jasinski, traditional practicing techniques capture the best results.

“I ran my piece and reran it, worked on shifting, and really focused on specific parts of my song,” they said.

Making sure students learn as many practice strategies as possible allows musicians to find what works best for them, a core teaching value for Grine.

“There’s a difference between practicing and learning all the notes and rhythms, adding expression, and practicing to actually perform the piece for either a judge or a teacher,” she said. “Those are the three main mindsets we focus on and work on through individual practice so, hopefully, students are better prepared for the festival.”

Some found the hours of work put in to be tedious. Others, like senior choral student Myrah Lago, valued the event for the experience and opportunities for growth.

“It's a great experience for musicians to get someone else’s opinion other than their teachers,” she said. “It's a great learning opportunity, and it's really fun. Even though the idea of being judged is really freaky, the judges give you really great feedback, and you just improve yourself.”

Grine had similar ideas when encouraging students to attend.

“Performing, in general, is a whole different skill set than just learning a piece,” she said. “It’s a whole separate life skill that we want students to gain and refine during their four years of music. Going to the festival just adds one more level of formality, as you’re playing for somebody who doesn’t usually hear you play.”

For those students who have a full plate of extracurriculars or can’t afford the festival fee, West does provide other performance options.

“We used to require everybody to go, and we used to pay for everybody to go because there used to be a small fee involved for each separate performance,” she said. “But over the last 10, 15, or 20 years, the fees have gone up. At this point, we give students options to get their performances taken care of for the unit, including playing for us teachers or playing for a visitor judge. However, the festival is the most encouraged option.”

The opportunity to participate in the Solo and Ensemble festival begins as early as sixth grade, but on a smaller scale. Once young musicians reach high school, they are introduced into the larger venue. On the day of the festival each year, over 1,000 musical performances are performed from 8 AM until 4 PM. It’s busy and packed, but for Grine, it’s a valuable experience to be a part of and see.

“Having the experience of being in an environment where everybody is coming from all different areas of the Fox Valley and beyond is valuable,” she said.”

For those students looking to participate in the festival next year, it’s important to follow a few standard practicing and performing goals.

“First, use your class time wisely and ask for help,” Grine said. “Advocate for yourself and set up times with your teachers to make the most of your time.”

Taking time to choose the perfect piece is equally as important.

“Pick a piece that is challenging but just enough that you can still achieve the goals you set for yourself,” Grine said. “You don’t want something that is too challenging to the point where you would be too nervous to perform, but you also want something that will show off your work and your best ability to play.”

Finally, tracking progress and setting performance goals will ensure a truly complete and confident performance.

“You want to be able and willing to set goals and checkpoints for yourself, as well, so you stay on top of schedule and to ensure that you are where you want to be on performance day,” Grine said.

The Fox Valley Solo and Ensemble Festival can sound intimidating, but it offers various opportunities for personal, professional, and musical growth.

“This event pushes students to explore their level of confidence and the playing abilities they currently have, and then it pushes them to reach beyond those limits,” Grine said. “Not every performance or situation will work out beautifully for every student, but those who really put in the time and effort come out with a lot of rewards and personal improvement.”

by: Delaney Smith and Len Kloss

Published on March 17, 2023

Oshkosh West Index volume 119 issue VI