High School Solo & Ensemble Festival  

This Festival provides students the opportunity to perform alone or in a small group for an adjudicator. Independent musicianship is fostered as students are allowed to make their own musical choices and to be evaluated and recognized apart from their school music classes. Students may choose repertoire entirely different from that which is studied in a large ensemble setting and from a more varied range of styles, however the music must be included in the Approved Repertoire List.

Adjudicators are professional musicians from the community or qualified guests from outside the community. Adjudicators provide valuable feedback, contributing to the student’s continued musical development. Students receive a rating of I to V, with I being the highest. Adjudicators also offer written comments and generally also give verbal feedback if time permits. Students who receive a I rating are eligible to participate in the State Solo & Ensemble Festival.

Adjudication is offered in the following areas: Voice, Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, Piano, and Guitar.

Students may enter a maximum of three different events. For example, a student could enter one violin solo, a duet and a trio. Students should not enter more than one event of the same instrumentation or personnel (two vocal solos by the same student or two string trios of the same students would not be allowed). Music selections can not be longer than five minutes in length.

Students must be enrolled in a Band, Choir, or Orchestra class to be eligible to participate. Music teachers will provide students with detailed information regarding the Solo & Ensemble Festival, including a Student Information Letter.

For festival date and location information, please see the Events Calendar.