On Saturday, March 6, RB students competing in the IHSA solo and Ensemble Contest met at Reavis High School for a day-long music competition. Students from RB Band, Choir, and Orchestra, as well as other schools in the IHSA district  were all there to play solos or in ensembles for a judge and receive a score and a ranking.

Teachers present included Kevin McOlgan, Diane Marielli, and James Baum. Many of RB’s private music lesson teachers were also present.

The IHSA Solo and Ensemble contest happens every year in February or March. At RB, band and orchestra students are required to participate, either playing a solo or in an ensemble. Choir students have the option of doing either but are not required to do so. For the contest, students prepare songs or pieces to play for the judge, memorizing the music and trying to make it as good-sounding and accurate as they can. Students in ensembles will practice together before hand so they sound great together.

Junior Kevin Dinh and Sophomore Sarah Otmanski both competed in the solo contest, playing the flute. Dinh received a rank of 1, the top possible rank, but before his judging said that he was “nervous and excited.”

Solo contest is an important part of a musical student’s year. It represents, according to Marelli, “the culmination of all the hard work the students put in all year.”