Solo and Ensemble 2015

Amber Monschau

   As the end of the first semester draws to a close, Fraser High School music students are preparing for a day they have been looking forward to for months. It is the day their music skills are put to the test: Solo and Ensemble season has arrived.

   Solo and Ensemble is a competition that tests musical ability in two categories: instrumental and vocal. The competitions take place during the weekends throughout the month of January. Solos and groups are finalizing their performance pieces and getting in the zone for competing.

   Senior Cammie McGillis is performing in an instrumental ensemble; this is her first year competing in the instrumental division rather than the vocal division. She will he playing the piano in Fraser’s Jazz Ensemble. McGillis is enthusiastic about showing the judges her technique.

   “They are pretty intense judges. Band Solo and Ensemble is a lot more light-spirited: it’s less intense because you’re usually walking in with a group. For vocal, it’s always solos: you can do groups, but we’ve never done groups,” McGillis said.

   McGillis has earned the highest score possible for her vocal solos for the past three years, and she is confident about her upcoming instrumental performance.

   Senior Kyle Logan is also a performer in the instrumental competition; he has been competing since seventh grade. He will be playing tenor saxophone for an ensemble, a quartet (four instrumentalists), and an octet (eight instrumentalists).

   “It’s different from regular band because it’s just either you or a group of friends, so it’s better in a sense because you don’t have to rely on as many other people, and it highlights your musical ability… I like solo better,” Logan said.

   Logan has also earned the highest score possible for his instrumental performances, and he is extremely exciting about showing off his skills for the sixth time in this competition.

   Junior Lauren Cichocki is a competitor in the vocal completion. She is a soprano (highest vocal range) and is competing for the third time.

   “My favorite thing about it is the opportunity to have someone who really knows what they’re doing tell me the good things I’m doing, the bad things I’m doing, and just an opportunity to perform,” Cichocki said.

   Cichocki plans to enter a career involved with music, preferably elementary music education, and is grateful for the chance to perfect her performance skills.

   Fraser High School music students express sincere gratitude for the opportunity to show their love for music and learn from professionals.

   “They’re college professors, or they’re retired professors. They’re all pretty highly recommended people,” McGillis said.

   The love for music that these students have shines through their effort and dedication.

   “Music is really unique: it combines all of the subjects in school. It’s just special,” Cichocki said.