Merrill Musicians Shine at District Solo-Ensemble
Each year, Merrill High School singers and instrumentalists participate and host District Solo-Ensemble. This event is a chance for students singing or playing any instrument to perform a selected solo or small group piece in front of a judge, get critique and a rating. This year, more than 100 musicians from the choir and band programs performed at this event, with hundreds more from local high schools and middle schools.
This event was held on Saturday, Feb. 29, at Merrill High School.
“Solo-ensemble is incredible for multiple reasons. Not only do students get to interact with other local musicians, hear what else is going on in other schools, and form bonds, but they get to perform and get incredible experience getting feedback and growing as singers and instrumentalists.” Choir Director Josh Olson said about the event.
At district, students are given a rating from 1-5. The lower the rating, the better the score the judge gave them. Students who performed Class A music (the most technically difficult) can receive at *1 rating, and then travel to State Solo-Ensemble in May.
MHS musicians rated as follow:
•Choir – Hana Bushar (Class B Solo – 2), Breann Cagle (Class A Solo – *1), Ameilia Cimino (Class B Solo – 1), Ben Freyer (Class A Solo – *1), Cody Kleinschmidt (Class A Solo – *1), Isabella Laufenberg (Class A Solo – *1/Class A Musical Theatre – *1), Reese Mrachek (Class A Musical Theatre – *1/Class A Duet – *1), Dan Pepke (Class A Duet – *1), Ashley Prebeg (Class A Solo – *1), Rebecca Rell (Class A Solo – *1), Alynn Renzelmann (Class B Solo – 1/Class B Trio – 1), Emily Ross (Class A Solo – 2), Sophia Schroeder (Class A Solo – *1, Class A Musical Theatre – *1), Amelia Skoviera (Class B Trio – 1), Connor Stender (Class A Solo – 1), Lilly Stephens (Class B Solo – 2), Nick Tanck (Class A Solo – *1/Class A Duet – *1/Class A Duet – *1/Class A Musical Theatre – *1), Cailyn Thomas (Class A Solo – *1/Class A Duet – 2), Jeremy Thomas (Class A Duet – 2), Taylor Zastrow (Class A Solo – 1/Class B Trio – 1)
•Band – Symphonic Band Percussion (Class B – 1), Symphonic Band Woodwinds (Class B – 1), Symphonic Band Brass (Class B – 1), Wind Ensemble Percussion (Class A – *1), Wind Ensemble Woodwinds (Class A – *1), Wind Ensemble Brass (Class A – *1), Jazz Ensemble (Class A – 1), Levi Black (Trumpet Duet-Class A – 2/Trumpet Solo-Class B – 2/Xylophone Solo-Class B – 2), Thad Countryman (Trumpet Duet-Class A – *1), Alexis Crossman (Flute Quartet-Class A – *1), Jackson DeJong (Marimba Trio-Class A – *1; Bassoon Solo-Class B – 1/ Marimba Solo-Class B – 2), Jack Ford (Drumset Solo-Class A – *1), Caitlyn Geiss (Flute Quartet-Class A – *1; Flute Solo-Class A – *1), Evan Jaeger (Marimba Trio-Class A – *1/String Bass Solo-Class B – 1/Parade Drum Solo-Class B – 2), Dawson Kleinschmidt (Trumpet Duet-Class A – *1), Grace Koehler (Alto Sax Solo-Class A – 1), Maria Marvin (Clarinet Solo-Class B – 1), Brendon McKinney (Flute Solo-Class B – 2), Caleb Norton (Alto Sax Solo-Class B – 2), Emma Pajtash (Clarinet Solo-Class B – 2), Matthew Palazzo (Alto Sax Solo-Class A – *1), Alex Peacock (Flute Quartet-Class A – *1/Flute Solo-Class A – *1), Ian Schuetze (Trombone Solo-Class B – 2), David Schwark (Horn Solo-Class B – 1), Molly Seidler (Parade Drum Solo-Class A – 1), Allison Smith (Electric Bass Solo-Class B – 1), Kasey Sondelski (Trumpet Duet-Class A – 2), Ananda Van Wie (Flute Quartet- Class A – *1), Lainey Voigt (Marimba Trio-Class A – *1), Austin Wiederhoeft (Trombone Solo-Class A – *1), and Dafney Yates (Trumpet Solo-Class B – 1).