CGS music students perform well at IGSMA contest

Chester Grade School band and choral students had a busy weekend February 24 and 25.

It was the annual Illinois Grade School Music Association District Solo and Ensemble Contest and the young musicians did a great job of representing Chester at the event.

Students had the option of performing in numerous events either in the solo category or the ensemble category. Some students chose to perform in just one event, while others elected to perform one or more solos and/or in one or more ensemble groups.

CHS Band Director Sue Colonel and Choral Director Steve Colonel began teaching students their solos and ensemble pieces months ago.

Of the 63 students who competed, there were 17 boys, 42 girls and another four groups or ensembles.

Judges looked for adherence to tempo, ability to play or sing the right notes, intonation, performance style, posture, tone, and a variety of other criteria.

The performance is designed to be a learning experience and to encourage continued participation in the music programs in which they are enrolled. Judges kept the performance room light and positive and even helped struggling students to regain composure and complete their contest performances.

Performers deserve great admiration, attention, praise and congratulations for being able to get up in front of a sometimes large group of people and perform alone in a solo performance or with a small ensemble of other musicians.  Ensembles can range from two to sometimes as many as eight or so musicians.

Due to conflicts with a volleyball tournament on the actual day of the contest, the IGSMA permitted a group of about 20 musicians to compete/perform Feb. 24 at Chester Grade School.

The largest number of students, however, traveled to Carbondale the following day to compete at the host site at Carbondale Middle School.

Of the 63 competitive performances, 19 were voice/vocal solo performances. Of those, three were male solos while 16 were female.

The other 40 solo performances were instrumental solo performances with four ensemble performances.

CGS students came home with two 1^st Superior ratings, 50 first-place ratings, and nine second-place ratings. The two Superior ratings were eighth grader Melody Colonel and eighth grader Alison Venus.

Melody earned her Superior rating for her female voice solo, "Via Dolorosa" and Alison earned her Superior rating for her female voice solo, "Think of Me" from the popular Broadway Musical, "Phantom of the Opera."

First place performances included Katelyn Shinabargar, Ariel Throop, Lily Koch, Melody Colonel, Zoe Carnahan, Katelyn Shinabarger, Ariel Throop, Lily Koch, Anna Kueker, Devon Adams, Clayton Andrews, and Armani Bell.

Other first place ratings were Trace Fricke, Jacob Handel, Baylee Fortman, Jordanna Frazer, Austin Welten, Makaylaih Gladney, Kylie Heins, Candis Winkler, Catherine Lee, Lily Lochhead, Anna Childs, Tristen Sharer, and Kaleb Rehmer.

Rounding out the other first-place ratings were Kennedy Herrell, Devon Adams, Tyler Holm, Noah Colonel, Scott Bernachi, Emma Eggemeyer, Lily Smith, Julia Venus, Reese McCormick, Cesar Marquez, Gwen Turner, Rilee Owens, Noah Wetzel, Sydni Hogan, Ethan Stumpe, Makaylaih Gladney, Cayla Sibley, Oddessa Flores, Nate Fricke, Kylie Heins, Ethan Stumpe, Alison Venus, Candis Winkler and Chelsea August.

The CGS musicians also earned nine second place ratings - Zoe Carnahan, Michaela Zaccheus, April Amburn, Haley Haslett, Makayla Ward, Tristan Sharer, Noe Martinez, Devon Adams and Tyler Holm.

All four of the ensemble performances earned first place ratings - Andrews, et al for a saxophone ensemble; Fricke et al for a trumpet ensemble; August et al for a membrane percussion ensemble and Eggemeyer et al for a clarinet ensemble.

All superior and first place ratings qualify to advance to the IGSMA State Solo and Ensemble Contest held May 6 in Mt. Vernon.