Believe it or not, the Plainfield High Schools Solo and Ensemble Festival is just around the corner on February 16, 2008. For those unfamiliar with this event, the Plainfield High Schools have traditionally run a Solo and Ensemble Festival which generally follows the IHSA Solo and Ensemble guidelines. Students are encouraged to prepare a solo or small group/ensemble to perform for an adjudicator. Performance slots are 15 minutes, meaning that after performing, students will receive approximately 10 minutes of individual instruction time with the clinician. This individual attention does not occur at IHSA Solo and Ensemble Festivals.
Preparing solo and ensemble literature is perhaps the most important avenue to improving as a musician. While learning to play in a large ensemble (such as band) is very important, performing solos and ensembles is where students learn the most about technique, sound, and facility on their respective instruments. We cannot stress enough how important we feel this event is to improving individual musicianship.
Students interested in participating should fill out a "Solo & Ensemble Commitment Form" indicating how many solos and/or ensemble events they are interested in performing. Fees for this festival are: $10 per solo and $15 per ensemble. The ensemble fee is NOT for each member of the ensemble, but rather for the ensemble as a whole, and the cost should be split amongst members of the group.
In addition to the Commitment Form, students should also fill out an "Entry Form" for each event in which they wish to participate. All forms were distributed in class and are available from a band director. Forms and payment are due December 13!
