Solo and Ensemble
Solo and Ensemble Information Sheet
Things you need to know. This information is posted in class and this sheet has been printed/emailed to each kid.
Date/Time: «PerformanceTime»
Name: «LastName», «FirstName»
Judge: «Judge»
Title: «Title», «Category»
Accompanist: «Accompanist»
Entry ID: «EntryID» (use this to check rating)
What to wear: DRESS PROFESSIONALLY! No jeans or tennis shoes! If you don’t have dress cloths, wear your SSMS Band Uniform
What to bring: MUSIC, instrument, and information sheet
Where is it at? Silver Sands Middle School
Other tips:
Arrive at least 20-30 minutes before your performance time. Be outside Judge’s room 5 minutes before schedule. Introduce yourself and song. Tune to the piano. Be Nice and Have Fun! When you’re done the judge will share tips… Listen, smile, and say thank you! Thank your judge, the accompanist, and most importantly your family.
The Solo and Ensemble music festival is coming up at the end of February at Silver Sands Middle School. All of our students will have the opportunity to participate by preparing a solo or ensemble performance for the third nine weeks of the school year. Even if they don't want to perform at the festival, they'll still get the valuable experience of preparing music on their own.
About…
Solo & Ensemble (S&E) is a music event sponsored by the Florida Bandmasters Association District 6. It's a chance for musicians to show off their skills and get feedback from professionals. Professional adjudicators from all over Florida will be at the event to help students improve their musicianship.
Participating in S&E is a great opportunity to apply what you've learned in class and meet state standards, like MU.912.F.3.3, which is about working independently on musical tasks. It also helps with other standards like MU.912.C.2.1, MU.912.C.3.1, MU.912.F.3.2, MU.912.S.3.1, and MU.912.S.3.5.
S&E is a chance for you to show what you know and be successful on your own. If you need help, just ask! You'll get a checklist to follow that will guide you through everything you need to do to get ready for the event. It might seem like a lot, but just follow the steps and you'll be fine.
Buying Music:
It's important to support composers and musicians by purchasing music, rather than just downloading it for free. Building up a personal library of music is a small investment that can provide a lot of value for your studies and performances. Websites like JWPepper.com and Medici Music are reputable vendors that you can purchase music from. If a music publisher goes out of business, you can still get permission to use their music by contacting the company and obtaining a written permission document. You must have your purchased music for your judge and a copy of the score with you at your performance. Don't forget to bring a proof of purchase receipt as well. It's worth the investment to buy the music and support the creators.
Hiring an Accompanist:
SSMS Band Booster's Club will pay for your accompanist. If you know of your own professional piano player to play along with please let Mr. Powell know as soon as possible.
Good-to-know information:
Keep your eye out for accompaniment schedules.
Be flexible with schedules and practice.
Hiring a Private Coach:
A private lesson can cost $20-$60 an hour. We have lists of local professionals worth calling and taking at least one lesson to prepare for the event. Click here for our Private teacher list…
I hope this information helps with the “newness” of this Solo and Ensemble Festival!
Mr. Powell
Section A - Choosing Music
Music is categorized by grade level to provide guidelines for difficulty levels.
Grading System:
1 - Beginners just learning how to play their instrument (First timers)
2 - Novices continuing to develop an understanding of their instrument (Second time)
(See Mr. Powell for anything Grade 3 and beyond…)
3 - Students who have established solid fundamentals and are ready to play more difficult repertoire.
4 - Students with experience on their instruments ready to play harder repertoire.
5 - Advanced level repertoire that requires significant study, expectant of students expecting to continue music in college.
6 - Incredibly advanced repertoire expected of top-level university and professional musicians
7 - The most difficult repertoire available on the instrument.
Pick your level and be honest with yourself. Many students are ambitious and choose difficult repertoire. We love the enthusiasm but please remember this is YOUR project and contact with teachers will be spread across many entries. Make sure you choose something that is good for you! You’re always welcome to ask your director for assistance selecting literature.
The FBA Approved list is here CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL FBA LIST .
Solos:
Baritone Saxophone can use Alto Saxophone solo repertoire, but approval must be granted from the S&E Music Committee Chair (see the Director for how to do this).
Mixed ensembles can use substitute instruments (using a trombone instead of a horn) ONLY as included on the original score. The score will either give you permission to do so or have substitute parts.
Trombones and Euphonium lists are interchangeable. Trombones may use Euphonium repertoire and Euphoniums may use Trombone repertoire.
Mallets may use grade 1, 2, or 3 Flute or Oboe literature.
Ensembles:
Instruments that are bracketed are optional parts (this is rare)
Quintet music may be used to form choirs, but all five parts must be doubled (except percussion)
Chamber Winds must perform in the exact instrumentation - no doubling or substitutions
Find a few pieces you like, then go on YouTube, Spotify, Soundcloud, etc., and look up your piece. We recommend using the title, composer, and arranger (if applicable) as your search. Find a few recordings and start listening. Once you have your piece(s) picked out, write down the title, composer, arranger (if applicable), and FBA code (looks like this: AA1001), it's time to go shopping.
soloensemblemasterlistdec2015.xlsx