Choir hosts Solo and Ensemble

This past week, Choir held its Solo and Ensemble competition for singers all over AISD. 

Solo and Ensemble is for choir students who want to compete against a standard. In competition, singers can perform as a solo or ensemble and be given feedback from judges on a 1-5 scale, with 1 being the highest score a student can receive. 

“This helps the choir students develop their individual voice while also getting to know the mechanics of their own voice,” choir director Cassandra Kirby said.

All students that competed were in previous voice lessons, and learned a solo with their voice teacher, who is available for lessons on campus. 

Singers are judged on tone, diction, pronunciation, knowledge of basic notes, and dynamics. Receiving the results the next day, students are able to receive judges’ critiques and take it into consideration. 

Show Choir and Acapella member Ashley Rodriguez found her solo nerve wracking, but her ensemble experience fun because of how comfortable the judge made her feel.

Many students found the judges gave out helpful critiques and even allowed them to try different approaches in order to receive the best score. 

“My judge for the solo part was very sweet and nice, she helped out alot and I did receive a one as I expected,” senior show choir and acapella member De’Jah Wallace said.

Choir directors recommend that singers participate in choir and ensemble, whether they feel suited or not. 

“I’d rather have a choir full of soloists than a choir full of people who just sing,” Kirby said.