Solo and Ensemble Festival
History
by Marcus L. Neiman
MEDINACOUNTY SCHOOLS’ SOLO AND ENSEMBLE FESTIVAL
History
During the academy year of 1955-56, then fine arts supervisor Delmar Graff established the first county solo and ensemble festival for high school music students in Medina County. The event was free standing from the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) adjudicated events and was held at various schools in Medina County during the winter and spring months.
The perceived goal of these events was to afford music students the opportunity to perform solo and/or ensemble events for qualified music adjudicators. Adjudicators were often chosen from music teachers and directors from the Northeast Ohioarea.
The Solo and Ensemble Festival continues to this day, having been cancelled due to weather conditions on several times in the last 30 years. There have been some evolutionary changes in the solo and ensemble festival during the last 40 years: expanding the students served to reach down to upper elementary; revision of the adjudication form to more closely align with the Ohio Plan established by OMEA; the use of almost all OMEA-approved adjudicators; the addition of elementary bands and choirs to the approved adjudication event available; the use of electronic sound reproduction means for accompaniment; and encouraging adjudicators to take time to talk with every student adjudicated.
The event was almost exclusively hosted by the Cloverleaf Local Schools (and held at Cloverleaf High School) through the late 1990s and then moved to Buckeye High School. At present, there is a yearly rotation from the Highland Local Schools to the Buckeye Local Schools.
