Revere High School choir and band prepared for the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Solo Ensemble to receive feedback on their performances.

The OMEA Solo Ensemble is an event in which any students of musical talent can participate. Dr. Deborah Devore, the Revere High School choir director, believes it is a good opportunity for students to get better.

“Students can go to perform solos or perform in small ensembles and get comments and a rating from a music teacher who is acting as a judge,” Devore said.

The choir sent six soloists and the band sent thirteen soloists as well as five ensembles. The students who chose to participate picked out and prepared their songs from a predetermined list of classically oriented songs. Each song was classified based on the level of difficulty it offered. The levels range from Class C being the easiest selections to Class A being the hardest. Band director Darren LeBeau explained the genre of music that was played by the students.

“Solo and ensemble music is classical in nature,” LeBeau said.

Freshman Lily Sadataki, who began participating in her seventh grade year, explained that the participating students will gather in a practice room to prepare, and when it comes time for them to perform they will perform in front of a judge and possibly an audience. Then a judge scored the soloist or ensemble based on a music rating system that the state of Ohio uses.

As for scores and ratings from judges, Devore and LeBeau agreed that Revere usually performs well.

“In general we receive superior and excellent ratings,” LeBeau said.

Despite the large number of students participating from a number of schools, Devore explained that it was not a competition, but an opportunity for constructive criticism.

“There is no competition as far as first place, second place or anything like that. It’s all individual,” Devore said.

Sadataki noted that the performance causes one to push himself or herself further.

“It’s not a competition against others but a competition against yourself,” Sadataki said.

Because Revere has done well in the past, Devore and LeBeau expected the students to remain consistent with the previous years’ scores.

“The students performed well and had a successful educational experience,” Devore said.

The OMEA Solo Ensemble took place at Crestwood High School on January 18.