Pierce High Excels at District Music Contest
by Bret Silhacek
May 01, 2008
The Pierce High band and choir traveled to Norfolk on April 20 to compete in the District Music Contest. Once again, the young musicians brought home a basket full of superior ratings on almost every event they entered. The contest was hosted by Norfolk High School.
The day began with the full band and choir arriving at the school. “The mood was positive in the gym as we walked in,” said a competitor from a different school.
The full band performed in front of three judges and received a superior rating from all three. Other superior ratings were earned by the percussion ensemble, flute trio, and brass quintet. For soloists, Pierce had five superior ratings, earned by Emily Taylor on the marimba, Ashlyn Doerr on the tenor saxophone, Carly Halsey on the alto saxophone, and two trumpets, Joe Fehringer, and Brittany Spieker. Excellent ratings went to clarinet soloist Briana Adams, the woodwind quartet, and the trombone trio.
“Standing up in front of an audience and playing my solo made me really nervous, but once I got going and realized there was no turning back, I couldn’t do anything else but enjoy what I was playing. So all in all it was worth it,” said superior soloist Ashlyn Doerr
Choir also had almost all superior ratings. The full mixed chorus and jazz choir both received superior ratings. Choir had six soloists with superior and excellent ratings. Superior ratings went to Jonathan Canaday, Maggie Echternacht, and Kyle Rohrich. Nick Lukens, Christian Fisher, and Josh Bresler got excellents. All of the other groups that competed were awarded superiors. Those groups are mixed ensemble, girls’ octet, both girls’ vocal groups, mixed vocal, boys’ double octet, and mixed double sextet.
