Cloverdale band students excel at ISSMA Solo and Ensemble Contest

Students from Cloverdale High School who participated in the ISSMA Solo and Ensemble Contest include (from left) Evan Yoho, Preston Jannings, Biz Dorman, Sam Dorman, Ella Szczerbik, Ikia Calidonio and Fay Simpson. Sam Dorman and Calidonio earned gold medal ratings for their solo performances.

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On Feb. 12, students from Cloverdale Middle School and Cloverdale High School traveled to Bloomington North High School to compete in the annual Solo and Ensemble contest hosted by the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA).

The contest is an event where students have the opportunity to work on extra music as a soloist or in small groups.

Each performance is listened to and evaluated by a judge. The students are then given comments on how to improve their performance and awarded a gold, silver, bronze or participation medal depending on the level of their performance.

Eighth-graders (from left) Ella Dicken and Baye Montgomery also earned gold medal honors as soloists.

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Eighth-graders Baye Montgomery and Ella Dicken earned gold ratings for their solo performances.

High schoolers Evan Yoho, Sam Dorman and Preston Jannings earned a silver rating for their brass trio, and Biz Dorman, Ella Szczerbik, Fay Simpson and Ikia Calidonio earned silver for their woodwind quartet. Sam Dorman and Calidonio also earned gold ratings for their solos.

Montgomery, Dicken, Calidonio and Dorman earned gold ratings in the most difficult division, earning the opportunity to perform again at the ISSMA State Solo and Ensemble Contest on Feb. 26 at North Central High School.