400 Student musicians will participate
Fillmore Central School is Proud to be hosting a NYSSMA Zone 15 Spring Solo Festival this Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14. Over 400 students are registered to participate in this festival traveling from 24 school districts around the southern/western New York region. Jessica Chapman, Instrumental teacher at Fillmore is the chairperson of this large festival.
The New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) annual Solo and Ensemble Festival is an opportunity for students to receive an objective evaluation of a musical performance. Participating in NYSSMA requires a student to perform a solo, scales, and sight-reading for an adjudicator. The student will receive a numerical and written evaluation. These evaluations are used to not only help a student continue to develop and grow their musicianship but additionally can be used to enable them to apply for All-County and Area All-State Festivals the following year. This experience is similar to athletes that play within their county, then region, and then on to the state level.
NYSSMA is an excellent chance for students to grow musically and rise to new challenges in their musical endeavors. The skills developed during the preparation process for participating and performing in a NYSSMA Solo Festival are not only skills to be successful musically but when you really look at them they are also life skills. It is about starting at Point A, setting goals, taking steps, working diligently, committing to not settling for mediocrity all with the end goal of getting to Point B. Skills that are needed to be successful in all areas of life.
So if you hear an instrument or voice performing some lovely melodies in your house or in your neighborhood this weekend – Please let that student know how proud you are of them for all of their hard work and perseverance!!
