Solo and Ensemble

General

Solo and Ensemble is a 4 or 5 week unit of study which occurs during small group lessons at Highland. The end of this unit coincides with the Illinois Grade School Music Association (IGSMA) Solo and Ensemble Contest on February 14, 2009. (Link to IGSMA - opens in a new window) Many students participate in this contest with solos, ensembles, or both. Students participating in the IGSMA contest will work on preparing their events in lessons during this unit. Students who choose not to participate in the contest will be assigned to "Non-Contest Ensembles." These ensembles will give a performance for the rest of the students in their lesson group during the last week of the unit. These performances will be recorded and evaluated by the students and their lesson teacher. Students going to the contest will be evaluated by a judge at the contest.

IGSMA Contest Entry Forms and Information

Students receive an information packet about the IGSMA Solo & Ensemble Contest in October. With this information packet are contest entry forms for solos and a separate form for ensembles. Below are copies of the forms:

Information Packet
Solo Entry Form
Ensemble Entry Form

Choosing Music -- Contest Solos

Mrs. Bollinger and Mr. Huff can choose music for contest solos, however many students who take private lessons will be assigned a solo by their private teacher. Highland has an extensive collection of solos for every instrument. If a private teacher assigns a solo from this collection, then students must notify their band teacher as soon as possible to make sure they can have a school-owned one to use for the contest. If a private teacher assigns a solo that is not in this collection students must purchase two original copies in order to participate in the contest. Two original copies are needed so that the student has one to perform from and the judge has one to read during the contest. Students need to also make sure that they have an original piano part for the accompanist to use. This should be turned in to Mrs. Bollinger or Mr. Huff before December 1. Photocopies are not allowed without written permission from the copyright owner. Click here to view our solo library.

Choosing Music -- Ensembles

Music for ensembles (contest and non-contest) will be selected by the band teachers. Occasionally students who take private lessons with the same teacher will have that teacher choose ensembles for them. This is O.K., but the music should be approved my Mrs. Bollinger or Mr. Huff. Highland has an extensive collection of ensembles for every instrument. If a private teacher assigns an ensemble from this collection, then students must notify their band teacher as soon as possible to make sure they can have a school-owned one to use for the contest. If a private teacher assigns an ensemble that is not in this collection students must purchase enough original arrangements in order for the judge to have an original "full score" to read during the contest and the students have original music to perform from. Photocopies are not allowed without written permission from the copyright owner. Click here to view our solo library.

Copyright Questions

This topic pertains especially to those students who are providing their own music for the solo and ensemble contest. Students who have been assigned music from one of the band teachers, or who have arranged to borrow music from the Highland Solo and Ensemble Library will have music provided for them.

Many private teachers think that copyright does not pertain to this event. This is not true. No photocopies may be used at this contest without the expressed written consent from the copyright owners. Below are links to several web sites which clearly deal with this question. The first web site addresses this explicitly when referring to "Juries/Recitals," which is the type of event this contest is.

Web Sites
(these open in a new browser window)
MENC - National Association of Music Educators
The United States Copyright Law: A Guide for Music Educators (online book)
Music Publishers Association of the United States
United States Copyright Office

Highland's Solo & Ensemble Library

The Solo and Ensemble Library is located on another page.

Solo & Ensemble
General	General Solo and Ensemble is a 4 or 5 week unit of study which occurs during small group lessons at Highland. The end of this unit coincides with the Illinois Grade School Music Association (IGSMA) Solo and Ensemble Contest on February 14, 2009. (Link to IGSMA - opens in a new window) Many students participate in this contest with solos, ensembles, or both. Students participating in the IGSMA contest will work on preparing their events in lessons during this unit. Students who choose not to participate in the contest will be assigned to "Non-Contest Ensembles." These ensembles will give a performance for the rest of the students in their lesson group during the last week of the unit. These performances will be recorded and evaluated by the students and their lesson teacher. Students going to the contest will be evaluated by a judge at the contest. IGSMA Contest Entry Forms and Information Students receive an information packet about the IGSMA Solo & Ensemble Contest in October. With this information packet are contest entry forms for solos and a separate form for ensembles. Below are copies of the forms: Information Packet Solo Entry Form Ensemble Entry Form Choosing Music -- Contest Solos Mrs. Bollinger and Mr. Huff can choose music for contest solos, however many students who take private lessons will be assigned a solo by their private teacher. Highland has an extensive collection of solos for every instrument. If a private teacher assigns a solo from this collection, then students must notify their band teacher as soon as possible to make sure they can have a school-owned one to use for the contest. If a private teacher assigns a solo that is not in this collection students must purchase two original copies in order to participate in the contest. Two original copies are needed so that the student has one to perform from and the judge has one to read during the contest. Students need to also make sure that they have an original piano part for the accompanist to use. This should be turned in to Mrs. Bollinger or Mr. Huff before December 1. Photocopies are not allowed without written permission from the copyright owner. Click here to view our solo library. Choosing Music -- Ensembles Music for ensembles (contest and non-contest) will be selected by the band teachers. Occasionally students who take private lessons with the same teacher will have that teacher choose ensembles for them. This is O.K., but the music should be approved my Mrs. Bollinger or Mr. Huff. Highland has an extensive collection of ensembles for every instrument. If a private teacher assigns an ensemble from this collection, then students must notify their band teacher as soon as possible to make sure they can have a school-owned one to use for the contest. If a private teacher assigns an ensemble that is not in this collection students must purchase enough original arrangements in order for the judge to have an original "full score" to read during the contest and the students have original music to perform from. Photocopies are not allowed without written permission from the copyright owner. Click here to view our solo library. Copyright Questions This topic pertains especially to those students who are providing their own music for the solo and ensemble contest. Students who have been assigned music from one of the band teachers, or who have arranged to borrow music from the Highland Solo and Ensemble Library will have music provided for them. Many private teachers think that copyright does not pertain to this event. This is not true. No photocopies may be used at this contest without the expressed written consent from the copyright owners. Below are links to several web sites which clearly deal with this question. The first web site addresses this explicitly when referring to "Juries/Recitals," which is the type of event this contest is. Web Sites (these open in a new browser window) MENC - National Association of Music Educators The United States Copyright Law: A Guide for Music Educators (online book) Music Publishers Association of the United States United States Copyright Office Highland's Solo & Ensemble Library The Solo and Ensemble Library is located on another page.
IGSMA Contest Entry Forms
Choosing Music - Solos
Choosing Music - Ensembles
Copyright Questions
Solo & Ensemble Library