GREENVILLE – A group of 7-9th grade students from Decolores Montessori School elected to attend the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs (OFMC) Jr Festival at Miami University on March 23rd, 2024. The Jr Festival is a solo and ensemble opportunity for individual students to perform two music selections of their choice for adjudication. Solo and ensemble is a great way to grow as musicians. The Decolores students prepared string instrument solos, duets, and ensembles and were rated by judges against a scoring system. Students played for a set of two judges at the Jr Festival with hopes to achieve a “Superior” or “Excellent” rating. If both judges award the student a “Superior”, the student receives “Unanimous Superior”, which is the highest achievement. Solo pieces were required to be memorized.
The students receiving “Unanimous Superior” ratings were Jonathan Conway (violin), Teagan Brock (violin), Tara Seger (violin), Benjamin Weigand (violin), Nola and Nalayna Miley (violin/viola duet), Tara Seger, Joe Dusek, and Nesta May (string trio), and Teagan Brock, Colby Peters, Leah Tamplin (violin trio). Nola Miley, Teagan Brock, and Ben Weigand received a “Superior” on their theory exams. Johnathan Conway, Parker Feldner, Daniel Kerns, and Conner Feldner received an “Excellent” rating on their string quartet.
The Decolores Montessori music program is under the direction of Kathy Douds and Betsy Hoelscher. For more information on Decolores Montessori, please contact 937-547-1334 or visit the website at www.decoloresschool.org.