Band and orchestra students participated in Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association Solo and Ensemble, which is for individual and group ratings, on Saturday Jan. 30 at Pioneer High School. This takes place each year for anyone who plays music and a judge gives you a rating of one to four, one being the best.

About 26 students from MHS took part in the event and everyone got a rating of a one or two, which is very outstanding. Basically anyone who plays any type of music can participate in Solo and Ensemble.

Senior Dallen Bowie got a one rating playing the piano, sophomore Nicholas Howerton also got a one rating playing the flute and did a duet with his sister freshman Abigail Howerton, who also plays the flute, They received a two rating.

Senior Natalie Lake got a two who played saxophone, Sophomore Kenny Dobbs, who also played saxophone, got a two. Junior Abigail Snow played trumpet and received a two, junior trumpet player Grant Prater also got a two, and senior Brianna Finley got a one.

Overall, the band students got very good results and feedback, taking what they learned from to push them farther in their music career, if they persuade one.

“I love playing the saxophone and this experience will help me with what I need to work on for college,” said Lake.

Orchestra students also did very well overall, but in particular, there was a group of four students that did a quartet and accomplished getting a one. The quartet included senior Kyle Huisman, and freshmen Maggie Pasko, Jacob Foulkrod, and Eleni Wohl. Everyone is proud of the rating they got and took away knowledge from what they learned that day.