KENOSHA, Wis. — Hundreds of student musicians from across the Kenosha Unified School District will take the stage later this month as the district hosts one of the region’s largest annual student music events, bringing together performers, judges, and volunteers for a full day dedicated to musical excellence.
The Southeastern Wisconsin School Music Association District Solo and Ensemble Festival will be held Saturday, March 28, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tremper High School, located at 8560 26th Ave. The festival is expected to feature more than 800 individual and small-group adjudicated performances by students from KUSD secondary schools.
The competition includes a wide range of musical performances, from solo instrumental and vocal pieces to duets, trios, madrigal groups, and ensembles featuring strings, brass, woodwinds, jazz, and percussion. Performances are evaluated by musicians certified through the Wisconsin School Music Association.
Students compete within three performance classifications — A, B, and C — based on the difficulty of the musical selections performed, with Class A representing the most advanced repertoire. Each performance is evaluated using a standardized WSMA rubric that scores musicians across several musical categories before producing an overall rating.
Participants will receive written feedback and performance evaluations from adjudicators. Students who earn a superior rating in Class A and meet certain performance criteria may qualify to advance to the State Solo and Ensemble Festival, which will be held May 2 at the University of Wisconsin–Parkside.
Organizers say the event relies heavily on volunteers to help manage the large number of performances and participants scheduled throughout the day. Community members interested in assisting with the festival can sign up for available volunteer shifts through an online registration page.
The event is free and open to the public, offering community members an opportunity to hear a broad range of performances from student musicians across the district while supporting local arts education.
