High School bands, choirs to perform

VW independent/submitted information

The Van Wert High School Music Department will host the Ohio Music Educators Association’s District III Band and Choir contest this Friday and Saturday, March 11-12.

Bands and choirs from across the region will perform for judges and receive ratings. Overall, 17 bands and 14 choirs featuring nearly 1,500 students will perform at the school.

The contest will be held at Van Wert High School and the Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio (NPAC). Bands will perform in the NPAC auditorium, while choirs perform in the NPAC’s First Federal Lecture Hall.

All performances are free, but concessions will be available to purchase from the Van Wert Band Parents Association.

Students from the VWHS Concert Choir, Sophomore Women’s Choir, Freshman Choir, and Symphonic Band, have been working very hard throughout the nine weeks for this performance. Their time has been spend preparing three pieces for performance over the weekend. One of the three pieces is from a required list, which determines the class designation (Class A being the most difficult), while the other two are at-large selections.

A schedule has also been released for performances by local bands and choirs, as follows:

Local competing bands on Friday

• 6 p.m. – Wayne Trace (Class C)

Local competing bands on Saturday

• 8:30 a.m. – Crestview (Class C)
• 9 a.m. – Parkway Concert Band (Class C)
• 10:30 a.m. – Spencerville (Class C)
• 11 a.m. – Parkway Symphonic Band (Class B)
• 11:30 a.m. – Van Wert Symphonic Band (Class B)
• 1 p.m. – Lincolnview (Class C)
• 1:30 p.m. – Paulding (Class C)

Local competing choirs on Friday night

• 5 p.m. – Van Wert Freshman Choir (Class C)
• 5:40 p.m. – Delphos Jefferson (Class C)
• 6 p.m. – Spencerville Concert Choir (Class C)
• 7:20 p.m. – Van Wert Sophomore Women (Class C)
• 7:40 p.m. – Spencerville Women (Class C)
• 8 p.m. – Parkway Women (Class C)
• 8:20 p.m. – Wayne Trace (Class C)
• 8:40 p.m. – Van Wert Concert Choir (Class B)

Local competing choirs on Saturday

• 9 a.m. – Lincolnview (Class C)
• 10:20 a.m. – Paulding (Class C)

Groups receiving a Superior rating (I) will qualify for state contest. While this is a competition, bands and choirs do not compete against each other, but against a “standard of excellence.” There are no winners or losers, per se.

It should be noted that the public is welcome to attend, but be aware that OMEA regulations prohibit the use of any audio or video recording devices, including (but not limited to) cell phones, cameras (still or video), tape records, or any other recording device.

Failure to comply could result in disqualification of the school performing. For more information on the contest, contact the VWHS Music Office at 419.238.3722.