BY Adam Wilson

Scene Editor

High school students from all over Washington came to Central last weekend to compete in the Washington Music Educators Association State Solo and Ensemble Contest.

About 2,000 high school students, all clad in formal attire, crowded around the designated performance spaces, listening in to their competition while trying to contain their nerves. Some ensembles took their instruments outside to get last-minute practice in before their scheduled  10 minute performance time.

These students competed in a variety of musical categories that ranged from string quartets to chamber choirs.  The competitors were divided by group size (for ensembles), instrument family for bands and gender for choirs (vocal range for soloists).

The event is not a new occurrence for the university.  According to Mark Lane, associate director of bands, Central has hosted the event for over 20 years.

“We’re the largest undergraduate music program in the state, so we have the facility and the number of students to pull this off,” Lane said. “I doubt any of the other universities can do this just because of the sheer size of it.”

Lane said the event is a great recruiting opportunity for Central, even though the department does not actively recruit during the weekend.

“We get the very best students on campus every year, and they get to be in our building which is our main draw,” Lane said.

Sam Ormson, Central alumni and  music teacher at Mountain View High School in Vancouver, said having the competition at a university also benefits the students.

“Exposing [students] to post-high school opportunities to make them ‘real,’” Ormson said, gives them “just a little bit of the day in the life of what it’s like to be in college.”

For Brie McGie, junior music major, coming to the competition while she was in high school helped her decide to come to Central.

McGie said she was terrified when she came to compete.  She remembered running  around in a panic because she wasn’t sure what table to check in at, but the student volunteers made the process easier for her.

“Everybody was just so nice about it,” McGie said.

McGie volunteered to help with the competition her freshman and sophomore year, and enjoys being around the atmosphere even when it is not required.

“People in high school are really good [at music],” McGie said. “They just haven’t had the time to explore yet.”

Over 100 Central students volunteered at the event.  According to Central Alumni and Student Coordinator Sarah Martinson, these students put in over 400 volunteer hours.

Many of the volunteers are music education majors, and, according to Martinson, participating in the competition gives them experience that will help them in their future careers.

“This whole event we’re working with so many students, so many parents [and] so many teachers,” Martinson said.