Providence Students Earn First Place Medals At Music Competition

FRANKFORT, IL – Providence Catholic music students earned 45 Superior Awards (first place medals) and three perfect scores for 18 performances at this year’s IHSA Solo and Ensemble Competition in March, according to a news release from the school.

The award winners include two students from Frankfort.

“This is an exceptional accomplishment for our student musicians,” Dr. Stacy Eckert, Director of Choirs, Liturgical Music and Theatre at Providence Catholic, said in a release. “I am so very proud of their work ethic and performance abilities. They did a wonderful job and represented Providence Catholic well.”

“These student musicians have worked incredibly hard all year to better their skills and performance, and it is reflected in their results,” Kyle Baltzer, Director of Bands at Providence Catholic, said in a release. “We are grateful for our success, and to the parents and Celtic community for supporting us all year long.”
Awards included:
For Superior Solos

• Amelia Connors, Soprano (Perfect Score) of Lockport
• Meghan Connelly, Trumpet, of Tinley Park
• Kalina Gandurski, Eb Alto Sax, of Lockport
• William Garrison, Marimba, of Mokena
• Anna Gleason, Tuba, of Frankfort
• Addison Gosslin, Soprano, of Shorewood
• Cassidy Lloyd, Soprano, of Frankfort
• Celia Minonne, Bb Clarinet, of Tinley Park
• Tyler Santry, French Horn, of Mokena
• Cecilia Santschi, Soprano, of New Lenox
• Lillie Scherf, Bb Clarinet, of Plainfield
• Paige Shepherd, Mezzo-Soprano, of Shorewood
• Elise Stoub, Soprano, of Palos Heights

Superior Ensembles

• Honors Choir (Perfect Score)
• Percussion Ensemble
• Santschi/Shepherd Duet
• Singing Celtics (Perfect Score)

Each year, students rehearse the music and songs they have chosen, according to the school. They then perform for a judge at a host school, and judging is based on tone quality, phrasing, performance, musicality, correct notes, and rhythms.

“With vocal events, we are also judged on diction, ensemble with the accompanist and how well the overall mood, emotion, and performance of the text was performed,” Eckert said. “It is an all-day event that begins at 8 a.m. and goes until 5 or 6 p.m. Students can compete in different events throughout the day.”

“In the spring, the Concert and Jazz Bands will travel around the Chicagoland area to a variety of venues including Hersey High School for the Chicagoland Invitational Concert Band Festival,” Baltzer said in a release. “The band program also aims to bring in the best talent from across the country. This year, the band was able to work with acclaimed composer Jarod Hall as they prepared one of his pieces for performance.”