UCS band student awarded rare perfect score at state soloist competition

What does it take to earn a rare perfect score as a soloist your first time at a state music competition?

“I worked really hard and it was a lot of practice,” said Lincoln Tezak, a Stevenson High School sophomore. “But in the end it paid off.”

The pay-off was a perfect score of 100 as a tuba soloist at the Michigan State Band and Orchestra Solo and Ensemble Festival.

The award also earned him participation in the MSBOA’s recent brass chamber ensemble.

“Lincoln is an exceptionally hard worker and always eager to do the 'next band thing,'” said his Stevenson band teacher, Michael Yaros. "His personal preparation is exceptional. I couldn't be more proud of Lincoln, both as a musician and as a kind and caring human being."

Yaros said that the perfect score is extremely rare as the students have to perform their solo flawlessly, play five different scales from memory and perform a piece of sight reading presented at the competition in under a minute.

“That kind of preparation only occurs once in a blue moon and enabled him to perform with the best of the best in the statewide brass chamber ensemble," Yaros said. “It was a memorable experience for him, and a phenomenal performance, to say the least.”

Tezak picked up the tuba in seventh grade in his Davis Junior High School band room with teacher Scott Condne. He started on percussion but switched to the brass for two major reasons.

“I like brass, and the tuba is the best way to get there,” he said.

And the other reason?

“When I saw it in seventh grade, I thought, ‘wow that is really big. That’s so cool,’” he said.

Tezak said the perfect score has only given him further energy for his career goal, which is to teach music.

“Music is such a beautiful art form and it just brings everybody joy,” Tezak said.

While music runs in the family – his uncle is a drummer – Tezak also credits his UCS band teachers for his musical growth.

“Mr. Condne and Mr. Yaros have both been wonderful,” he said. “They really encouraged me the whole time to keep going, to keep playing music and to enjoy it.”

Source: Utica Community Schools

Robert S. Monroe, Superintendent of Schools

Http://www.uticak12.org