Kids Get To Shine 1,000 Elementary Students Compete At Regional Music Festival

Parents packed in a tiny classroom Saturday looked on proudly as two ensembles of third-, fourth- and fifth-graders prepared to sing.

The Longfellow Elementary students shuffled nervously, but belted out “The Walls of Jericho,” with gusto when the piano player started.

Parents beamed, teacher Dawn Pike applauded and festival judge Randy Fink said he was impressed.

“You are the first group to smile. Thank you,” he said. “I’ve had people sing happy songs and frown. That confuses my eyes.”

The judge rated the group, but not before he squeezed in pointers on breathing and singing the note E loudly.

That lesson was typical of judgings at the annual Eastern Washington Music Educators’ Association Solo/Ensemble Festival, said association president Kathleen Blair.

“We see this mainly as an educational venture, rather than just a chance for the kids to win medals,” she said.

Dressed in their Sunday best, 1,000 elementary and middle school musicians from Eastern Washington performed solo or in groups throughout the day at Northwood Middle School. Classrooms became performance halls and desks turned into audience seating for parents and teachers.

“This is for some folks the pinnacle of the year because individual students get a chance to shine,” she said.

Students competed in one of six categories - woodwind, brass, percussion, strings, piano or vocals - in either classical or folk music.

Competitor Adam Morris, 13, performed “Anchors Aweigh” on trumpet with a partner. Afterward, judge Jim Philips pulled out his own trumpet and played the piece with the boys again.

“I noticed that you had tension in your hand,” he told Morris. “That is going to translate into your music.”

Philips, a music teacher at Coeur d’Alene High School, said he makes a point of taking at least five minutes to coach each competitor.

“This is an opportunity for them to get a little more hands-on and one-on-one training than in the classroom,” he said.

Morris, a bit of a ham when he plays, said through braces that the extra instruction helped him. “He told me to keep my pinky out,” he said. “I learned that if you really want to do good, you have to work hard, but also have fun.”

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EWMEA will host a similar festival for high school musicians March 4 at East Valley High.