Jr. High Honors Choir in Shell Lake Wisconsin, April of 2014

New York Trip was a success!

Our trip to New York was a blast!  In spite of the difficulties presented by riding a bus (air cond. troubles and a tornado drill!), we had fantastic time in New York!  Students performed often while waiting in lines or waiting for the bus, or at the request of any passerby.  The performance at St. Johns the Divine was breathtaking.   Our tour guide, Micheal, was friendly and helpful in our many tours and stops in the Big Apple.  We loved our musical choices: Phantom of the Opera and Matilda!  Kudos to every student who made the trip and adults who travelled along as well, you were all simply awesome! Be sure to check out our 4 videos of the trip on our youtube video bar link on this site, top right hand corner.

Ultra Day at State

Ultra Day (Kyle Rudd, Corey Utyro, Caleb Utyro and Cody Utryo) had a great performance at the WSMA’s State Launchpad at Madison on June 9th! They competed against 12 other garage bands from around the state from large High Schools such as Sauk Prairie, Mosinee, Janesville, Appleton, Wauwatosa, Milwaukee, Madison, LaCrosse, Osseo Fairchild and Green Bay. Each band played 3 selections in virtually any style, which could be covers or originals. Although they did not receive the Grand Prize, they were awarded a 40 minute set on the Potawtomi Stage at Summerfest in Milwaukee with the other State Finalists. Ultra Day’s set is beginning at 1:50 P.M. on Sunday, July 1st. Trampled by Turtles, the local band from Duluth who recently played on David Letterman, will sing on the same stage that evening at 10:00 P.M. Each band was also awarded a Shure microphone and a digital recorder. It was amazing to watch our Solon Springs students perform with these other bands from big schools. It just proves that good things can come in small packages. Congratulations to Cody, Caleb, Corey and Kyle for aiming high and reaching the mark.

Compliments to the J.H. Choir and Drum Ensemble from the composer

I received this e-mail from the composer, Will Schmid, of "Finding Our Way Back Home" after it was posted on Youtube: "I totally loved the YouTube video of "Finding Our Way Back Home." Your performance was just what I was hoping for when I wrote it. It was very musical, in-tune, lovely blend, good phrasing, and well-balanced with voice parts and instruments. Nice tenor solo too. If you wouldn't mind, I would like to include a link in my next WMDr Newsletter. OK? Will Schmid" Great job kids! Click on the picture of the Jr. High Choir to the right to hear this song.

Jr. High Honors Choir

Jr. High students, Karly Sutherland, Zach Rajala, Makaela Portwood and Tommy Androsky went to Shell Lake Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 19th to participate in the annual Middle School Honors Choir. After 7 hours of rehearsal with students from 20 other schools, they performed an evening concert for the public which included a piece by Mozart, "Dies Iraes", sung in Latin. The students felt it was a challenge, fun and time of musical growth for them.

Ultra Day competes at Launchpad

Solon Springs Rock band "Ultra Day", triplets Caleb, Cody and Corey Utyro, and pose with bandmate Kyle Rudd (second from the right) for a picture after their night at the WSMA Launchpad Competition on April 20th at Chippewa Falls High School. The participants were in general from very large schools and our kids were definite underdogs and favorites. Some of the other schools participating were Lacrosse, Osseo Fairchild, Sparta, Middleton, Regis, Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls. They were the only group to have written all three of their competition songs. “Launchpad, now in its eighth year, is one of the fastest growing and exciting new WSMA programs offered to high school students. It encourages students to creatively put into practice lessons learned in music classes by applying, in their own way, the skills learned,” said Tim Wurgler, WSMA program director. At least one person from each band must be in a school music program and all members must be currently enrolled in a Wisconsin high school and/or WSMA member school to qualify. All four of the Ultra Day group belongs to our Sr. High Choir. The competing bands, selected from more than 75 statewide entries are each slotted to play the three songs (covers or originals in virtually any style) from their audition recordings. They are evaluated by music industry professionals on expression and creativity (dynamics, ability to connect with audience/inspire enthusiasm), technique (intonation, rhythmic clarity, dexterity, vocal clarity/diction), time (ability to play in sync and “feel” style together), blend (melody, inner notes, bass, listening) and synergy (overall effect, the “wow” factor). The bands will compete for the state title and the prestigious Les Paul Launchpad Award. The winning band will also receive a professional recording session at Blast House Studios in Madison, a 2012 Summerfest gig in Milwaukee, and the ability to designate a Yamaha equipment package to their school, courtesy of Yamaha Corporation of America. All bands advancing to the state finals automatically qualify to participate in the Summerfest Launchpad Regional Showcases, where they will each play a 45-minute set with a potential audience of 3,000 people. Click on the songcloud link to the right to hear their songs.

Congratulations on District Solos and Ensembles Contest!

The choirs had 35 entries this year and everyone did a fantastic job! Out of the 22 Class A entries, 16 move on to the State Competition on May 5th. This is the most vocal entries ever to go to State for our school! It is the most vocal entries going to State from our school and the most entries (8) by one person, student Kyle Rudd.

The choirs had 35 entries this year and everyone did a fantastic job! Out of the 22 Class A entries, 16 move on to the State Competition on May 5th. This is the most vocal entries ever to go to State for our school! It is the most vocal entries going to State from our school and the most entries by one person, student Kyle Rudd. Class A Vocal entries going on to State May 5th. Chamber Choir, Corey Utyro – Tenor Solo, Sarah Finstad and Hannah Hedberg, Cody, Corey and Caleb Utyro - Trio, Kyle Rudd – Baritone Solo, Boys Ensemble, Courtney Banks – Soprano Solo , Caleb Utyro – Baritone Solo, Charles Worsley – Baritone Solo , Valarie Garay and Kyle Rudd – ST Duet, Kyle Rudd – Tenor Musical Theatre , Joe Androsky and Charles Worsley TB Duet, Girls Ensemble, Corey, Caleb and Cody Utyro, Kyle Rudd – TTBB, Corey, Caleb and Cody Utyro, Kyle Rudd – Barbershop, Mostly Vocal Ethnic Ensemble,

Pictures from the Christmas Concert and 2012 Dinner Concert.