On Saturday, April 27 2013, CHS Band and Orchestra students loaded onto a bus amidst the freezing cold and wet of 5:00AM spring showers. Not even the ghastly weather could deter the musicians from their destination of Columbia, MO, where later in the day, each and every rainswept CHS student would perform one or multiple musical compositions at the 2013 State Solo and Small Ensemble Festival.

Musicians had to have received a division one rating, on a scale of one being superior and five being poor, at districts to qualify for today’s state festival. The events ran with ease throughout the day, largely due to the determination of time keepers who, at the hands of the judges, kept everyone precisely on schedule.

It was not wholly uncommon during the early hours of the festival to come upon string players crammed into unsuitably sized practice areas, practically on top of each other, in their desperation to warm up. But nevertheless, other than the occasional complaint of a lack of practice space, this year’s MSHAA State Music Festival held no unwelcome surprises.

At the end of the day, while only some students left Columbia with the honor of a 1 rating, the judging being harsh and extremely critical, each and every student worked extremely hard preparing for the final festival and should rightfully be proud of what they’ve accomplished.