SHS vocal students earn district honors

Monday, May 18, 2015
Several Sikeston High School students earn top ratings at the MOSERA Southeast District Solo and Ensemble Festival and will now compete at the state level. They are, front row: Madi Basham, Brianna Basham, Emily Braden; and back row: Grayson Cantrell, Elizabeth Sanders, Ethan Cockrell and Malik Barnett pictured with Abraham H. Leach, Sikeston Public Schools secondary vocal music. Also earning the honor were Dalton Martin, Dominique Dyes, Payton Yates, Erica Irwin, Maddie Roberts and Kennedy Frohawk. Jill Bock, Staff

SIKESTON - Sikeston High School students earned top ratings while taking part in the Missouri State High School Activities Association's Southeast District Solo and Ensemble Festival on March 20.

Fourteen of the participants will complete at the state level. To qualify for the State Music Festival a student must receive a rating of "I," which is an exemplary performance. An exemplary music performance is described as, "consistently demonstrating a true musical expression and few errors. The performance is worthy of distinction and of being recognized as among the very best."

According to Abraham H. Leach, Sikeston Public Schools secondary vocal music instructor, there were also several students who gave outstanding performances "of distinctive quality with minor defects in musical expression and technique."

He noted that many of the students have prepared for the Festival since the beginning of the school year with great dedication.

"I am very proud of all our students who performed," said Leach. "They have represented Sikeston in a highly capable and positive way."

Honored at the Festival were: Grayson Cantrell, mixed double and women's double; Madi Basham, mixed double and women's double; Erica Irwin, women's double; Maddie Roberts, women's double; Emily Braden, women's double; Elizabeth Sanders, mixed double and women's double; Brianna Basham, mixed double and women's double; Kennedy Frohawk, solo and women's double; Dalton Martin, solo and mixed double; Dominique Dyes, mixed double; Payton Yates, mixed double; Ethan Cockrell, mixed double; and Malik Barnett, solo.