The West High Band Department held its first Solo/Ensemble Festival from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26.

All students in West’s top two bands, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble, were required to select at least one piece to perform as a solo, duet or small ensemble in front of one of four judges. Students in 9th Grade Band and Varsity Band could volunteer to perform a piece as well.

The directors hired Cedar Rapids Washington High Band Director Joel Nagel, Clear Creek Amana High Band Director Sam Bills, Williamsburg High Band Director Leah Grant and City High Band Director Aaron Ottmar to judge performances and give feedback. They scored performances, gave comments and named 16 Best in Center performances.

Aside from judges, the event was also open for family, friends and other audience members to listen in.

The performance venues were the North Band Room, South Band Room, the Music Production Room and the Little Theater. Each performance had a nine-minute time slot, though students’ pieces usually lasted two to six minutes.

The event replaced the Chamber Ensemble Concert from past years. Last year, Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band each formed three groups: a woodwind choir, brass choir and percussion ensemble.

Rather than a festival with multiple simultaneous performances in front of judges, Chamber Ensemble was one concert of performances from each of the six ensembles performed for family and friends.

Next year, the directors plan to continue with the new Solo/Ensemble Festival format with some slight tweaks. They’re looking into changing the date of the festival and, subsequently, when the bands start picking pieces, practicing and otherwise preparing.

With the opening of the new orchestra and choir rooms after construction finishes, the performance venues of the concert will likely change as well.

“We were both very happy with this first attempt so we definitely plan to follow a similar format in the future,” band director Brian Zeglis said in an email.

The next band event is Jazz Ensemble’s trip to Ames to compete in the Iowa Jazz Championships on April 8 after they received a wild-card invitation.