FAIRMONT– The month of March is a busy year for Fairmont High School’s music programs. Over the course of the month students from across the school’s music programs participate in multiple concerts and contests including a major concert band competition which will be held next week at the high school.

On March 6 a total of 110 choir, band and orchestra students participated in Solo and Ensemble Contest at Minnesota State University in Mankato. At the event students from a variety of schools performed a piece for one of eight judges. Fairmont’s students had been practicing their pieces since last December and five of the eight judges said the best performance they saw that day came from a Fairmont student.

The following week on March 14 members of Fairmont’s choir participated in a Large Group Choir Contest in Madelia. At the event the choir performed three pieces and all three of their judges gave the choir a superior rating which required scoring at least 35 out of 40 possible points.

“They’re so difficult but the judge has to give you a comprehensive score. If you aren’t so good … on one piece but on the other two it’s awesome you’re still going to be deducted,” said Fairmont choral instructor Molly Bleess.

On Tuesday, March 21, students from all three senior high music programs will perform a single unified concert at the performing arts center at 7 p.m. The event will be Fairmont High School’s largest and most complex musical performance this year. On March 28 junior high students will perform a similar combined concert at the same time and venue.

“It’s really nice to expose students and their families to not just one ensemble,” said Kate Kallenbach, the school’s band director.

Next Thursday, March 23 Fairmont will host the regional Large Group Instrumental Contest. The event rotates between multiple high schools across the South Central Minnesota area and visits Fairmont roughly once every decade. The event will feature multiple groups playing for a panel of three judges every half hour from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fairmont’s band will perform at the start of the event.

“It’s a fun event that takes a huge amount of preparation,” said Kallenbach.

Later that day at 7 p.m. there will be another performance which will feature Director’s Honor Band and Honor Orchestra. The performance will also feature students who received best in site at Solo and Ensemble Contest and a combined performance of The Can-Can from the honor band and orchestra. Altogether the combined ensemble will feature 70 students.

“If someone really wants to hear what our kids are capable of this is the concert to come to because it is our most difficult,” said Bleess.