Multiple musicians from Pella Christian recently participated in the State Solo and Ensemble Contest in their home auditorium.

Band Director Shannon Dykstra tells KNIA/KRLS News it was a record-breaking year for the program as 66 students took part in 28 events as part of the festival, including 19 Division I superior ratings and nine Division II excellent ratings. Choral music teacher Tim Van Voorst says the vocal department had 11 events and received eight Division I’s and three Division II’s.

Freshman Peter Larson received the outstanding performance award, which means he will perform at a recital at Iowa State in May. Among those Division I rated trumpet player was Sam Fredrickson. The two say it was a busy day.

“I was involved in the brass choir, which got a one, I was excited about that, and I played my own solo. and I honestly didn’t think it went very well but that also got a one,” Fredrickson says.

“I was involved in the woodwind choir, which received a two, I was involved in two saxophone duets, one of them I played soprano saxophone, the other I played alto saxophone, one of them received a two, one received a two,” he says. He was also involved in both a sax trio and solo.