Blechle, DeGuzman, Kaempfe, Krieg, Smith, and Sibley earn “perfect” scores
BY JIM BEERS, Contributing Writer
CHESTER – The Chester High School Music Department is on another quest to earn another State Trophy in the 2023 IHSA Music Sweepstakes competition. The first step in accomplishing this goal was competing in the 2023 IHSA Solo and Ensemble Contest on Saturday March 3 at Carbondale.
Chester’s Max Blechle, son of Chris and Valerie Blechle of Chester, performs his Snare Drum Solo titled, “Doodler’s Delight” at the 2023 IHSA Solo and Ensemble Contest. Blechle was one of six Chester High School Music Students to earn a “Perfect” score for his performance. Photo by Valerie Blechle
CHS Band and Choral Director, Steve Colonel took 98 entries to the Solo & Ensemble Contest, including 48 vocal solos and ensembles, 49 instrumental solos and ensembles, as well as one piano solo.
Solos and ensembles were judged by a professional music teacher or performance expert and rated according to various criteria including Tone Quality, Intonation, Rhythm, Technique, Interpretation & Musicianship, Diction, and Miscellaneous other Performance Factors. The number of points earned range from 0-5 per category and there are 7 categories being judged.
If a student earned all points possible, he or she would have a “perfect” 35 point maximum number of points. Ratings ranged from Superior to Poor depending upon the number of points that were assigned.
Categories were assigned as follow:
Division I or “Superior” ratings (35-31 points) =5, outstanding in nearly every way
Division II or “Excellent ratings (30.9-25 points) = 4, only minor defects
Division III or “Good” ratings (24.9-18 points) = 3, lacking finesse and/or interpretation
Division IV or “Fair” ratings (17.9-11 points) = 2, basic weaknesses
Division V or “Poor” ratings (10.9-7 points) = 1, unsatisfactory
Chester results included the following categories:
VOCAL ENTRIES
33 solos: 25 Division I or “Superior” ratings
8 Division II or “Excellent” ratings
14 Ensembles:
7 Division I or “Superior” ratings
6 Division II or “Excellent” ratings
1 Division III or “Good” rating
1 Chamber Choir: 1 Division I or “Superior” rating
INSTRUMENTAL ENTRIES
34 Solos: 26 Division I or “Superior” ratings
15 Ensembles: 12 Division I or “Superior” ratings
2 Division II or “Excellent” ratings
1 Division III or “good” rating
1 Piano Solo: 1 Division I or “Superior” rating
PERFECT SCORES (These SIX students earned the maximum number of points possible. Their ratings were Division I “Superior”, outstanding in nearly detail.
Max Blechle, Snare Drum Solo (25 of 25 points)
Nico DeGuzman, Vocal Solo (35 of 35 points)
Hannah Kaempfe, Vocal Solo (35 of 35 points)
Mirra Krieg, Vocal Solo (35 of 35 points)
Ace Smith, Vocal Solo (35 of 35 points)
Jason Sibley, Vocal Solo (35 of 35 points)
Individual Results (Total: 98)
Division I “Superior” Ratings (72)
Eva Meade Jason Sibley Hannah Kaempfe Aden McFarland & Johanna Frazer
Jessica Ixcoy Max Blechle Josalynn Anaya Kerringtyn Malley
Mirra Krieg David August Megan Zimmer Chamber Choir
Jacob Pfeiffer Isaiah Ferrell Chelsea August Rylie McDonough
Jaden Lopez Ash Pfeiffer Hannah Kaempfe Erin Liefer & Rylie McDonough
Joel Buskhol Jacob Handel Mikayla Straight I. Ferrell, J. Anaya, & C. Miller
Jessica Ixcoy Erin Liefer Jason Sibley Ace Smith & Amanda Kennon
Ace Smith Ary Shipley Mikayla Straight Clayton Andrews & Jacob Handel
Tulsa Addison David August Clayton Andrews Addie Gottschammer
Cesar Marquez Johanna Frazer Sydney Collins Mirra Krieg & Trinity Jones
Chloe Miller Will Welge Ary Shipley Jaden Lopez & Joel Buskohl
Mirra Krieg Lydia Smith Nico DeGuzman Amanda Kennon & Jaden Lopez
Julia Venus Joel Buskohl Chelsea August Sydney Collins & Chloe Miller
Jaden Lopez Tia Martinez Nico DeGuzman Josh Casteel & Rylie McDonough
Erin Liefer Josh Casteel Isaiah Ferrell Isaiah Ferrell & Mikayla Straight
Rylie McDonough Amanda Kennon Jack Heffernan Brooklyn Webb
Julia Venus & Chelsea August Will Welge & Jessica Ixcoy
Cesar Marquez & Chelsea August Natalie Gutersloh & Megan Zimmer
Ary Shipley & Nico DeGuzman Garrett Hopkins & Jacob Handel
Josalynn Anaya & Jessica Ixcoy Cesar Marquez & Will Welge
Division II “Excellent” Ratings (24)
Cesar Marquez Cheslli Cumberland Mikala Straight & Ary Shipley
Garrett Hopkins Trinity Jones Chase Gilbert, David Sullivan, & Ace Smith
Gavin Cowan Ivan Hobbs Noah Homan & Mirra Krieg
Kaci Trost Amelia Crawford Jessica Ixcoy & Isaiah Ferrell
Joshua Casteel Megan Zimmer Gabe Coffman & Ivan Hobbs
Haley Hoskin Chase Gilbert Aden McFarland
Emily Gruenewald Haley Hoskin Natalie Guetersloh
Tulsa Addison, Toby Gercis, & Johanna Frazer
Ary Shipley & Amelia Crawford
Haley Hoskin & Malachi Greathouse
Division III “Good” Ratings (2)
Eva Meade & Brayden Absher
Kaci Trost & Lydia Smith
2023 IHSA Music Sweepstakes
How Sweepstakes Points are earned
6 points are awarded for every Division I “Superior” rating Earned
3 points are awarded for every Division II “Excellent” rating earned
0 points are awarded for every Division III “Good” rating earned
Chester High School earned 240 points in Vocal Contest performances. This score finished 3rd in the State of Illinois in Class B for Vocal performances
150 points for Division I solos
24 points for Division II solos
42 points for Division I Ensemble performances
18 points for Division II Ensemble performances
6 points for Division I Chamber Choir performance
Chester High School earned 264 points in Instrumental performances. This score finished 3rd in the State of Illinois in Class B for Instrumental performances
162 points for Division I solos
24 points for Division II solo performances
72 points for Division I Ensemble performances
6 points for Division II Ensemble performances
Note: Chester High School musicians earned a total of 504 points overall which is good enough to be tied for 4th Place in Class B in the IHSA Music Sweepstakes after completion of the Soo and Ensemble Contest.
Current Class B Music Sweepstakes standings (Top 10)
1st Monmouth (M-Roseville) 618 points
2nd tie Kewanee 531 points
2nd tie Taylor Ridge (Rockridge) 513 points
4th tie CHESTER 504 points
4th tie Oregon 504 points
6th Princeton 357 points
7th Herscher 300 points
8th Mendota 219 points
9th tie Braidwood (Red-Custer) 204 points
9th tie Byron 204 points
Note: The 2023 IHSA Organizational Contest is the weekend of April 14-15. Points from Organizational Contest will be added to the Solo and Ensemble Contest standings to determine the final Music Sweepstakes standings. The Top-3 schools in each class earn State Final Trophies.
2023 Organizational Contest
Chester High School will compete in the 2023 IHSA Organizational Contest on Friday April 14 at Murphysboro High School located at 50 Blackwood Drive. At that contest the CHS Concert Band, Jazz Band, Concert Choir and Swing Choir “Sound Effect” will compete. A panel of three judges will adjudicate the performances and assign points.
Points from the Solo and Ensemble Contest will be added to the points earned at Organizational Contest to form one total, final score and ranking with the Top-3 schools in each class earning trophies.
The schedule of performances include Concert Band (5:00 p.m. in the Gym); Jazz Band (6:00 p.m. in the Gym); Concert Choir (7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium); and Swing Choir (8:30 p.m. in the Auditorium).
Chester High School parents, students, and other music supporters are welcomed and encouraged to attend the Organizational Contest to cheer and support the CHS vocalists and instrumentalists in their efforts to once again bring home a State Trophy!
Schools are placed in their respective classes based upon school population/size with Class D being the smallest schools and Class A being the largest schools. Chester competed in Class C the first two years of taking part in the IHSA Music Sweepstakes and were moved into Class B the past four years.
While in Class C, Chester was one of the bigger schools. In Class B, CHS is one of the smallest schools. This year, Chester is actually the smallest school competing in Class B. At his time, heading into the Organizational Contest this weekend, the Chester High School Music Department is ranked 16th in the State of Illinois regardless of class size in Classes A through D.
Chester’s Record and History in the IHSA Music Sweepstakes
During the six year period that Chester has competed in the Music Sweepstakes, the YellowJackets have earned State Finals trophies three times, ranging from State Champion to 3rd Place. Below is a record of Chester High School’s achievements.
2016 “Finished 3rd” in Class C (earned trop2017 Did not place
2018 “State Champions” in Class C (earned trophy)
2019 “Finished 4th” in Class B (missed a trophy by one position)
2020 (No competition due to COVID-19 restrictions)
2021 “Finished 2nd” Place in Class B (earned trophy)
2022 “Finished 4th” Place in Class B (missed a trophy by one position)
2023 To Be Determined (Currently tied for 4th Place in Class B)