Morenci Area Schools is proud to recognize two outstanding student musicians who recently represented our school at the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) State Solo and Ensemble Festival on Saturday, May 21, 2026, at Chelsea High School.
Both students qualified for the state festival by earning a Division I rating (Blue Medal) at the District 8 Band and Orchestra Festival held in late January. Qualifying for the state level is a significant accomplishment and reflects a high level of preparation, musical ability, and dedication.
At the state festival, both students performed at Proficiency 1, the highest level of solo performance. In addition to performing a prepared solo, students were required to memorize five scales from a list of nine and complete a sight-reading evaluation. Sight-reading is a challenging musical skill in which students are given a piece of music they have never seen before, allowed 60 seconds to study it silently, and then asked to perform it for a rating.
Sean Sawyer performed the alto saxophone solo “Rondo in D” by Mozart and received a final score of 75, earning a Division II rating. This was a strong performance at the state level and a commendable accomplishment.
Harrison Sarnac performed “Horn Concerto” by Strauss and received an outstanding overall score of 99, earning a Division I rating (Blue Medal). Earning a score of 99 at Proficiency 1 is an exceptional achievement and reflects an extremely high level of musical preparation and performance. This high score has qualified Harrison to participate in the Spring MSBOA Honors Ensembles Festival in May. More information to follow.
Morenci Area Schools congratulates both students for their outstanding performances and for representing our school with excellence, dedication, and musicianship. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and accomplishments.