Band students are preparing to perform their solos for the Lovejoy solo contest on Saturday, May 12.

“We do solo contest to improve the overall playing ability of each student as individuals,” assistant band director Daniel King said. “In a solo setting, our students have to learn a whole different set of skills. It helps to develop technical facility on their instruments, higher levels of musical expression and forces them to learn to play with a piano accompanist.”

Band students have been practicing their pieces for the past few months.

“It’s been going good,” junior and flutist Pallavi Muraleedharan said. “I’ve been preparing [my solo] since after area auditions with Mrs. Penny, my private lessons teacher. I’m excited to perform it and show what I’ve been working on for the past few months.”

The band directors hire a trio of judges to help judge the students’ solos, which are rated on a scale of one to three with one being the highest score.

“I’ve been practicing a lot,” freshman and bassoon player Zachary Iovine said. “It’s a little stressful, but I’m excited to see all my friends get to play. The directors give you a little freedom with how you want to practice your solo. Something could always go wrong, so it’s a little stressful.”