Marietta High School’s Bass Chorus, Cantabile Choir and Symphonic Band have qualified for state competition in April, according to a press release from Marietta City Schools.

“This is the meat of what we do,” said Director of Choirs Scott Rieder in the release. “This is why they have the vocal chops to perform as they do in a musical or at Music in the Park.”

Earlier this month, Rieder took 75 choral students to John Glenn High School for the Ohio Music Education Association District 9 Large Group competition, the release said. Director of Bands Korey Parlin also took an additional 30 students in the Symphonic Band for their large group adjudicated event, the release reported.

“The music they perform in these settings and at our Solo and Ensemble performances is the traditional, higher level choral music than the Christmas or spring shows. It’s the most advanced music students will perform all year,” said Rieder.

The school last attended the state competition in person in 2019, pre-consolidation and pandemic — before adding large classes of eighth-grade students to the group, the release said.

“So what’s amazing, especially about our Bass Chorus, is that more than half are eighth graders and they performed at the high school level,” said Rieder. “That’s a direct result of the consolidation and serves both them and the program as a whole.”

The release said Bass Chorus earned not only top marks in sight reading, but also received a superior rating in their prepared pieces. Cantabile Choir also was recognized with a superior rating in the Class A competition and Symphonic Band earned a superior rating in the Class C competition, the release said.

“I’m proud of their overall growth from last year to this year,” said Parlin. “That same group got twos and threes last year and received the one from all three judges this year. They’re buying into what we’re trying to build and trusting me in the moment to guide them and balance the ensemble musically.”

Listen to their competitive works by visiting mariettacityschools.k12.oh.us/o/mhs/page/music and join the bands and choirs for three final shows this school year at Marietta High School:

¯ Marietta High School Band Spring Concert, May 16, at 7 p.m.

¯ Marietta High School Choir Spring Show, May 18, at 7 p.m.

¯ Marietta City Schools Fine Arts Festival, April 26, at 5:30 p.m.