Beginning in 2012, the Lambda Lambda chapter inaugurated a new service project, aimed at an unusual audience: a Solo and Ensemble workshop, designed to help area high school musicians receive feedback on solos or ensemble music ahead of performances at solo and ensemble events.
Letters were mailed out to area high school band directors informing of them of the project and letting them know the registration fees and deadlines. Upperclassmen ISU music education students not involved in Kappa Kappa Psi were asked to serve as clinicians and mock judges for the workshops, and specialists for each instrument represented were able to offer advice and assistance. Each soloist or ensemble’s performance and clinician’s comments were recorded, burned to DVDs, and given to the musicians along with comment sheets filled out by the mock judges immediately following their performance.
This project was undertaken as an avenue for Kappa Kappa Psi to impact area high school students in a positive and proactive manner. The project also serves as a recruitment tool for the university and the School of Music—no other department of music in any of Indiana’s universities can boast such an event. Finally, this project allowed us to work with ISU students that are not necessarily involved in Kappa Kappa Psi, and as a result of the project’s success, may be expanded to include vocalists and string instrumentalists in the future—if so, this will greatly extend the program’s reach and potential for ISU student involvement.