The Civic Orchestra of Abilene will feature three student soloists in the Tri-College Concerto-Aria Concert on Tuesday.

The orchestra, which was formed in 2016, is composed of students from all three universities in Abilene – ACU, McMurry and Hardin-Simmons. This biennial concert was created to give students experience performing in a setting most don’t get to. 

Concertos are pieces designed for a single designated soloist to perform with the rest of the ensemble accompanying. Similarly, an aria is a piece designed for vocalists in the same setting. Last October, Dr. Kathleen Crabtree, adjunct professor of music, performed a viola concerto with the orchestra. Now, students are getting that same chance to perform with their peers.

Dr. Steven Ward, director of orchestra and bands, emphasized how valuable this experience is for students.

“It allows us to really highlight some of the really wonderful and best student musicians from the three schools,” Ward said. “And it’s just an incredible opportunity for them to get to play with an orchestra as a soloist.”

Every two years, students from all three universities can participate in the Tri-College Concerto-Aria Competition. Each musician who participates selects their own piece and auditions for a panel of three judges. These judges then select the best three musicians to perform in the concert.

This year, two of the soloists are ACU students. One musician who will be featured is Turner Rey, senior music major from Boerne. Rey, who plays the viola, has enjoyed the opportunity to test his skills in ways he hasn’t before.

“Getting the opportunity as a student to really stretch yourself and try to expand the limits of your performing ability is really great,” Rey said.

Karissa Ward, senior music education major, will also be a featured ACU soloist and will play the clarinet. Additionally, Aaron Brokovich, junior music major at McMurry, will play the marimba. 

Each of the soloists has only two or three rehearsals with the full orchestra before the concert, which Ward said is common in the professional and university worlds.

“That’s part of the experience, too,” Steven Ward said. “It’s just being ready to go and getting a few rehearsals and then doing the concert.”

Beyond just the featured students, Ward said the concert is a learning opportunity for the other musicians in the orchestra.

“Playing a piece with a soloist is a different skill than playing orchestral music as an orchestra,” Ward said. “Learning to accompany is a different skill and requires a little bit of a different kind of listening, so that’s a really valuable experience for the orchestra too.”

On top of that, Rey said preparing for the concert has also grown the bond between himself and the rest of the orchestra.

“We feel more comfortable performing,” Rey said. “I think it’s a really great thing just to grow closer musically and personally with all these people.”

The Concerto-Aria Concert will be on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. It will be held in the Boone Family Theater, and admission is free for everyone. There will also be a livestream on the Abilene Civic Orchestra’s website.