By Yuka Noda
Staff Writer
Some enjoy listening to beautiful tunes, while others enjoy creating them. A select few Mira Costa students, armed with their instruments, advanced to the finals of the 2014 Rotary Solo Competition at Mira Costa.
Freshmen Christina Chong, Alex Luo and Briana Zukotynski and sophomores Zain Khalifeh and Shubhayu Bhattacharyay made it through the preliminary round on Jan. 9 to compete in the finals of the underclassmen division. The finalists for this year’s upperclassmen division are seniors Ryan Gulland, Kirk La, Koh Shoda, and juniors Moses Aubrey and Danica Chong.
“I hope to perform my best because I have been heavily preparing for it,” La said.
The Rotary Solo Competition is a two-division competition for students who excel in the music department. Within both the upper and lower classmen divisions, students perform wind, percussion and string instruments. At the end of the final round, the winners for both of the divisions will be announced, and prizes will be awarded.
“I think it’s fair for the competition to be divided because the upperclassmen have had more time to develop their skills,” La said.
In the underclassmen division, first, second and third-place receive $200, $125 and $75, respectively. In the upperclassmen division, first, second and third-place recieve $300, $175 and $125, respectively.
“Although the students have great opportunities everyday in class in our musical arts department, there are many aspects to having strong musicianship, which includes performing as an ensemble, but also as a soloist, and I think this competition allows for that development,” Costa orchestra conductor Peter Park said.
In the preliminary round, students were given up to three minutes to perform unaccompanied by a pianist. The finalists are allowed to incorporate a piano accompanist into their performances and play a longer selection of songs.
“I had competed when I was in eighth grade, but I’ve been putting it off for quite some time,” cellist freshman George Rochelle said. “Since not many people compete at Mira Costa, I thought it would be a good chance to stand out. I did not make the finals, but I plan on competing in the future.”
The Rotary Solo Competition began in 2010 in Manhattan Beach and includes students from both Mira Costa High School and Manhattan Beach Middle School. The winners of this competition will perform at the Rotary Club Breakfast and enter the Rotary District Arts Competition, which includes a dance, music and art competition at Loyola Marymount University in March.
“Music is something to be shared,” Park said. “They might feel nervous because the students are used to a formal setting, but that shouldn’t be the case. It’s easy to find your comfort zone and stay there, but life is the summation of what you have gained from experience.”
Although the students who compete can have the benefit of winning prize money, many do it for their passion for music and their want to progress in their music abilities.
“If I win the competition, I plan on buying new music equipment for the student I tutor,” Chong said.
The final round of the competition will takes place tonight at 7 p.m. in the Costa auditorium.
“You go up to play for yourself,” Zukotynski said. “I entered the competition to compete against myself and see how well I could do because playing violin is my hobby and what I love to do.”
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