Choir students receive “Superior” rating at Sub-Sections
The WEM Music Department has been very busy this year and during the final months of the school year they have many events planned.
Of those events, two are coming back to the district after not being held for years.
Most recently, the WEM Choir participated in the Sub-Section Music Contest Festival and they were awarded the top honor, a “Superior” rating.
According to first-year Music Director Sean Benz, the large group contest is something each year that is not only a showcase of the talents that each school brings but also a chance to be able to receive valuable feedback and critics to make programs better.
“We received feedback which has now been brought up in class,” Benz said.
During the large group contest schools are given a required list of pieces they can choose from to perform and then they can also sing two other pieces of their choosing. The schools are then critiqued on all three of the songs.
Benz said he likes to have his students perform something in a different language or a different culture.
In May, the WEM Choir will be performing in another event in St. Paul Highland Park.
Last month Cora Shaw, Dawson Slechta, and Alix Velzke performed in the Solo Ensemble which was held at Minnesota State University-Mankato. Shaw and Velzke had applied for the All-State Choir with their performances and will find out in mid-April if they are selected.
To see more on this story pick up the March 19, 2026 print edition of the LifeEnterprise.