Blacksburg Middle School’s choral department hit a high note this past Saturday, March 28, as two student ensembles delivered standout performances at the VCDA District VI Choral Assessment. Hosted at Radford University, the event saw the Bruin Singers and Bel Canto choirs earn top-tier ratings, further cementing the school’s reputation for musical excellence and setting the stage for major state recognition.
The assessment evaluates choirs on a rigorous 5-level difficulty scale. Bruin Singers, the school’s unauditioned ensemble, tackled Level 2 repertoire, while Bel Canto, the auditioned ensemble, performed Level 3 selections. Beyond prepared performances, both groups faced the sight-reading challenge, a high-pressure test in which students are given music they have never seen before. Given only two minutes to study the score without a piano, the students must sing the piece without being taught or having the music played for them.
The grading system for the assessment ranges from 1 (Superior) to 5 (Poor). Bel Canto received straight ones for their performance and a 1 for sight-reading, for an overall Superior rating. Bruin Singers received a Superior rating for their performance and an Excellent rating for sight reading for an overall Superior rating.
These scores, combined with the Blacksburg Middle School bands’ superior ratings from their own assessment, make the school eligible for the Virginia Music Educators Association Distinguished Blue Ribbon Award. This represents the highest honor bestowed by the organization and marks the second consecutive year the school has earned this status.