PO-HI Orchestra Takes Home Several Awards

Members of the Po-HI Orchestra traveled to OSU this past Tuesday for the OSSAA Solo and Ensemble Contest.

The students earned 73 ensemble Superior Ratings and 10 Superior solo Superior Ratings, making a total of 83 State medals. They will receive the awards at the Orchestra Banquet on May 2, 2024.

This year the orchestra has earned the following awards:

OSSAA Regional String Orchestra Contest (in November)

– Superior Rating in Concert

OSSAA State Music Contest (Orchestra) in February

– Superior Rating in Concert

OSSAA State Instrumental Contest (in February)

– Superior Rating in Sight-Reading

OSSAA Sweepstakes (Orchestra)

OSSAA State Solo and Ensemble Contest – 10 ensemble Superior Ratings

-Distinguished Academic Achievement Award

– Sweepstakes Plaque

A sweepstakes plaque is awarded to a full orchestra that earns a superior rating at the string orchestra contest as well as the state contest in Concert and Sight-Reading.

– Sweepstakes Accent Award

The Sweepstakes Accent Award is an additional award given to any school that goes “above and beyond” the normal sweepstakes criteria. This award will be a coin that is added to the normal sweepstakes award. Criteria for this award are as follows:

• Orchestras that receive a sweepstakes award and have two string ensembles make a superior rating at State Solos and Ensemble Contest, one of which must be a string quartet or string choir.

-Distinguished Academic Achievement Award

The OSSAA will recognize entire departments (instrumental, vocal, orchestral) of high school music schools that excel in academic achievement and also participate in OSSAA contest designated for that particular large group. The Distinguished Academic Plaque is awarded to a group with an over-all G.P.A. of 3.5 – 4.0 (Based on 4 point grading system and computed to the nearest thousandth percentile.) The over-all G.P.A. for the Po-Hi Symphony is 3.718.

The Po-Hi Orchestra would like to thank their parents, teachers, and the community for all of their continued support. “We are extremely grateful to have an outstanding, state of the art facility here is Ponca City. The Ponca City Schools Concert Hall is one of the many reasons our students are set up for success. I am so very proud of all of our students. Their dedication and commitment to excellence is above reproach. It is an honor and a privilege to be on the podium with them,” says Director of Orchestras, Paula Cochran.