Well played — Student musicians get top marks at 2024 State Music Festival

Music students participated in the Western State Solo and Ensemble Festival in Helena May 3 and 4, receiving top scores for their performances. 

Qualified music specialists judged each performance, providing comments to help students improve and rating each entry as Superior, Excellent, good, fair or poor.

Following are area results provided by schools. 

Columbia Falls

Band

Superior ensembles: Percussion ensemble; Columbians; Jazz Combo; flute quartet (Daylen Brunson, Kjasa Mohr, Eleanor Smiley and Merrell Cooley); clarinet trio (Claire Bates, Eric Miner and Tiptin Tourville); Greyson Pfiefle and Terrance Toavs, trumpet duet.

Superior solos: Abbey Biel, tenor saxophone; Evan Fisher, trombone; Kajsa Mohr, flute; and Malakia Shaw, flute.

Choir

Superior solos: Angela Allen, Sarah Balla, Cash Byrd, Quinn Clark, Lucas Counts, Trevon Fauske, Amanda Fitch, Isabella Fitch, Audrey Hanley and Ryan Mee. 

Superior ensembles: Sonifers (Angela Allen, Sarah Balla, Camryn Brewer, Erica Burguiere, Cash Byrd, Quinn Clark, Lucas Counts, Trevon Fauske, Amanda Fitch, Isabella Fitch, Audrey Hanley, Colton Little and Celestine Young); Sonifers TB; senior quartet (Cash Byrd, Quinn Clark, Lucas Counts and Colton Little); trio (Angela Allen Isabella and Amanda Fitch); SATB quartet (Angela Allen, Lucas Counts, Audrey Hanley and Celestine Young); Fitch Sisters duet; Emery “Ren” Duran and Payton Owens duet. 

Excellent ensemble: Merrick Fairchild and Daena Robinson duet.

Flathead High School

Band

Superior solos: Isabelle Bennett, tenor saxophone; Jacob Braach, French horn; Abby Castruita, trumpet; Bailey Chollman, euphonium; Dawson Girardot, marimba; Dawson Girardot, tenor drums; Daniel Guzman, trumpet; Logan Holder, clarinet; Zoe Jacobson, euphonium; Jack Provo, trumpet; Jasper Wilde, trumpet

Superior ensembles: Jazz I (Isabelle Bennett, Jakob Berry, Abby Castruita, Bailey Chollman, Dawson Girardot, Zoe Jacobson, Dyson Linden and Isaac Sandler); Jazz II (Erek Benson, Brooklyn Bowen, Jacob Braach, Savannah Brown, Essence Burdick, Chris Clostio, Alexa Correll, Brodyn DeShaw, Daniel Guzman, Ki Hardman, Logan Holder, Sam Loftfield-Garner, Aiden Sabo, Rook Smith, Jasper Wilde and Tessa Wilson); low brass quartet (Bailey Chollman, Zoe Jacobson, Emmah Sawyer and Rorik Thorsen); Josie Andersen and Melody Hantz, percussion duet; percussion ensemble (Josie Andersen, Jakob Berry, Brooklynn Bowen, Bailey Chollman, Brodyn DeShaw, Dawson Girardot, Melody Hantz, Abby Howard-Sawyer, Miles Klein, Adina Lockwood, Brendan McElhaney and Dylan Townsend); and Chris Clostio and Jack Provo trumpet duet.

Excellent ensembles: Keelan Moore and Jack Provo, flute and trumpet duet.     

Orchestra

Superior solos: Aedan Baier, cello; Hazel Bridge, violin; Lucy Downey, viola; Xinnia Hansen, violin; Mia Lamantia, violin; Paulette La Rue, violin; Elle Sauer, cello; and Hailey Simon, cello.

Excellent solos: Adisen Haag, Violin; and Lindy Porter, violin.

Superior ensembles: Kemberlei Gross and Claire Timm, violin duet; Aedan Baier and Parker Holden, cello duet; Parker Holden and Siarah Holden, string duet; Lucy Downey and Hailey Simon, string duet; Paulette La Rue and Elle Sauer, string duet; Arianna Behrens, Kemberlei Gross and Claire Timm, violin trio; string quartet (Brighan Schow, Siarah Holden, Natalie Young and Hailey Simon); and string quartet (Mia Lamantia, Zoey Bortz, Lucy Downey and Hailey Simon).

Excellent ensembles: String trio (Xinna Hansen, Parker Holden and Ramsay) and string trio (Siarah Holden, Blake Johnson and Natalie Young)

Choir  

Superior solos: Sophia Bennett, Peyton Bicha, Bayliss Cummings, Logan Holder, London Loveless, Naomi Miller, Ben Moore, Josie Olszewski, Jaydon Pesola, Neva Shilling, Nalani Sullivan and Nathan Wilhelm. 

Excellent solos: Hudson Mills and Vienna Stewart. 

Superior ensembles: Sophia Bennett and Nate Wilhelm duet; Salem Enos and London Loveless duet; Naomi Miller and Neva Shilling duet; quartet (Peyton Bicha, Cole Knutson, Ben Moore and Nathan Wilhelm); quartet (Sophia Bennett, Cadence Denney, Peyton Bicha and Ben Moore); and Sophia Bennett and Cadence Denney duet. 

Excellent ensembles: Mia Lamantia and Nalani Sullivan duet, Cole Knutson and London Loveless duet, and Peyton Bicha and Nalani Sullivan duet.   

Superior piano: Alaura Olszweski, Cole Knutson

Glacier High School

Band

Superior solos: Andrea Chandler, French horn; Marin Colley, trombone; Meyer Fauth, clarinet; Trey Harrod, trumpet; Tristen Jorgenson, tuba; Izik Lamberson, saxophone; and Daegan McVicker, trumpet.

Excellent solos: Naomi Saito, oboe and Max Waverek, snare drum.

Superior ensembles: Trumpet trio (Meyer Fauth, Trey Harrod and Daegan McVicker).

Excellent ensembles: Woodwind trio (Lauren Bissen, Abby Harris and Naomi Saito).

Orchestra

Superior solos: Bailey Reynolds, violin; Hanna Vornbrock, viola.

Excellent solos: Duncan Young, viola.

Excellent ensembles: Bailey Reynolds and Hanna Vornbrock, violin and viola duet.

Choir  

Superior solos: Jaela Armstrong, Malia Armstrong, Alli Buls, Noel Cantrell, Daniel Cole, Alyssa Conrad, Kendall Dolan, Pyper Eierdam, Sophia Engelhardt, Ella Halliburton, Matti Hartle, Alden Lamson, Maggie Mitton, Anya Rountree, Cielo Sallee, Maya Smith and Theron Wilton.

Superior ensembles: Pyper Eierdam and Maya Smith duet; Sophia Engelhardt and Ella Halliburton duet; Kennis Bingham and Cielo Sallee duet; trio (Alli Buls, Alyssa Conrad and Kendall Dolan).

Excellent ensembles: Noel Cantrell and Daniel Cole duet; Kendall Dolan and Maggie Mitton duet; Calvin Casey and Anya Rountree duet; quartet (Gabby Cantrell-Musson, Calvin Casey, Anya Rountree and Theron Wilton).

Superior piano:  Bailey Reynolds

Libby High School

Choir

Superior solos: Keyera Haischer, Liv Haddock and Sidnie Thompson.

Superior ensemble: Faith Erickson, Keyera Haischer, Briana Filler, Cheyenne Nielson, Sidnie Thompson, Rachael Smith, Phoenix Vincent and Liv Haddock.

Excellent ensembles: Rachael Smith and Phoenix Vincent duet; Liv Haddock and Kenna Haddock duet; and Keyera Haischer and Brian Filler duet.

Polson High School

Band

Superior solos: Ruger Ellis, piano and Haislea Sternick, flute.

Excellent solo: Addison Carlson, violin.

Superior ensemble: Flute trio (Adison Carlson, Olivia Rogers and Haislea Sternick).

Choir 

Superior solos: Bethany Butler, Adison Carlson, Analyse Lozar, Dixie Montgomery and Dominic Venters.

Excellent solo: Achilles Maroney.

Superior ensembles: Adison and Corben Carlson duet; and Concert Choir quartet (Alexandra Haynes, Nevaeh Silva, Dominic Venters and Thomas Williams).

Excellent ensembles: Belle Voix (Bethany Butler, Adison Carlson, Faith Combs, Michelle Dale, Brittain Davis, Alexandra Hayndes, Abbey Howlett, Adin Hunt, Ayden Loveless, Ariella Mihara, Dixie Montgomery, Kiera Owen, Caitlynn Sanford, Neveah Silva, Autumn Spencer and Alexia Wilson).

Whitefish High School

Band

Superior solos: Allison Abel, bassoon; Allison Abel, piano; Reid Alexander, piano; Ella Idleman, clarinet; Vaughan Irwin, clarinet; Sasha Johnston, bass clarinet; Sasha Johnston, tenor saxophone; Paige Sebby, trumpet; and Tristan Shoff, piano.

Excellent solo: Emaline Whithed, marimba. 

Superior ensembles: Jazz ensemble (George Bowland, Bjorn Bungener, Skyler Cameron, Sofia Christ, Connor Cornutt, Maren Cromie, Ryan Glick, Liam Good, Mikayla Hebert, Ella Idleman, Vaughan Irwin, Archer Jamison, Sasha Johnston, Arlo Mauldin, Gavin McCrady, Georgia Morrell, Lilian Nelson, Kiley Ohs, Kira Raines, Finn Ryan, Paige Sebby, Tristan Shoff, Emaline Whithed and Sylvi Yunck); Birdland Jazz Combo (Bjorn Bungener, Sofia Christ, Connor Cornutt, Liam Good, Vaughan Irwin, Archer Jamison, Sasha Johnston, Tristan Shoff, Emaline Whithed and Sylvi Yunck); brass quintet (Bjorn Bungener, Grayson Calles, Skyler Cameron, Zander Kelly, Kira Raines and Paige Sebby); percussion trio (Sofia Christ, Archer Jamison and Sylvi Yunck); clarinet quintet (Brannan Beers, Ella Idleman, Sasha Johnston, Allison Ponti and Holly Walker); flute quartet (Addison Bell, Sophie Douglas, Lili Poole and Kayla Richardson); percussion ensemble (Allison Abel, Reid Alexander, Jesse Booker, Noah Chisholm, Sofia Christ, Maren Cromie, Clare Helmstetler, Lizzy Holien, Tristan Irwin, Archer Jamison, Gavin McCrady, Kiley Ohs, Tristan Shoff, Emaline Whithed and Sylvi Yunck); and Liam Good and Vaughan Irwin, woodwind duet.

Excellent ensemble: Anna Guzman and Georgia Morrell saxophone duet.

Orchestra

Superior solos: Solvei Gunderson, violin; Cassidy Krack, viola; and Koru Larimore, cello.

Superior ensembles: Carson Krack and Koru Larimore, violin and cello duet; Lillian Nelson and Johanna Perkins, cello duet; freshman ensemble; sophomore ensemble; junior and senior ensemble; and Jackson's Junkyard Jugband.

Choir

Superior solos: Evie Everett, Hazel Gawe, Nora Ide, Sam Nissen, Fiona Shanahan and Felix Solem.

Superior ensembles: Nora Ide and Grayson Wood duet; Hazel Gawe and Felix Solem duet; Treble Choir (Ava Bee, Zena Bonds, Scarlet Burke, Evie Everett, Miki Flint, Hanna Gawe, Hazel Gawe, Elizabeth Holien, Nora Ide, Lavena James, Iona Sarraille, Fiona Shanahan, Felix Solem, Annie Walsh, Grayson Wood and Maddie Young).

Excellent ensembles: The Treble Makers (Miki Flint, Hanna Gawe, Hazel Gawe and Felix Solem).