Music students receive top scores at districts
Student musicians from around northwestern Montana recently participated in the Western State Solo and Ensemble festival in Helena.
Students qualified to compete at state after receiving top ratings at the district level.
At state, students were also judged as either superior, excellent, good, fair, or poor on a one-to-five scale. Judges also provided verbal and written comments to help students improve.
Following are results that were made available:
Columbia Falls
Band
- Superior solos: William Baltz, marimba; Emma Erickson, flute; Madeline Jarvis, oboe and piano; Kennedy Payne, clarinet; Danielle Rosenbaum, flute; Abigail Sellman, bass clarinet; Trenton Taylor, flute; Kelly Vigil, flute.
- Superior Ensembles: Woodwind duet, (Logan Bennett and Kennedy Payne); clarinet trio; flute choir; percussion ensemble.
- Excellent solos: Afton Wendt, trumpet.
- Excellent ensembles: Columbians.
Choir
- Superior solos: Hannah Harmon, Brendan Hoerner.
- Superior ensembles: Chorale Ladies, duet (Kaliann Douglas and Noel Royer); duet (Ave McDonald and Jesse Rusche); Sonifers.
- Excellent solos: Kaitlyn Little, Madeline Martin, Madison Palmer, Skyla Hawkins.
- Excellent ensembles: Sonifers.
Flathead
Band
- Superior solos: Eva Bruce, clarinet; Zach Hong, marimba; Allie Jellison, clarinet; Jonah Love, snare drum; Sean Mihalko, drum set; Vance Miller, timpani and piano; Charcy Ricks-Bullock, flute; Julia Sauve, flute; Anna Schultz, alto saxophone; Anna Schultz, flute; Hunter Shae, marimba; Rebecca Vance, oboe; Emma Winkelman, clarinet.
- Excellent solos: Jessica Quillen, piano
- Superior ensembles: Oboe duet, (Madison Bazer and Neila Danley); mixed woodwind trio, (Neila Danley, Indya Rieger and Kim Sledge); jazz I; percussion ensemble I; percussion ensemble II; flute duet, (Julia Sauve and Anna Schultz).
- Excellent Ensembles: Saxophone quartet (Bullins, Burton, Bruce, McLauchlin); trumpet and euphonium duet, (Colter Girardot and Kyle Miller).
Choir
- Superior Solos: Annie Burtsfield, Robbie Bush, Alex Coulter, Lucas Coulter, Tobias Diegel, Jordan Fetveit, Hannah Greene, Sayler Griffith, Tyton Harnett; Anna Henderson, Naesha Johnson, Sydney Loudermilk, Gabe Mahoney, Noelle Miller, Katia Postovit, Kelsie Ring, Sarabeth Rogge, Emme Schow, Thomas Schultz, Moriah Schutt, Aria Scovel, Aaliyah Spencer, Shayenn Thompson, Clay Treece, Jesica Workman.
- Excellent Solos: Ethan Hawkins, Samantha Keater-Holt, Kelsie Ring.
- Superior Ensembles: Choral-Aires; duet, (Tobias Diegel and Sarabeth Rogge); duet, (Jordan Fetveit and Shayenn Thompson); duet, (Hannah Greene and Misty Greene); duet, (Naesha Johnson and Nikki Sauter); duet, (Naesha Johnson and Thomas Schultz); duet, (Thomas Schultz and Aria Scovel); duet (Noelle Miller and Sarabeth Rogge).
- Excellent Ensembles: Trio (Dalton Brubaker, Thomas Schultz and Aria Scovel); duet (Alex Coulter and Abby
Kikendall); duet, (Samantha Keater-Holt and McKenna Doran); duet, (Abby Kikendall and Katia Postovit).
Orchestra
- Superior Solos: Maria Bay, Lilly Briney, Erin Taylor.
- Superior Ensembles: Trio (Juniper Isaak, Olivia McCrea and Lark Olson); duet, (Erin Taylor and Natasha Gesker).
- Excellent Solos: Shelbie Guckenburg.
Glacier
Band
- Superior solos: Haily Brown, trumpet; Caitlyn Franke, marimba; Luke Heupel, trumpet; Evan Kohler, tuba; Jocelyn Kuhl, snare drum; Nathan Mayhak, euphonium; Bridger Riggles, alto sax; Jon Sorensen, alto sax; Amanda Wiersma, flute; Delaney Wirtala, marimba.
- Excellent: Jon Gardner, trombone.
- Superior ensembles: Flute duet (Annika Birney and Amanda Wiersma); flute duet (Annika Birney and Mackenzie Weber); brass quintet (Haily Brown, Jon Gardner, Luke Heupel, Evan Kohler, Nathan Mayhak); trumpet ensemble (Haily Brown, Alexis Gregor, Luke Heupel, Evan Kohler, Hunter Kramer, Carter Pollan, James Wheeler); sax quartet (Jack Corriveau, Skyler Farnes, Bridger Riggles, John Sorensen); tuba and euphonium duet (Evan Kohler and Nathan Mayhak).
- Excellent ensembles: Sax ensemble (Ben Bruce, Jack Corriveau, Skyler Farnes, Suzanne Loviska, Bridger Riggles, Jon Sorensen, Drew Stralser, Hailee Williams).
Orchestra
- Superior solos: Dresden Allred, cello; Kenna Bemis, violin; Brady Cahoon, cello; Ammon Hill, cello; Taylor Powell, violin; Ethan Purdy, cello; Shea Siderius, violin.
- Excellent: Tyler Judd, cello.
Choir
- Superior solos: Aren Alexander-Battee, Brenden Anderson, Bria Anderson, Alicia Bernhardt, Kala Blincoe, Ben Bridwell, Max DeVries, Caroline Dye, Millie Espeseth, Matt Glimm, Isabelle Lyon, Sierra Riley, Jezalyn Schussler, Emmett Van Allen, Sidney Zimmerman.
- Excellent solos: Kenna Bemis, Mary Cabrera, Maranda Eierdam, Blayke Foppiano, Aubry Grame, Kyla Harris, Emma Jensen, Jillian Nitschelm, Shelby Peterson, Bailey Rhodes, Austin Schnetter.
- Superior ensembles: Quartet, (Brenden Anderson, Nick Brester, Ben Bridwell and Emmett Van Allen); duet, (Bria Anderson and Aubry Grame); duet, (Ben Bridwell and Emmett Van Allen); trio, (Samantha Drucker, Lauren Harmon and Mia Kintzler); duet, (Millie Espeseth and Isabelle Lyon); duet, (Millie Espeseth and Emmett Van Allen); duet, (Isabelle Lyon and Emmett Van Allen); duet, (Jezalyn Schussler and Christian Tucker).
- Excellent ensembles: Duet, (Kenna Bemis and Matt Glimm); duet, (Brooklynn Pitts and Sierra Riley); duet, (Millie Espeseth and Ty Espeseth).
- Superior piano solos: Micah Heil, Elise Nelson, Kjell Sandler, Ashlyn Sliter, Logan Slocum.
- Superior piano duets: Micah Heil and Kjell Sandler; Micah Heil and Ashlyn Sliter.
Libby
Band
- Superior solos: Alyssa Bales, violin; Kevin Lee, tuba; Shelby Smith, flute; Cerria Swagger, French horn and trumpet; Trey Thompson, tenor sax; Sally Weber, violin.
- Excellent solo: Chis Williams, tenor sax.
Choir
- Superior solos: Hailey Dotson.
- Superior ensembles: Women’s ensemble II (Hannah Beebe, Ashlynn Charles, Christina Corbell, Hailey Dotson, Sophie Lee, Arianna Willis); women’s ensemble I, (Hannah Beebe, Ashlynn Charles, Hailey Dotson, Destiny Galloway, Abbie Johnson, Sophie Lee, Zoey O’Donnell, Arianna Willis and Shey Wolfe); women’s ensemble III (Christina Corbell, Mallory Hughes, Mikalyn Zeiler, Sophie Lee, Arianna Willis, Hailey Dotson, Morgan Williams); trio, (Sophie Lee, Kaleb Lindgren and Mikalyn Zeiler); duet, (Alaina Moore and Laneigha Zeiler); duet, (Mikalyn Zeier and Laneigha Zeiler).
- Excellent solos: Ashlynn Charles, Alaina Moore, Mikalyn Zeiler.
Polson
Band
- Superior ensembles: Saxophone quintet (Aubrey Frissell, Matt Hobbs, Gabe Mergenthaler, MaKauly Morrison and Calvin Nowlin); flute and clarinet duet (Mesa McKee and Malia Seeley).
- Excellent ensembles: Trombone quartet (Beatrix Frissell, Carson McDaniel, Quin Stewart and Halli Tyler); saxophone quartet (Aubrey Frissell, Matt Hobbs, MaKauly Morrison and Calvin Nowlin).
- Superior solos: Naima Crowl, flute; Mesa McKee, piano; Malia Seeley, flute.
Choir
- Superior solos: Violet Anderson, Elizabeth Ayers, Mason Niblack, Tayler Owens, Adalei Shoemake.
- Excellent solos: David Castillo, Naima Crowl, Halie Smith, Bentley Stinger, Sarah Kinzle, Hazel Kujala.
- Superior piano: Sarah Kinzle.
- Superior ensembles: Duet, (Elizabeth Ayers and Gwen Seeley).
- Excellent ensembles: Men’s ensemble (Cameron Alexander, Keegan Brackey, Nathan DePoe, Aaron Hansen, Zachary Hoxie, Jonathon Moore, Mason Niblack, Trevor Sanderson and Kenton Sisler); women’s ensemble (Violet Anderson, Elizabeth Ayers, Naima Crowl, Geneva des Lions, Sarah Kinzle, Summer Kovarik, Karissa Maxfield, Tayler Owens, Cheyenne Roach, Gwen Seeley, Adalei Shoemake, Halie Smith, Bentley Stinger and Sayge Vance); Bel Canto (Shay Alexander, Kayleigh Burba, Aubree Cross, Tabitha Curry, Megan Dolence, Jessica Gerge, Ashley Harp, Hailey Helm, Shannen Helm, Sarah Kinzle, Summer Kovarik, Hailie Perdue, Gwenevere Reese, Gwen Seeley, Halie Smith and Kyra Spencer); duet, (Zachary Hoxie and Hailie Perdue).
Troy
Band
- Superior solos: John Fossen, French horn.
- Excellent solos: Jacob Volkenand, clarinet.
- Excellent ensembles: baritone and tenor saxophone duet, (Lyndan Clay and Chloe Yeadon).
Choir
- Superior solos: Liam Hennsley.
Whitefish
Band
- Superior solos: Hunter Grimes, flute; Tucker Harrison, xylophone; Jessica Henson, flute; Eric Holdhusen, trumpet; Jasmine Reese, baritone sax; Miles Vrentas, trombone;
- Excellent solos: Joshua Weller, bass.
- Superior ensembles: Saxophone quartet, (Bradlee Anderson, Megan Archibald, Jasmine Reese and Ella Van Vlack); flute quartet, (Faith Askew, Abigail Bowden, Hunter Grimes and Jessica Henson); Birdland jazz combo; Unlimited Power trio, (Noah Fauth, Port Nugent and Joshua Weller); Techno percussion ensemble; Underground percussion ensemble.
- Excellent ensembles: Clarinet trio, (Ella Greenberg, Joseph Houston and Brandon Monday); woodwind trio, (Brendan Gibson, Jessica Henson and Kathryn Yorba); flute duet, (Hunter Grimes and Jessica Henson); Vanguard jazz combo.
Orchestra
- Superior solos: Bethany Barnes, harp and viola; Jolene Green, viola solo; Matthew Perez, viola solo.
- Superior ensembles: Duet, (Bethany Barnes and Annabelle Green); quartet, (William Hyatt, Ian Lacey, Sam Menicke and Casey Schneider); duet, (Jolene Green and Matthew Perez); Viola Army, (Bethany Barnes, Grace Benkelman, Jolene Green, Ian Lacey, Aidan McMahan, Matthew Perez, Brayden Richardson, Casey Schneider and Ethan Wickham).
- Excellent ensembles: Senior ensemble, (Emily Clark, Tucker Harrison, Eric Holdhusen, Annie Howeth, Forrest Kobelt, Sophie Marchetti, Kyle McLeod, Nadia Nargi, Megan O’Dell, Matthew Perez); trio, (Annie Nixon, Jeiven Pemberton and Ethan Wickham).
Choir
- Superior solos: Aubrey Tatum.
- Superior ensembles: Duet, (Erin Holien and Aubrey Tatum); duet, (Elijah and Quinten Joos).
- Excellent ensembles: Ladies choir, men’s choir, duet, (Aubrey Tatum and Gillian Broughton).