2023 District music festival results

Northwest Montana’s student musicians showcased their talent at the District 1 Music Festival.

Bands, orchestras and choirs from nine schools participated in the festival held at Glacier and Flathead high schools in April.

Entries were judged as either superior, excellent, good, fair or poor on a 1 to 5 scale.

Solos and ensembles receiving superior ratings qualified to attend the State Solo and Ensemble Festival, which was held this month.

Following are District Music Festival results made available from area schools:

Columbia Falls

Superior performance and sight reading: Columbia Chorale.

Superior performance and excellent sight reading: Concert Band and wind ensemble.

Excellent performance and superior sight reading and: Cantelina Choir.

Excellent performance and sight reading: Troubadours Choir.

Band

Superior solos: Abbey Beil, tenor sax; Daylen Brunson, flute; Cash Bryd, tuba; Brayden Crawford, trumpet; Will Cincis, tuba; Evan Fisher, trombone; Nikita Kamat, bass clarinet; Jaegar Mohr, piano and Elaine Reed, piano.

Excellent solos: Alex Bransetter, percussion; Von Blanchard, trombone and Lotus Helland, tuba.

Superior ensembles: Flute trio (Kajsa Mohr, Merrell Cooley and Eleanor Smiley); trumpet quartet (Baine Hiner, Hayden Sanchez, Hailey Thomas and Terrance Toavs); Jazz Combo; Columbians Jazz Band and Percussion Ensemble.

Excellent ensembles: Tuba duet (Lotus Helland and Cash Byrd); Jazz Factory and Percussion Techniques.

Choir

Superior solos: Angela Allen, Nina Badger, Zoey Byrd, Quinn Clark, Lucas Counts, Lorelai DeKay, Audrey Hanley, Amanda Fitch, Isabella Fitch, Kate Keith, Dierdre Robinson and Kya West.

Excellent solos: Sarah Balla, Merrick Fairchild, Colton Little, Connor Keith, Melody McNally, Payton Owens, Daena Robinson, Lauren Rogers,Torri Scanlan, Celestine Young and Madison Ypma.

Superior ensembles: Sonifers; Sonifers SSA; Sonifers TTB; duet (Angela Allen and Dierdre Robinson); duet (Nina Badger and Zoey Byrd); duet (Audrey Hanley and Quinn Clark)t; duet (Amanda and Isabella Fitch).

Excellent Vocal Ensembles: Duet (Callee Meyer and Payton Owens).

Flathead High

Superior performance and sight reading: Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Braves Band, Chamber Orchestra, Concert Choir and Flathead Singers.

Excellent performance and superior sight reading: Concert Orchestra, Aeolian and Dorian Choir.

Superior piano solos: Braelynn Anderson and Melanie Felsch.

Excellent piano solo: Alaura Olszewski.

Band

Superior solos: Isabelle Bennett, tenor sax; Audrey Bledsoe, clarinet; Abby Castruita, euphonium; Bailey Chollman, euphonium; Dawson Girardot, marimba; Dalton Howser, euphonium; Zoe Jacobson, euphonium; Miles Klein, snare drum; Miles Kuss, trumpet; Dyson Linden, French horn; Adina Lockwood, vibraphone; Jacob McLauchlin, flute; Taylor Pooton, flute; Dylan Turcotte, marimba; Tessa Wilson, clarinet; and Rylin Wilde, Baritone sax.

Excellent solos: McQueen Bledsoe, euphonium; Daniel Guzman, trumpet; Josh Edelen, euphonium; Paul Elder, snare drum; Robert Fitzpatrick, oboe; Logan Holder, clarinet; Abby Howard-Sawyer, snare drum; Trevin Olivier, drum set; Priscilla Wagoner, alto sax; Emmah Sawyer, tuba and Lauren Todd, marimba.

Superior ensembles: Saxophone duet (Isabelle Bennett and Rylin Wilde); FHS Jazz Combo (Audrey Bledsoe, Dawson Girardot, Zoe Jacobson, Miles Klein, Dyson Linden, Vikram Vatti and Tessa Wilson).

Orchestra

Superior solos: Lucy Downey, viola; Melanie Felsch, violin; Teagen Flint, bass; Paulette La Rue, violin; Mia Lamantia, bass; Mia Lamantia, violin and Elle Sauer, cello.

Excellent solos: Blake Johnson, violin and Deanna Wessels Crow, viola.

Superior ensembles: Violin duet (Adam Felsch and Melanie Felsch) and viola duet (Lucy Downey and Natalie Young).

Excellent ensembles: Cello trio (Thomas Dixon, Hadden Lavilla, Fin Reed); viola duet (Anna Eberhardy and Katy Eberhardy); violin duet (Blake Johnson and Lindy Porter); string trio (Jack Foster, Thomas Dixon and Fin Reed); string trio (Brigham Schow, B Poitra and Elle Sauer); string quartet (Melanie Felsch, Paulette La Rue, Deanna Wessels Crow and Hailey Simon); string quartet (Blake Johnson, Lindy Porter, Lucy Downey and Mitchell Johnson); string quartet (Veyda Anderson, Charlotte Derozier, Katy Eberhardy and Anna Eberhardy); string quartet (Paulette La Rue, Blake Johnson, Delilah Eslick and Hailey Simon) and string quintet (Jack Foster, Thomas Dixon, Hadden Lavilla, Fin Reed and Vikram Vatti).

Choir

Superior solos: Sheyla Attard, Peyton Bicha, Badge Busse, Lander Busse, Bayliss Cummings, Cadence Denney, Samara Hackley, Paige Hermann, Logan Holder, Gracyne Johnson, Alexis Kersten, Ryan Kitzmiller, Cole Knutson, Mia Lamantia, Naomi Miller, Hudson Mills, Ben Moore, Collin Olson, Tag Schow, Shannon Shae, Neva Shilling, Nina Sullivan, Olivia Wagoner and Nate Wilhelm.

Excellent solos: October Ellcey, Madisyn Hall, Aerreck Haroldson, Emma Horta, Katie Miletich and Isabella Sharp.

Superior ensembles: Duet (Kali Billedeaux and Madisyn Hall); duet (Kali Billedeaux and Logan Holder); duet (Cadence Denney and Joelle Folkman); duet (Paige Hermann and Mia Lamantia); duet (Paige Hermann and Athena Wallace); duet (Alexis Kersten and Andrew Kersten); duet (Ryan Kitzmiller and Collin Olson); duet (Naomi Miller and Neva Shilling); trio (Cadence Denney, Joelle Folkman and Grace White); trio (Sheyla Attard, Cadence Denney and Alexis Kersten); quartet (Peyton Bicha, Cole Knutson, Ben Moore and Nate Wilhelm); quartet (Shannon Shae, Kali Billedeaux, Joelle Folkman and Athena Wallace) and quintet (Alexis Kersten, Sheyla Attard, Peyton Bicha, Cole Knutson and Ben Moore).

Excellent ensembles: Duet (Sophia Bennett and Nalani Sullivan); duet (Kali Billedeaux and Nina Sullivan); duet (Aerreck Haroldson and Logan Holder); duet (Ryan Kitzmiller and London Loveless) and duet (Nina Sullivan and Athena Wallace).

Glacier High

Superior performance and sight reading: Chamber Orchestra, Concert Orchestra, Treble Choir, Concert Choir,

Two excellent ratings and one superior for performance and superior sight reading: Bass Choir and Mezzo Choir.

Superior piano solo: Bailey Reynolds.

Excellent piano solos: Ellie Fiala and Cielo Sallee.

Orchestra

Superior solos: Trever Cockerill, violin; Porter Pitts, violin; Lilly Mollenkopf,

cello; Bailey Reynolds, violin and Daytona Schuman, cello.

Superior ensembles: Violin and cello duet (Makenzie Christensen and Daytona

Schuman); cello duet (William Creer and Isaac Keim); cello duet (William Creer and

Lilly Mollenkopf); bass duet (Alden Lamson and Ava Nyberg); violin and viola duet

(Bailey Reynolds and Hanna Vornbrock).

Excellent ensembles: Violin and cello duet (Porter Pitts and Jesse Kunda);

violin and cello duet (Cadence Daniels and Cassidy Daniels); viola, cello, and bass trio

(Hanna Vornbrock, Ananda Tadje-Soifer and Ava Nyberg).

Choir

Superior solos: Jaela Armstrong, Claire Bell, Alli Buls, Kaid Buls, Nakia Davidson, Sophia Engelhardt, Brenna Ernst, Ellie Fiala, Ella Halliburton, Kaelin Holt, Bridger Jones, Ellie Knuffke, Lydia Lucas, Megan Murphy, Morgan Pitts, Anya Rountree, Cielo Sallee, Kaylin Stein, Lahna Thorn, Courtney West and Barrett Woywod.

Excellent solos: Malia Armstrong, Mandy Brinkmeyer, Selah Cantrell, Matti Hartle, Jessalyn Hewitt, Gabby LeDuc, Kendal Morin, Kaitlyn Murphy and Ava Titus.

Superior ensembles: Glacier High School Echoes (Kaid Buls, Selah Cantrell, Seth Cothran, Jessalyn Hewitt, Kaelin Holt, Bridger Jones, Jillian Kinniburgh, Maeve Kintzler, Alden Lamson, Kendal Morin, Megan Murphy and Morgan Pitts); duet (Jaela Armstrong and Malia Armstrong); duet (Kendal Morin and Morgan Pitts); duet (Kaelin Holt and Alden Lamson); duet (Sophia Engelhardt and Ella Halliburton); duet (Selah Cantrell and Gabby Cantrell-Musson); duet (Calvin Casey and Anya Rountree) and quartet (Theron Wilton, Anya Rountree, Morgan Pitts and Calvin Casey).

Excellent ensembles: duet (Megan Mikelson and Alisa Sanderson Strutz); duet (Emma Pate and Cielo Sallee); duet (Isabelle McKoy and Kaylin Stein) and duet (Kaitlyn Murphy and Megan Murphy).

Libby

Superior performance and sight reading: Band.

Two superior ratings and one excellent for performance and superior sight reading: Concert Choir.

Band

Superior solo: Dayton Johnson, percussion.

Excellent solos: Teague Thompson, tuba; Allison Beaty, trumpet and Cash Vaughn, trombone.

Excellent ensemble: Flute duet (Cheyenne Nielson and Kayla Hoff).

Choir

Superior solo: Keyera Haischer.

Excellent solos: Dustin Heindel, Rachael Smith and Aubry Stull.

Superior ensembles: Brooches (Livia Haddock, Kenna Haddock, Keyera Haischer, Dustin Heindel, Hayden Jones and Rachael Smith); duet (Livia Haddock and Kenna Haddock); The Turners (Faith Erickson, Kenna Haddock, Livia Haddock, Keyera Haischer, Lylla Pape, Rachael Smith and Aubry Stull); Wild Geese (Elaina Covington and Keyera Haischer).

Excellent ensembles: HEBB (Elaina Covington, Briana Filler, Hayden Jones and Bryson Thompson) and The Willow (Elaina Covington, Lylla Pape and Aubry Stull); The Wind (Lylla Pape and Aubry Stull).

Polson

Superior performance and sight reading: Symphonic Band and Bass Choir.

Superior performance and excellent sight reading: Bass Choir.

Excellent performance and sight reading: Concert Band and Select Choir.

Excellent performance: Treble Choir.

Band

Superior solos: August Hertz, trombone; Caitlyn Ward, flute; Aspen McKee, piano; Maddox Bird, piano; Lucy Viollett, piano and Ruger Ellis, piano.

Excellent solos: Wica Brown, euphonium; Kyle Alexander, trumpet; Aspen McKee, alto saxophone; Adison Carlson, flute; Miles Fegel, snare drum and Sabra Nichol, trumpet.

Good solo: Davyn Lamphere, saxophone.

Superior ensembles: Clarinet quartet (Hayden Clairmont, Rylie Dupuis, Maddilyn Huffine, Lourdes Wahl) and flute quartet (Adison Carlson, Olivia Rogers, Haislea Sternick and Caitlyn Ward).

Excellent ensembles: Saxophone duet (Aspen McKee, Isabel Seeley); flute duet Olivia Rogers and Caitlyn Ward); trombone quartet (August Hertz, Piper Hoxie, Kiley Melton and Noah Trosper); trumpet duet (Taegen Gage and Lucian Sawyer); percussion ensemble (Landon Armstrong, Miles Fegel, Truman Sawyer, Drifter Skillicorn, Keaven Stinger, Jarrett Wilson and Andrei Young); brass ensemble (Kyle Alexander, Maddox Bird, David DiGiallonardo, Cassidy Hendricks, Piper Hoxie, Jack Mausshardt, Sabra Nichol, Madelyn Rogers and Lucian Sawyer) and snare trio (Landon Armstrong, Miles Fegel and Truman Sawyer).

Choir

Superior solos: Bethany Butler, Adison Carlson, Peyton Devlin, Alexandra Haynes, Piper Hoxie, Achilles Maroney, Aspen McKee, Ariella Mihara, Dominic Venters, Caitlyn Ward and Vanessa Wheeler.

Excellent solos: Kyle Alexander, Issabelle Beach, David Bjorge, Faith Combs, Michelle Dale, Dominic DiGiallonardo, Davyn Lamphere, Krystanna Larson, Eddy Little, Kai McDonald, Shelby McGuire, Dixie Montgomery, Abbey Howlett, Truman Sawyer, Nevaeh Silva, Logan Smith, Seth Stanley, Thomas Williams and Destini Yoachum.

Superior ensembles: Belle Voix Choir (Issabelle Beach, Adison Carlson, Faith Combs, Michelle Dale, Alexandra Haynes, Abbey Howlett, Piper Hoxie, Ayden Loveless, Aspen McKee, Dixie Montgomery, Phoenix Rennich, Caitlynn Sanford, Nevaeh Silva and Caitlyn Ward); Concert Choir trio (Adison Carlson, Piper Hoxie and Aspen McKee); Connection Choir (Kyle Alexander, David Bjorge, Adison Carlson, Faith Combs, Riley Harbin, Alexandra Haynes, Piper Hoxie, Davyn Lamphere, Eddy Little, Ayden Loveless, Achilles Maroney, Kai McDonald, Aspen, McKee, Dixie Montgomery, Caitlyn Ward and Thomas Williams); Select Choir quintet (Michelle Dale, Ayden Loveless, Nevaeh Silva, Phoenix Rennich and Vanessa Wheeler).

Excellent ensembles: Bel Canto (Bethany Butler, Faith Combs, Michelle Dale, Alexandra Haynes, Ayden Loveless, Shelby McGuire, Maliya Mendelkow, Ariella Mihara, Nevaeh Silva, Caitlyn Ward, Alexia Wilson and Destini Yoachum); Cantabile (Kyle Alexander, David Bjorge, Peyton Devlin, Davyn Lamphere, Eddy Little, Kai McDonald, Joshua Reed, Seth Stanley, Dominic Venters and Thomas Williams); duet (Kayle Alexander and Davyn Lamphere); duet (Faith Combs and Alex Haynes); duet (Piper Hoxie and Aspen McKee); duet (Aspen McKee and Dixie Montgomery); duet (Issabelle Beach and Phoenix Rennich); duet (Abbey Howlett and Caitlynn Sanford); Treble Ensemble (Michelle, Dale, Olivia Gordier, Krystanna Larson and Ariella Mihara).

Whitefish

Superior performance and sightreading: Orchestra and Wind Ensemble.

Superior performance and excellent sightreading: Concert Band.

Excellent performance and superior sight reading: Concert Choir.

Band

Superior solos: Skyler Cameron, tuba; Ella Idleman, clarinet; Sasha Johnston, bass clarinet; Aliyah Malloy, clarinet; Landon Norberg, tuba; Allison Ponti, clarinet; Kira Raines, French horn; Mathew Rohrman, flute; Paige Sebby, trumpet; Tristan Shoff, piano and Adeline Taylor, flute.

Excellent solos: Reid Alexander, piano; Carter Bechtle, tenor saxophone; Maren Cromie, marimba; Ismail Nakonechny, alto saxophone; Blake Rendahl, euphonium; Henry Seigmund, alto saxophone and Guinevere Tomblin, trombone.

Superior ensembles: “Birdland” Jazz Ensemble (Reid Alexander, Grayson Calles, Connor Cornutt, Liam Good, Vaughan Irwin, Sasha Johnston, Henry Seigmund and Tristan Shoff); brass quintet (Bjorn Bungener, Skyler Cameron, Zander Kelly, Kira Raines and Paige Sebby); clarinet quintet (Brannan Beers, Ella Idleman, Sasha Johnston, Allison Ponti and Holly Walker);

marimba duet (Kiley Ohs and Emaline Whithed); oboe and clarinet duet (Liam Good and Vaughan Irwin); percussion ensemble (Reid Alexander, Jesse Booker, Maren Cromie, Clare Helmstetler, Kiley Ohs, Henry Seigmund, Tristan Shoff and Emaline Whithed) and “Vanguard” Jazz Ensemble (Carter Bechtle, Bjorn Bungener, George Bowland, Skyler Cameron, Ella Idleman, Georgia Morrell, Lilian Nelson, Kiley Ohs, Paige Sebby, Guinevere Tomblin, Holly Walker, Emaline Whithed).

Excellent ensembles: Alto saxophone duet (Carter Bechtle and Liam Good).

Orchestra

Superior solos: Logan Hyland, violin; Carson Krack, violin and Johanna Perkins, cello.

Superior ensembles: Freshmen ensemble (Scarlet Burke, Taylor Dorvall, Lovey Gallagher, Solvei Gunderson, Logan Hyland, Nora Ide, Syrcie Johnson, Koru Larimore, Brynn McDonald, Lillian Nelson, Finley Pemberton, Johanna Perkins, Kenny Stone and Holly Walker); junior and senior ensemble (Belle Cosby, Jackson Dorvall, Ryan Economy, Bowdrie Krack, Carson Krack, Malea Pemberton and Maggie Pulsifer) and violin duet, (Solvei Gunderson and Syrcie Johnson).

Excellent ensembles: Jackson’s Junkyard Jug Band (Scarlet Burke, Holden Coleman, Jackson Schindler, Echo Thomas and Ella Walker).

Choir

Superior solos: Zena Bonds, Scarlet Burke, Evie Everett, Hazel Gawe, Nora Ide, Rayna Mercer, Fiona Shanahan and Grayson Wood.

Superior ensembles: Treble Makers (Miki Flint, Hanna Gawe, Hazel Gawe and Grayson Wood) and Treble Choir (Zena Bonds, Scarlet Burke, Evie Everett, Miki Flint, Hanna Gawe, Hazel Gawe, Lizzy Holien, Nora Ide, Lavena James, Rayna Mercer, Fiona Shanahan, Grayson Wood and Maddie Young.