For the Tomahawk Leader
STEVENS POINT – Seventeen Tomahawk High School (THS) students qualified to perform at the Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) State Solo & Ensemble Festival, held at UW-Stevens Point on Saturday, May 7. Among them, the students performed 13 vocal and instrumental events.
Several events earned a Division I rating.
“Earning a ‘I’ rating at state is quite difficult,” a release from the THS Music Department said. “The performer(s) must be within two points of a perfect score to be rated in this top division.”
THS students and ensembles earning Division I ratings were Brynnen Stefan (musical theater), Jenny Meza (musical theater), Martin Schmidt (vocal solo), Brynnen Stefan (piano solo), J. Meza and B. Stefan (vocal duet), the Double Mixed Quartet (Anne Shrigley, Kailey Cerny, Robin Schmidt, Jenny Meza, Brynnen Stefan, Jack McGovern, Martin Schmidt, Tim Herman) and the Tenor-Bass Ensemble (Gavin Myre, Steven Woodhull, Jack McGovern, Martin Schmidt, Tim Herman, Dominic Boos).
Students and ensembles earning Division II ratings were Arawen Alberg (vocal solo), Gracie Francois (vocal solo), Brynnen Stefan (vocal solo), J. McGovern and M. Schmidt (vocal duet), R. Schmidt and M. Schmidt (vocal duet) and the Soprano-Alto Ensemble (Amelia Richert, Emma Springstead, Anne Shrigley, Kailey Cerny, Jenny Meza, Brynnen Stefan, Robin Schmidt, Gracie Francios, Arawen Alberg).
Maura Koth (musical theater; S-A Ensemble) and Murphy Koth (S-A Ensemble) qualified for State in their respective events at District Festival in March, but were not able to attend the state festival.
“The THS music faculty is extremely proud of the very fine musicianship that our students put on display at the festival,” the department stated. “We would like to congratulate them on their hard work and practice time that brought them to this point.”
The department noted that THS offers an array of curricular and co-curricular opportunities for students in music, including Concert Band and Chamber Choir, music festivals, and an annual musical theater production. Approximately 70 students elect to participate in the school’s two curricular music ensembles.
Each school year in Wisconsin, approximately 11,000 performances qualify for state from their district music festivals, involving more students in a state-level event than almost any other co-curricular program. State Solo & Ensemble Festivals are held on eleven University campuses across Wisconsin in late April and early May.
More information can be found on WSMA’s website at www.wsmamusic.org/festivals/.