For the Tomahawk Leader

STEVENS POINT – Numerous Tomahawk High School (THS) students performed at the Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) State Solo and Ensemble Festival earlier this month.

A total of 14 THS students performed at the festival, which was held at UW-Stevens Point (UWSP) on Saturday, May 6.

Among them, the students performed ten vocal and instrumental events.

The Soprano-Alto Ensemble earned a Division II (silver) rating and was made up of all 14 Tomahawk students: Salma Ramadhani, Maddy Baumann, Arawen Alberg, Jenny Meza, Brynnen Stefan, Maria Smith, Murphy Koth, Elli Witulski, Bella Marino, Kennedi Kromm, Sadie Miller, Robin Schmidt, Kailey Cerny and Greyson Marta.

Other events earning Division II ratings were Brynnen Stefan, vocal solo; Jennifer Meza, vocal solo; and Kailey Cerny, musical theater solo.

“The balance of the events earned a Division I (gold) rating, which is difficult to do,” 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.”

Tomahawk students earning this distinction were Arawen Alberg, vocal solo; Brynnen Stefan, piano solo; Brynnen Stefan, Kailey Cerny and Jenny Meza, SSA trio; Jennifer Meza, musical theater solo; Kailey Cerny, vocal solo; and Kailey Cerny and Arawen Alberg, vocal duet.

In addition, Brynnen Stefan was nominated for an Exemplary Performance Award on her piano solo, and Arawen Alberg was awarded an Exemplary Performance Award for her vocal solo.

The release said only about 10% and 5% of performances at the State Solo and Ensemble Festival are nominated and awarded, respectively, as an Exemplary Performance.

“The THS music faculty is extremely proud of the very fine musicianship that our students put on display at the festival,” the release stated. “We would like to congratulate them on their hard work and practice time that brought them to this point.”

Tomahawk High School 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, according to the release.

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 and Ensemble Festivals are held on 11 university campuses across Wisconsin in late April and early May.

More information can be found on the Wisconsin School Music Association’s website at www.wsmamusic.org/festivals/.