The Decorah High School Music Department participated in the Iowa High School Music Association State Solo and Small Ensemble Music Festival on Saturday, March 25 at Charles City High School. Other schools participating were Charles City H.S., Clear Lake H.S., Crestwood H.S., Forest City H.S., Hampton-Dumont H.S., and Waverly-Shell Rock H.S.

This is an adjudicated festival in which students receive one of five division ratings for their performance: Division I “Superior” rating, Division II “Excellent” rating, Division III “Good” rating, Division IV “Fair” rating, or Division V “Poor” rating. The ratings are based on a point scale.

It was a successful day for the DHS Music Department. Each judge is allowed to present one “Outstanding Performance” award for the performance they deem to be the most superior of the day. There were nine judges overall in the vocal, orchestra, and band categories, and three of them awarded this honor to DHS musicians. Receiving “Outstanding Performance” awards were Gabriel Hiner, vocal solo;Elias Vorvick, Trombone solo; and String Bass Duet: Sally Laybourn and Ezra Vorvick. 

Receiving a Perfect Score were Elias Vorvick, Trombone; Mairi Sessions, Tuba; Alex McGohan, Marimba Solo, Timpani Solo, and Vibraphone Solo; Aidan Nalean-Carlson, Marimba Solo; Mallet Duet: Alex McGohan and Aidan Nalean-Carlson; Percussion Choir March of the Emperor;Connor Evelsizer, vocal solo; Madrigal Singers; and String bass Duet: Sally Laybourn and Ezra Vorvick.

Students were accompanied on piano by Dean Beckman, Mary Beth Bouska, Cathy Evelsizer, Chris Hadley, Miko Kominami, Linda Martin, Kayla Scholl and Nicholas Shaneyfelt.

Division I – Superior Ratings:

Solos (total: 53)

Flute: Mikayla Hiner; Clarinet: Rebecca Anderson; Alto Saxophone: Brenna Parker; Tenor Saxophone: Grant Zilka; Baritone Saxophone: Grant Zilka; Trombone: Elias Vorvick, Lucas Hanson; Tuba: Mairi Sessions; Timpani: Caden Branum, Alex McGohan, Aidan Nalean-Carlson, Michael Njus; Mallets: Natalie Goodner, Alex McGohan (Marimba), Alex McGohan (Vibraphone), Aidan Nalean-Carlson; Mixed Percussion: Beau Newhouse, Jerald Thompson;Piano: Natalie Goodner, Gabriel Hiner, Mikayla Hiner;Violin: Ella Grouws, Gabriel Hiner, Hope Stahl, Brock Taylor; Viola: Cedrik Beiwel, Ethan Stravers; Cello: Simon Kutz; Soprano: June Breitenbach-Dirks, Leslie Campbell, Mikayla Hiner, Kealy Hines, Sydney Kipp, Ada Lovelace, Brynn Storhoff, Gwen Thompson, Margret Zook; Alto: Jenna Hartz, Alex Kane, Sally Laybourn, Haley Stowe; Tenor: Connor Evelsizer, Andy Kruger, Michael Njus, Libby Phillips, Gareth Sweet; and Bass: Oliver Brummel, Gabriel Hiner, Jake Magner, Jack Sovern, Elias Vorvick, Ezra Vorvick, Max Wilson.

Ensembles (total: 31)

Woodwind Choir; Clarinet Choir; Saxophone Choir;Tuba Duet: Eli Vorvick & Sessions; Percussion Choir March of the Emperor; Percussion Choir Glitzville; Mallet Duet: McGohan & A. Nalean-Carlson; Percussion Quintet (Albert, Harman-Wood, Hougen, R. Kane, & B. Newhouse); String Duet: Laybourn & Ezra Vorvick; Kutz & Beiwel; Thompson & G. Hiner; Grouws & E. Stravers; Old English Airs Chamber Orchestra; Vocal Duet: Phillips & Grouws; Njus & D. Skrade; Njus & M. Wilson; Madrigal Singers; CC Chamber Singers; CC Chamber Choir; VC Chamber Choir; 9th Gr. Treble Clef 7 (Breitenbach-Dirks, M. Hiner, E. Christman, Klara Kelly, Albert, Pedlar, Wemark); 9th Gr. Bass Clef 9 (Duder, Malanaphy, Stemper, J. LaBelle, McElree, Mercado-Arneson, Harman-Wood, C. Johnson, Sassaman); VC Treble Clef 9 (Downing, Sheffield, G. Thompson, Brodbeck, Hines, A. Northup, L. Suhr, E. Johnson, Wadsworth); VC Bass Clef 11 (Hammel, Kruger, Beau Newhouse, Coppola, L. Hook, Krieg, Brummel, Chamberlain, J. Thompson, Sovern, Ezra Vorvick); CC Bass Clef 8 (L. Hanson, C. Kowitz, Njus, A. Jones, Eli Vorvick, A. Walter, Weis, M. Wilson); CC Bass Clef 7 (Evelsizer, Phillips, Sweet, G. Hiner, Magner, D. Skrade, Stammeyer); Senior Bass Clef Quartet (Njus, Sweet, Magner, M. Wilson); Senior Bass Clef Trio (Njus, Eli Vorvick, M. Wilson); CC Treble Clef 12 (E. Hook, Kipp, Storhoff, Lovelace, S. Sandhorst, A. Skrade, Grouws, A. Kane, Laybourn, Hartz, Stahl, R. Wiedow); CC Treble Clef 12 (Bruening, Campbell, Kipp, R. Suhr, S. Christman, Hageman, B. Hanson, Schwarz, Pritchard, Redenius, Stowe, Valkosky); and Mixed Trio (M. Hiner, G. Thompson, G. Hiner).

Division II – Excellent Ratings:

Solos (total: 33)

Flute: Amelia Pankow; Oboe: Ansel Kowitz; Trumpet: Aitor Cuevas; Mallet: Kealy Hines; Mixed Percussion: Liam Chamberlain, Jameson LaBelle; Piano: Gwenyth Thompson, Sylvia Sandhorst;Violin: Elsa Johnson Lydia Monreal, Sylvia Sandhorst, Haylee Stravers, Gwenyth Thompson, Kinsey White, Ramsey Zilka; Viola: Luke Arendt; Cello: Ada Lovelace; String Bass: Ezra Vorvick; Soprano: Elayna Hook, Greta Jones, Stella Pole; Alto: Ari Albert, Grace Blikre, Elliana Brodbeck, Ella Grouws, Bethany Hanson, Elsa Johnson; Tenor: Davis Coppola, Lucas Hanson; Bass: Liam Chamberlain, Ezra Harman-Wood, Caleb Johnson, Daniel Skrade.

Ensembles (total: 13)

Brass Choir; Flute Choir; Saxophone Duet: Breitenbach-Dirks & Christman; String Duet: E. Stravers & C. Kowitz, L. Jensen & Monreal, E. Stravers & A. Skrade, Gegax & Sassaman; String Quartet: (Grouws, S. Christman, E. Stravers & Lovelace), (S. Sandhorst, Kate Kelly, Woosley & Campbell); String Trio (Stahl, R. Zilka & Rix); Shenandoah Chamber Orchestra; 9th Grade Chamber Choir; VC Treble Clef 9 (B. Bentley, G. Jones, R. Kane, Goodner, Keefe, Zook, Bakken, Blikre, Steines).