On Saturday, Jan. 21, students representing the Austin High School Music Department traveled to the Region 1AA Solo/Small Ensemble Contest at Lakeville South High School.

Over 230 AHS students performed a short piece of music and received verbal comments, written feedback, and a score and rating from the judge in one of 40 different performance sites.

The orchestra, band, and choir students, under the direction of Director of Bands Christoph Dundas, orchestra director Gene Schott and choir director Brian Johnson, worked for the past two months to prepare for the annual event. In each performance room a Best-in-Site was awarded to a student or group that was recognized as the strongest performance of the day, including four AHS students: Arn Huizinga, trombone solo; Cody Berglund, trumpet solo; Emma Andersen, violin solo; and Charles Kanne, viola solo.

In addition, two students earned perfect scores on their performances: Arn Huizinga, trombone solo, and Chloey Camerer, flute solo.

The following students were awarded an “Excellent” (second highest) or a “Superior” (highest) rating: 

Superior

Nora Curtis, Brooklyn Brandt, Kristine Schechinger, Caylee Meier, Hannah Alberts, Kristina Thorson, Kelsey Feuerhak, Elijah Hirst, Trent Brown, Patrick Hagan, Willem Huizinga, Nathan Meyer, Max Reynen, Wayde Hall, Maia Irvin, Ben Jacobs, Aaron Knoll, Emma Lenway, Evan Anderson, Fayth Nystel, Justin Miller, Natalie Nunez, Arn Huizinga, Cody Berglund, Thomas Walker, Mya Burkhart, Matthew Rambao, Kali Meiergerd, Sarah Bachmeier, Signe Fadness, Eleanor Hinchcliffe, Matthew Fennell, Kevin Riskedahl, Chase Witiak, Hannah Ryks, Katie Willrodt, Emily Brown, Aaron Knoll, Kassie Fate, Grace Thoen, Patrick Sheehan, Noah Lund, Berghyn Hull, Abi Munoz, Joseph Kroymann, Morgan Hose, Emily Eich, Zoe Dolan Peterson, Maddie Shipler, Adrianna Meiergerd, Nyachan Gash, Hannah Quandt, Mary Sullivan, Owen Culbert, Katie Lillemon, Luke Goodew, Grace Pazurek, Haley Lenway, Matthew Boyer, Abby Deyo, Jackson Oelfke, Abby Gogolewski, Awenia Nywesh, Grace Mikkelsen, Tara Watkins, John Collins, Zeke Peters,  Isabella Truong-Ferreira, Michael Petersen, Caylee Meier, Amy Stoulil, Sarah Bachmeier,  Cenneidigh Peters, Lilu Seals.

Excellent

Brooklyn Deters, Henry Hinchcliffe, Abigail Muller, Sarah Hillson, Christine Nelson, Corbin Munger, Grady Rambadt, James Murphy, Todd Weaver, AJ Mueller, Abby Schammel, Alyssa Anderson, Myia Hoium, Elijah Marks, Kyle Berglund, Thomas Berglund, Joshua Belden, Cody Otto, Preston Earles, Simon Hirst, Coy Stark, Edgar Hernandez Reyes, Blake VanBeek, Lauren Riskedahl, Amber Carlson, Lilly Reynen, Victor Ruiz, Robin Weaver, Grace Bailey, Chloe Emberson, Trey Martinson, Olivia Shapinsky, Alex Hamlin, Trevor Baldus, Kiley Kusick, Ananta Joarder, Ryan Stencel, Meg Barinka, Shannan Kelly, Myra Kraemer, Kory Klouse, Steven Conradt, Isaac Smith, Forrest Lewis, Courtney Kusick, Avery Thompson, Renata Vaughn, Maddie Herrick, Katherine Schramek, Grace Mayer, Carly Snee, Abrianna Klingele, Willy Burger, Tony Ciola, Rachel Christenson, Teren Olivera, Destiny Gray, Tae Weber, Lilly Nystel, Creed Poppler, Michael Carroll, Kaylen Erkeneff, Lina Vu, Kari Lyn Finley-Cook, Chloe Guttormson, Cora Wyse, Elizabeth Vu, McKenzie Schocker, Kaitlyn Schammel, Hannah Finney, Skylar Guzman, Paiton Schwab, Hannah Allhiser, Lia Mahora, Raevian MacIntosh, Claire Heichel, Toby Gogolewski, Maddie Bartlett, Liz Carlson, Madison Bellrichard, Beatrice Moore, Maddie Brown, Layiet Nathanael, Nyamach Duop, Ethan Kraushaar, Shannon Rowbal, Lydia Morey, Becky Vargas, Paul Mueller, Grace Shupe and Jordan Harmon.