Musicians Earn Top Honors at State Solo and Ensemble

University School of Milwaukee Middle School and Upper School musicians recently participated in the Wisconsin School Music Association’s State Solo and Ensemble Festival, held on Saturday, April 26 and Saturday, May 3. Students earned medals for their Class A music performances. 

In order to qualify for the state level, students had to earn a “starred first” rating in Class A, which consists of the most difficult music, at the district level. “These students spent hours upon hours practicing their difficult music selections to represent USM at this level,” said Andi Franklin, Middle School and Upper School choir teacher. “We are so proud of them.”

Congratulations to the medalists:

Gold Medal recipients

Brooklyn Becker ’30: Violin Solo
Sloan Becker ’28- Violin Solo
Sloan ’28 and Brooklyn ’30 Becker: Violin Duet
Zaara Bonilla ’25: Violin Solo
Nina Sugiyama Carter ’30: Snare Drum Solo
Alex Chen ’25: Violin Solo
Chloe Chen ’27: Violin Solo
Alex ’25 and Chloe ’27 Chen: Violin Duet
Elina Cheng ’27: Violin Solo
Elina Cheng ’27 and Emily Pan ’27: Violin Duet
Gi Gi Cooks ’26: Music Theater Solo and Soprano Solo
Sofia De Torre ’25: Viola Solo
Trevor Dunning ’25, Geno Cooks ’26, and M’Johno Foster ’25: TTB Trio
Mika Finucane ’25: Violin Solo
CJ Jacobsen ’29: Viola Solo
Lesley Jimenez ’26: Violin Solo
Summer Klingbail ’28: Music Theater Solo
Augie Markwald ’29: Cello Solo
Eli Mondano ’31: Changing Voice Solo
Emily Pan ’27: Violin Solo
Edie ’25 and Ainsley ’28 Polston: SA Duet
Maia Scherman ’27: Music Theater Solo
Nathan Silber ’28: Piano Solo
Sara Staples ’25: Cello Solo and Soprano Musical Theatre Solo
Laya Sumithra ’25: Music Theater Solo and Soprano Solo
Raymond Yang ’27: Piano Solo and Violin Solo
Eshaan Vasudev ’26: Piano Solo

Silver medal recipients

Gabby Cicero ’28: Violin Solo
Emery Domer ’28: Music Theater Solo
PJ Heiny ’28: Music Theater Solo
Ayan Iyengar ’29: Flute Solo
Sophie Kouklin ’29: Piano Solo

Exemplary award winners

Zaara Bonilla ’25: Violin Solo 
Alex Chen ’25: Violin Solo

Exemplary award nominees

Alex ’25 and Chloe ’27 Chen: Violin Duet
Chloe Chen ’27: Violin Solo
Summer Klingbail ’28: Music Theater Solo
Augie Markwald ’29: Cello Solo