WSMA Honors Student Composers

Intermediate School Division Award Winners (Grades 4-6)

Division Winner
Let’s Do This Together by Christina Alexander from Pilgrim Park Middle School, Brookfield; Sarah Marman – Teacher

Instrumental Solo
First Place: Fiction by Audra Bird from North Cape School, Franksville; Chelsea Kuhlow – Teacher
Second Place: Bird Song by Melina Palmer-Flintrop from North Cape School, Franksville; Chelsea Kuhlow – Teacher

Vocal Solo
First Place: Let’s Do This Together by Christina Alexander from Pilgrim Park Middle School, Brookfield; Sarah Marman – Teacher

Piano Solo
First Place: Sonatina in F, Movement 2 by Jason Kuang from Kromrey Middle School, Middleton; Jennifer DeRoche – Teacher
Second Place: Little Village by Paige Faulkner from Section Elementary School, Mukwonago; Kathy Doty – Teacher

Middle School Division Award Winners (Grades 7-8)

Division Winner
Twilight Sky by Tiona Long and Devin Williams from Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate School, West Allis; Mary Pat Michels – Teacher

Instrumental Ensemble
First Place: Twilight Sky by Tiona Long and Devin Williams from Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate School, West Allis; Mary Pat Michels – Teacher
Second Place: A Mad Dash by Jack Reeder from Madison Country Day High School, Waunakee; Jon Schipper – Teacher

Piano Solo
First Place: Minor Puzzles by Levi Ruona from Cedar Grove – Belgium Middle School; Linda Ruona – teacher
Second Place: Riverbend Sonata by Anna Gaylord fromCardinal Heights Upper Middle School, Sun Prairie; Ian Melrose – Teacher

Arrangement
First Place: Mii Channel Theme by Ethan Pawlak from Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate School, West Allis; Mary Pat Michels – Teacher

Electronic Music
First Place: Towel by Tommaso Pantalei from University School of Milwaukee; Dain Shuler – Teacher

High School Division Award Winners (Grades 9-12)

Division Winner
America The… by Joey O’Connor from Lincoln High School, Manitowoc; Rebekah Mueller – Teacher

Concert Band/Orchestra
First Place: America The… by Joey O’Connor from Lincoln High School, Manitowoc; Rebekah Mueller – Teacher
Second Place: Black Forest Suite by Jonah Dennis from Mount Horeb High School; Will Janssen – Teacher
Third Place: Stigma di Piccola Citta` by Connor Markohn from Team Markohn Family School, West Bend; Corey Murphy – Teacher
Honorable Mention: Before Dawn by Max Letellier from New Berlin Eisenhower High School; Josh Kimball – Teacher
Honorable Mention: Five Years by Lili Grossman from McFarland High School; Paul Gregg – Teacher
Honorable Mention: A Hero’s Journey by Caleb Endres from Oak Creek High School; Guy Gregg – Teacher

Instrumental Solo
First Place: Tango Fuoco by Jonah Dennis from Mount Horeb High School; Will Janssen – Teacher
Second Place: Simpler Times by Isabelle Kramar from Homestead High School, Mequon; John Emanuelson – Teacher
Third Place: Prelude for Violin and Piano by Max Letellier from New Berlin Eisenhower High School; Josh Kimball – Teacher
Honorable Mention: A Vicious Cycle by Aiden Culver from Richland Center High School; Jeff Behrens – Teacher

Instrumental Ensemble
First Place: Chasing Shadows by Jeremy Cotturone from Mukwonago High School; Emma Angoli – Teacher
Second Place : String Quartet in F Minor by Thomas Hsu from Middleton High School; Steve Kurr – Teacher
Third Place: Losing Focus, Losing Altitude by John Cargille from Harborside Academy, Kenosha; Zachary Hamilton – Teacher
Honorable Mention: Eureka’s Birth by William Karls from McFarland High School; Paul Gregg – Teacher

Piano Solo
First Place: Le Papillon by Max Letellier from New Berlin Eisenhower High School; Josh Kimbal – Teacher
Second Place: Une Figure Chaleureuse Représentée by Connor Markohn from Team Markohn Family School, West Bend; Corey Murphy – Teacher
Third Place: Aero Plane by Noah Durlam from Germantown High School; Jon Bell – Teacher
Honorable Mention: Exploring by Nora Otte from Fond du Lac High School; Cory Schneider – Teacher
Honorable Mention: The Best Ones Are  by Daniel Schmidt from Indian Trail High School and Academy, Kenosha; Jeremy Kriedeman – Teacher

Piano Ensemble
First Place: Balalaika by Jonah Dennis from Mount Horeb High School; Will Janssen – Teacher

Vocal Solo
First Place: Lavender Room by Laney Zacek from Denmark High School; Lucas Jordan – Teacher
Second Place: Bridges by Joey O’Connor from Lincoln High School, Manitowoc; Rebekah Mueller – Teacher
Third Place: Puma’s Journey by Cammie Leer from Viroqua High School; Brad Thew – Teacher

Vocal Ensemble
First Place: Rise Up by Elizabeth Simon from Ronald Reagan IB High School, Milwaukee; Erica Breitbarth – Teacher
Second Place : Into the Light by Joey O’Connor from Lincoln High School, Manitowoc; Rebekah Mueller – Teacher
Third Place: Mass of Illumination by Nathan Holzhauer from New Berlin Eisenhower High School; Natalie Baertschy – Teacher
Honorable Mention: Dewy Wood by Noah Durlam from Germantown High School – Jon Bell – Teacher

Vocal Jazz
First Place: 2 o’clock worries by Joey O’Connor from Lincoln High School, Manitowoc; Rebekah Mueller – Teacher

Instrumental Jazz
First Place: Baltic Avenue by Joey O’Connor from Lincoln High School, Manitowoc; Rebekah Mueller – Teacher
Second Place: Traffic Turmoil by Jeremy Cotturone from Mukwonago High School; Emma Angoli – Teacher
Third Place: Gangster Getaway by Gabriel Mailloux from Mailloux Home School, Mineral Point; Jan Mailloux – Teacher
Honorable Mention: Sandew by Joshua Frank from Neenah High School; David Dunning – Teacher

Miscellaneous
First Place: The Lucille Polka by Joey O’Connor from Lincoln High School, Manitowoc; Rebekah Mueller – Teacher
Second Place: Obscurum Trilogiam by Gabriel Mailloux from Mailloux Home School, Mineral Point; Jan Mailloux – Teacher
Third Place: This Is The Day by Nathan Holzhauer from New Berlin Eisenhower High School; Natalie Baertschy – Teacher

Arrangement
First Place: Nearer, Still Nearer by Thaddaeus Markle from Phillips High School; Justin Lindgren – Teacher
Second Place: Greensleeves by Joey O’Connor and Noah VanElls from Lincoln High School, Manitowoc; Rebekah Mueller – Teacher
Third Place: Auld Lang Syne by Oliver Van Note from James Madison Memorial High School, Madison; Ben Jaeger – Teacher
Honorable Mention: Caprice No. 24 in A Minor, Op. 1, No. 24 by Andrew Wieler from Grafton High School; Alex Knoepker – Teacher
Honorable Mention: Final Fantasy 7 Suite by Alexander Schrader from Notre Dame de la Baie Academy, Green Bay; Christine Salerno and Steve Johnson – Teacher
Honorable Mention: I Cover the Waterfront by Grace DeCroix from Middleton High School; Douglas Brown – Teacher

Electronic Music
First Place: Walk to the Matinee by Eric Luebke from River Falls High School; Bryan Jaeckel – Teacher
Second Place: Space Emotion by George Breiwa from Lodi High School, Doug Hoeft – Teacher
Third Place: Distrophony MPEG-√(-1) by Connor Markohn from Team Markohn Family School, West Bend; Corey Murphy – Teacher
Honorable Mention: Current by James Rollins from Madison Country Day High School, Waunakee; Jon Schipper – Teacher

This year a total of 115 submissions were received for the project with 102 submissions in the High School Division (grades 9-12), 6 in the Middle School Division (grades 5-8) and 7 in the Intermediate School Division (grades 4-6). Thirteen submissions received Honorable Mention distinctions and 43 submissions received awards based on merit in 12 different categories.

The Student Composition Project provides student composers the opportunity to receive feedback regarding the positive qualities of his/her piece as well as provide ways to improve as a composer in the future. Each submission is reviewed and receives a written critique by a professional composer. Reviewers determine awards and winners. Division winners receive a scholarship to study composition.

For more information about WSMA and the Student Composition Project, go to wsmamusic.org/composition_project.

Founded in 1932, Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) is a non-profit service organization with more than 1,000 member public and private schools. Students from member schools are eligible to participate in WSMA programs, such as District and State Music Festivals, Concert Festivals, State Honors Music Project, State Marching Band Championships, Student Composition Project and WSMA Aca U. WSMA is governed by a board of directors made up of superintendents, principals and other officers from all over the state. WSMA believes music is a basic human need and that all children have the right to experience all that music offers them.