Washington High School WHS music students participated in the annual MSHSAA State Music Festival on Thursday, April 30.

The day was filled with outstanding performances by all involved.  Below is a list of all WHS student performances and the rating achieved.  These performances represent the culmination of months of hard work outside of the regular school day on behalf of these students.

WHS senior Owen Van Leer took five events to state and received a gold rating in all five of them, which is a school record.

2026 MSHSAA State Music Festival Participants and Event Ratings

Owen Van Leer: Alto Saxophone Solo and Bari Saxophone Solo - Gold Rating(s)

WHS Percussion Ensemble: Gold Rating

Wyatt Brinker, Kimia Ferdowski, Jackson Laubinger, Ryan Miesner, Luella Moody, Andrew Mooney, Sebastian Stumbaugh, Henry Thornton

WHS Saxophone Quartet - Gold Rating

Layne Becker, Keagan Cook, Owen Van Leer, Nick Smith

WHS Men's Trio - Gold Rating

Steven Banderman, Andrew Dawson, Owen Van Leer

Anna Snider: Vocal Solo - Gold Rating

Owen Van Leer: Vocal Solo - Gold Rating

Nick Smith: Euphonium Solo - Gold Rating 

Keagan Cook: Alto Saxophone Solo - Gold Rating

Isaac Brune: Trombone Solo - Gold Rating

Sebastian Stumbaugh: Marimba Solo - Gold Rating

Peter Bush: Piano Solo - Gold Rating

Belle De Trois - Silver Rating 

Leila Jerray, Savannah Pilarski, Adrianna Strubberg

Corelli String Quartet - Silver Rating 

Greta Hoffman, Maeve McCarrick, Benjamin Raeker, Areeba Shaikh

Freshman Percussion Ensemble - Silver Rating

Lydia Barrett, Wyatt Brinker, Wyatt Buchholz, Kimia Ferdowski, Luella Moody, Andrew Mooney

Benjamin Raeker: Cello Solo - Silver Rating

Andrew Dawson: Vocal Solo - Silver Rating

Eleni Kriete: Trumpet Solo - Silver Rating

Cynthia Bade: Viola Solo - Silver Rating

Dayton Griesheimer: Viola Solo - Silver Rating 

Billy Diestelkamp: Piano Solo - Silver Rating

Morgan Straatmann: Vocal Solo - Silver Rating

Emmaline Malan: Vocal Solo - Silver Rating

Augustin McAfoos: Vocal Solo - Silver Rating

Areeba Shaikh: Violin Solo - Silver Rating

Addison Farrell: Violin Solo - Silver Rating.

 

MSHSAA State Music Festival Soloists - Gold Medal Rating:

Left to right:

Keagan Cook - Alto Saxophone

Nick Smith - Euphonium 

Owen Van Leer - Alto Saxophone and Tenor Saxophone

Sebastian Stumbaugh - Marimba Solo

Isaac Brune - Trombone Solo

 

WHS Saxophone Quartet - Gold Rating

Nick Smith, Owen Van Leer, Layne Becker and Keagan Cook

 

WHS Soloists Silver Rating

Eleni Kriete: Trumpet Solo - Silver Rating

Billy Diestelkamp: Piano Solo - Silver Rating

 

WHS Percussion Ensemble: Gold Rating

Andrew Mooney, Henry Thornton, Wyatt Brinker, Ellie Moody, Ryan Miesner, Kimia Ferdowsi, Jackson Laubinger and Sebastian Stumbaugh

 

WHS Men's Vocal Trio - Gold Rating

Owen Van Leer, Steven Banderman and Andrew Dawson

 

WHS senior Owen Van Leer took five events to state and received a gold rating in all five of them, which is a school record.

 

Anna Snider: Vocal Solo - Gold Rating

 

Peter Bush: Piano Solo - Gold Rating

 

Morgan Straatmann: Vocal Solo - Silver Rating

 

Augustin McAfoos: Vocal Solo - Silver Rating

 

Not pictured:

WHS Freshman Percussion Ensemble

Lydia Barrett, Wyatt Brinker, Wyatt Buchholz, Kimia Ferdowsi, Ellie Moody and Andrew Mooney.