Mound Westonka Vocalists Receive Four 'Best in Site' Awards at Regions

The halls and common areas at Buffalo High School were humming with excitement earlier this month as the high school students from throughout the area prepared for the Region 2AA Solo and Ensemble Contest. The high school musicians perform before adjudicators for a rating and constructive comments. Mound Westonka High School had 34 vocal students participating in 28 entries.

Local vocalists stole the show with four "Best in Site" awards, 21 "superior" ratings and seven "excellent" ratings.

Schools participating included Buffalo, Dassel-Cokato, Delano, Hutchinson and Orono. Ratings range from the lowest mark of fair to good to excellent to the highest rating of superior. Only one "Best-in-Site" award is given in each room.

“That means out of only six vocal judges, four of those judges awarded their ‘Best-in-Site’ to Mound Westonka—a real honor,” said Kate Larson, MWHS choir director.

In the contest students perform either a solo with piano accompaniment or in a small ensemble—duets, trios, quartets or larger ensembles. Madd Jazz, the district’s auditioned vocal group, received both a superior rating and "Best in Site."

Members include: Allie Gruman, John Hunt, Maddy Isaacs, Hogan Kelly, Ashley Kershaw, Zack McDowell, Merv Moorhead, Riley Peterson, Katie Rasmussen and Monica Shukle.

The other "Best-in-Site" recipients were the trio comprised of Allie Gruman, Ashley Kershaw and Katie Rasmussen; the duet of Ashley Kershaw and Riley Peterson; and soloist Ashley Kershaw.

“As anxious and stressed as I may have been the morning of the event, I went home that night on such an emotional high," Larson said. "I couldn't have been more proud of our Mound Westonka choir students. They were well-prepared, professional, courteous and supportive of one another. I just don't see other schools travel from site to site in a big mob to cheer each other on. It's one of my favorite parts of the year. They truly earned their four Best in Site awards.”

Superior ratings went to soloists Isabel Barnhart, Shelby Stahl, Maddy Isaacs, Katrina Knutson, Katie Rasmussen, Matthew Sheehan, Monica Shukle, Margot Anderson, Ashley Kershaw, Riley Peterson, Hogan Kelly, Allie Gruman and Naomi Jackson.

Also receiving Superior ratings were the following duets:  

• Naomi Jackson/Hogan Kelly
• Monica Shukle/Maddy Isaacs
• Margot Anderson/Katie Rasmussen
• Matthew Sheehan/Alisyn Doering
• Ashley Kershaw/Riley Peterson  

Ensembles receiving "superior" ratings included Allie Gruman/Ashley Kershaw/Katie Rasmussen; Parker Wharram, Jonathan Goodrich, Zack McDowell, Hogan Kelly, Riley Peterson, Abe Thaler, John Hunt, and Andrew Enoksen, and Madd Jazz (members listed above).

Excellent ratings went to soloists Coco Wagner, Anna Malchow, Veronica Spurbeck and Claire Erickson, as well as the following ensembles Isabel Barnhart/Shelby Stahl; Chloe Gruman, Coco Wagner, Andi Corbett, Taylor Kaiser, Mackenzie Jansen, Lauren Ehlers, Kali Ellingson, Addia Troyer and Veronica Spurbeck, and Alisyn Doering, Claire Erickson, Isabel Barnhart, Elle Montgomery, Anna Pinault and Naomi Jackson.

The community will have an opportunity to hear both Madd Jazz and the Jazz Band at Coffee House Jazz May 11 and 12 and all of these award-winning musicians at the High School Choir Concert May 21 and 24 and the Band Concert May 30.