Decorah High School music students do well at contest

Decorah High School music students received five of the nine "Best of Center" awards given at the annual State Solo and Ensemble Festival on Saturday at Crestwood High School.

Kayla Burggraf received three "Best of Center" awards--one for a flute solo, another for a flute and violin duet with Kristen Flak and a third for her soprano solo. It was the second year in a row she received the three awards. Soprano Sarah Hammel also won a "Best of Center" award for her solo for the second year in a row, while Rebecca Eastwood and Michael Eastwood won their first "Best of Center" award for a Double Bass duet.

Receiving Division I ratings for band performances were: Flute: Kayla Burggraf (perfect score), Kasi Misseldine (perfect score), Blaire Shaffer; Oboe: AlisonGomersall; Alto saxophone: Jay Lee, Josh Lee; Tenor saxophone: Bianca Wilbur; Baritone saxophone: Ingrid Rotto; Trumpet: Tanner Tjossem, Mollie King, Patrick Larson; French Horn: Annelise Keune, Allison Kephart, Tim DeVore; Trombone: Colin Zidlicky; Tuba: Erik Sand, Nathan Lee, Hans Holkesvik.

Band ensembles receiving Division I ratings were: Flute Duet: Kayla Burggraf, Kasi Misseldine; Flute/Violin Duet: Kayla Burggraf, Kristin Flak; Flute Quartet: Kayla Burggraf, Jonathan Winter, Made Johansen, Aaron Mertzenich; Flute Quintet: Kayla Burggraf, Kasi Misseldine, Kilah Hemesath, Laura Francois, Blaire Shaffer; Saxophone Trio: Taisha Thornton, Elly Arend, Moran Lonning; Saxophone Quartet: Barrett Coyle, Allie Canoy, Bianca Wilbur, Ingrid Rotto; Woodwind Quintet A: Shelby Varney, Ashley Peterson, Emily Markee, Tim DeVore, Claire Breitenstein; Woodwind Quintet B: Kelsey Mitchell, Sarah Brandt, Alison Gomersall, Alli Kephart, Rachel Rattenborg; Woodwind Quintet C: Kasi Misseldine, Gabe Smith, Addie Hansen, Annelise Keune, Catherine Moeller; Tuba/Euphonium Quartet: Colin Zidlicky, Ben Bisbey, Erik Sand, Nathan Lee; Brass Quintet: Tanner Tjossem, Mollie King, Jonathan Knudson, Colin Zidlicky, Nathan Lee; Brass Choir A: Michael Peter, Devon Jostand, Patrick Larson, Maggie Locke, Nicole Poirier, Sara Schloesser, Marea Hokesvik, Paul Sullivan, Dae Han Harvey, Time DeVore, Anna Madrigal, Patrick Winter, Shana Kelly, Tyler Hovey, Brian O'Regan, Kendra Larson, Hans Hokesvik; Brass Choir: Tanner Tjossem, Ethan Hougen, Marlon Henriquez, Karl Larsen, Kaitlin Yahr, Tessa Kraus, Kasara Batzler, Anneliese Keune, Jonathan Knudson, Colin Zidlicky, Tyler Olson, Ben Bisbey, Chelsea Deutsch, Alex Kilarski, Zach Francois, Nathan Lee; Percussion Choir: Thomas Locke, Chance Beard, Erik Bay, Grace Dambek, Joy Drow, Jacob Kvale, James Ostlie, Mitch Burggraf, Elly Cepeda, Olivia King, Dain Ellis; Percussion Trio: Erik Bay, Chance Beard, Thomas Locke.

Receiving a Perfect Ballot for vocal performances were Claire Breitenstein, Kayla Burggraf, Kristen Flak, Madrigal Singers, Vocal Duet: Kayla Burggraf & Kaia Miller, Women's Triple Trio: Becca Eastwood, Crystal Harrell, Emily Sorenson, Lindsey Bohr, Kristen Flak, Kelsey Ritner, Kari Jensen, Annelise Keune & Johanna Olson.

Vocal soloists receiving Division I ratings included: soprano soloists Sarah Brandt, Claire Breitenstein, Kayla Burggraf, Kristen Flak, Sarah Hammel, Hannah Leeper; alto soloists Carolina Deifelt-Streese, Kari Jensen, Allison Kephart, Kaia Miller, Kayla Peterson; tenor soloists Lucas Blekeberg, Charlie Vermace, Jonathon Winter; bass soloists Bjorn Gowdy-Jaehnig, James Ostlie.

Vocal ensembles receiving Division I ratings were: Madrigal Singers: Sarah Brandt, Kayla Burggraf, Sarah Hammel, Ida Rotto, Allison Fretheim, Allison Kephart, Kaia Miller, Kasi Misseldine, Gabriel Smith, Charlie Vermace, Jonathon Winter, Sam Zook, Erik Bay, Jonathan Knudson, Josh Martin & Axel Snow; Vocal Duet: Allison Fretheim & Jonathan Knudson; Vocal Duet: Gabriel Smith & Axel Snow; Vocal Duet: Maggie Locke & Shana Kelly; Vocal Duet: Kayla Burgraff & Kaia Miller; Women's Triple Trio: Brittany Hudson, Hannah Leeper, Bretta Krieg, Claire Breitenstein, Jenny Henry, Anna Madrigal, Aubrey Ellickson, Shana Kelly & Kayla Peterson; Women's Sextet: Mollie King, Bianca Wilbur, Rachel Burras, Hannah Koop, Clara Bergan & Allie Canoy; Men's 12: Marlon Henriquez, Martin Pena, Cody Sacquitne, Ben Bisbey, Montana McCabe, John Werner, Jonathan Knudson, Nathan Lee, Andrew Peter, Gavyn Samuelson, Erik Sand & Sam Vanney; Men's 12: Alex Bishop, Thomas Knobbe, Josh Miller, Lucas Blekeberg, Hans Holkesvik, Josh Lee, Peter Kephart, Jacob Kvale, Anders Wahlber, Tim Devore, Noarh Klammer & Paul Sullivan; Men's Octet: Aaron Larson, Jonathon Winter, Parker Beard, Isaac Mertzenich, Andrew Storlie, Colin Zidlicky, Bjorn Gowdy-Jaehnig & Nick Nelson; Women's Octet: Kayla Burggraf, Caroline Krammen, Sarah Brandt, Sarah Hammel, Allison Fretheim, Allison Kephart, Kaia Miller & Kasi Misseldine; Women's Triple Trio: Becca Eastwood, Crystal Harrell, Emily Sorenson, Lindsey Bohr, Kristen Flak, Kelsey Ritner, Kari Jensen, Annelise Keune & Johanna Olson; Women's Trio: Lindsey Bohr, Allison Kephart & Allison Fretheim; Men's Octet: Tyler Olson, Gabriel Smith, Charlie Vermace, Sam Zook, Erik Bay, Axel Snow, Jacob Knobbe & Josh Martin; Chamber Choir: Claire Breitenstein, Jenny Henry, Brittany Hudson, Bretta Krieg, Hannah Leeper, Anna Madrigal, Aubrey Ellickson, Krista Fretheim, Kayla Ingvalson, Shana Kelley, Maggie Locke, Kayla Peterson, Alex Bishop, Lucas Blekeberg, Thomas Knobbe, Josh Miller, Michael Peter, Tim Devore, Hans Holkesvik, Patrick Larson, Josh Lee, James Ostlie, Drew Schwartz, Paul Sullivan; Chamber Choir: Sarah Brandt, Kayla Burggraf, Kristen Flak, Sarah Hammel, Caroline Krammen, Ida Rotto, Allison Fretheim, Kari Jensen, Allison Kephart, Kaia Miller, Kasi Misseldine, Tyler Olson, Martin Pena, Cody Sacquitne, Gabe Smith, Charlie Vermace, Sam Zook, Erik Bay, Michael Eastwood, Jacob Knobbe, Jonathan Knudson, Josh Martin, Gavyn Samuelson & Axel Snow.

Receiving a perfect ballot for orchestra performance was the Flute/Violin duet of Kayla Burggraf & Kristen Flak. Orchestra soloists receiving Division I ratings were: Violin: Eliazabeth Shroyer, Danielle Fulsaas, Aubrey Ellickson, Kristen Flak, Lucas Blekeberg, Axel Snow, Lindsey Bohr, Parker Beard, Jonathon Winter; Viola: Aaron Mertzenich; Cello: Hannah Bernatz, Madison Johansen, Rachel Haindfield; String Bass: Rebecca Eastwood, Michael Eastwood, Erica Bjelland, Christian Pearson, Eric Fulsaas.

Orchestra ensembles receiving Division I ratings were: Flute/String Quartet: Kayla Burggraf, Jonathon Winter, Aaron Mertzenich, Madison Johansen; Flute/Violin duet: Kayla Burggraf, Kristen Flak; Violin Quartet: Jonathon Winter, Kristen Flak, Elizabeth Shroyer, Lucas Blekeberg; Violin/Cello Duet: Lindsey Bohr, Madison Johansen; Violin/Viola Duet: Amber Kuennen, Kyla Leliefeld; Violin/Cello duet: Emily Alcock and Carolina Deifelt-Streese; Violin Duet: Dane Huinker, Parker Beard; Bass Quintet: Rebecca Eastwood, Michael Eastwood, Erica Bjelland, Christian Pearson, Eric Fulsaas; Violin/Cello Duet: Jonathon Winter, Kaia Miller; Violin Duet: Danielle Fulsaas, Benjamin Bernatz; Violin/Cello duet: Clara Bergan, Pearl Faldet; Cello quartet: Devon Hovey, Bethany Davidson, John Werner, Michael Eastwood; Chamber Orchestra: Jessie Leeps, Bretta Krieg, Kylie Kozelka, Kayla Peterson, Courtnie Skillings, Amber Kuennen, Erin Jones, Kyla Leliefeld, Breanne Pierce, Maddie Grimm, Krista Fretheim, Christian Pearson; Violin/Cello duet: Elizabeth Shroyer, Elizabeth Hovden; String Bass duet: Rebecca Eastwood, Michael Eastwood.