Music students hit high notes at UIL competition

Photo courtesy of Mason Cottam

Sophomore Mason Cottam with his grandma at the UIL regional competition, who also served as his accompanist for the competition.

Dylan Ebs, Feature Editor
March 11, 2022

Fifty vocal and piano students competed in the UIL Region 18 Vocal Solo and Ensemble Contest on February 26 at Cedar Creek High School, with fourteen vocal students and eight piano students qualifying for the Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest in May.

Junior Yasmeen Aljamal was one of the fourteen vocal students who advanced to state.

“I’ve worked very hard for this and I’m grateful for my choir director and my family for pushing me so hard,” Aljamal said. “I worked with my accompanist for the song I chose and Mr. Bourgeois has helped so much in FIT, as well as during class time.”

The state competition is scheduled for May 28-30 in the Austin area, according to the UIL Texas website.

“It was nice to know my hard work paid off and I had performed the best I could,” sophomore and vocal student Mason Cottam said. “I prepared for the event by listening to recordings of the song and working with a piano track of the vocal part, before practicing with my accompanist.”

The full results from the competition are below.

Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest Qualifiers

(Superior Rating on Class 1 Solo)

Vocal:

  • Finn Alexander (10th)
  • Yasmeen Aljamal (11th)
  • Parker Bryant (11th)
  • Isy Cherukuri (10th)
  • Mason Cottam (10th)
  • Ashira Fronk (10th)
  • Cade Harrison (11th)
  • Gracie Harrison (11th)
  • Carson Haley (12th)
  • Ethan Moyer (11th)
  • Tessa Pillette (9th)
  • Leanna Reyna (11th)
  • Maddie Tapia (11th)
  • Tennyson Tole (12th)

Piano:

  • Robert Bailey (10th)
  • Julian Buergi (11th)
  • Besa Carney (9th)
  • Ben Durbin (10th)
  • Hunter Gensler (10th)
  • Ryan O’Mullan (12th)
  • Fiona Rubiano (12th)
  • Marc Sonnier (11th)

Other Superior Rating Recipients

(Superior Rating on a Class 2 or 3 Solo)

Vocal:

  • Daria Abramovitch (10th), Kennedy Kilday (10th), Laura Schulze (10th) (Ensemble) 
  • Savannah Linscomb (10th)
  • Katelyn Merritt (9th)

Piano:

  • Charlie Dame (9th)
  • Ian Garcia (11th)
  • Marleigh Giblett (9th)
  • Michael Holcomb (9th)
  • Curtis Lear (10th)
  • Liam Piper (12th)
  • Carl Serrano (9th)

Students Receiving an 

Excellent Rating on a Class 1, 2, or 3 Solo

Vocal:

  • Ava Escobar (10th)
  • Lola Grant (10th)
  • Cali Penshorn (10th)
  • Kierra York (11th)

Piano:

  • Karsten Albrecht (10th)
  • Casey Blenden (9th)
  • Susan Leifker (12th)
  • Axel Lozana (12th)
  • Noah Pannell (9th)
  • Leo Pedrozo (11th)
  • Bodhi Rosen (10th)
  • Ben Yao (11th)
  • Lucas Ybarra (12th)