The Southeast Iowa String Teachers Association held its annual honors orchestra festival Jan. 17. The highly selective program, hosted at Bettendorf High School and including three age groups, accepts orchestral musicians in the southeast Iowa region who have been nominated by their school orchestra directors. West High sent eight students to attend this year: first violinist Thomas Gao ’29, second violinist Braelyn Pham ’28, violists Dylan Asikin-Garmager ’27, Sylvia Broffitt ’26 and Alexander Moss ’28 and cellists Devin Kraber ’26, Ana Rippentrop ’28 and Sonya Zhu ’28. 

After morning and afternoon rehearsals, the high school group performed in the festival concert under the direction of Ken Tonaki, an Illinois music educator. Their set began with the first movement of “Suite for Strings” by Leos Janacek. Next, the orchestra played “Snowberry” by Yukiko Nishimura, followed by “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin, arranged by Tim McCarrick. The concert concluded with “American Reel” by Kirt Mosier, featuring a solo from concertmaster Gao.

Following chair auditions, higher-seated musicians in each section received the opportunity to attend the Iowa String Teachers Association festival. These recipients included West musicians Gao and Asikin-Garmager, who each sat first chair, Pham and Zhu, each in second chair and Broffitt, in fourth chair. The festival will host high school orchestra players from across Iowa at Wartburg College May 16.