April 16, 2026

Clarke hosts solo/ensemble contest

Congratulations to Clarke High School musicians for all the hard work they put into performing and hosting a state contest at the end of March! Clarke hosted the Class 3A State IHSMA Solo/Ensemble Contest for instrumental and vocal students on Saturday, March 28. Students from across Iowa came to Osceola to perform for feedback and ratings given by four judges. Clarke students received 16 Division I ratings (superior) and 10 Division II ratings (excellent) throughout the day. This is a big accomplishment for our students!

Division I ratings

Dylan Struble - bassoon solo

Emma Arnold - clarinet solo

Addison Franklin - clarinet solo

Aryanna Hewlett - clarinet solo

Olivia Vargas - clarinet solo

Luke Wade - alto sax solo

Mallory Tidman - bari sax solo

Easton Brokaw - tuba solo

Natalie McGaw - xylophone solo

Casey and Luke Wade - saxophone duet

Easton Brokaw - vocal solo

Macayla Hicks - vocal solo

Elian Mercado Llamas - vocal solo

Zenoah Miller - vocal solo

Jordan Murphy - vocal solo

Chamber Choir - madrigal

Division II ratings

Naomi Medrano - bass clarinet solo

Jack Voss - alto sax solo

Casey Wade - alto sax solo

Macayla Hicks - trumpet solo

Ivan Greif - snare drum solo

Arrianna Parrish-Day and Neo Mora - woodwind duet

Addison Franklin and Naomi Medrano - clarinet duet

Leah Flowers - vocal solo

Serenity Anderson and Alexis McDole - vocal duet

Chamber Choir - small choir

It takes many workers to host and keep an event like this running smoothly all day long.

Thank you to Kelly Winter for being onsite all day and listening to many of the Clarke students throughout the day. Thank you to the Clarke Band Boosters for providing a concession stand all day. Thank you to Christie Stortenbecker and Tanya Hardy for running the contest office and posting ratings. Thank you to Cait Iseneker, Bri Pohlmann and Chase Wood-Wagoner for helping where needed. Thank you to the parents, students and janitorial staff who helped set up Friday night, worked during the day on Saturday and reset all the classrooms after the contest Saturday so everything was ready for standardized testing first thing Monday morning.

We appreciate all the help and support given by and shown to these students.

The high school band is under the direction of Karina Kelso and the high school choir directed by Mary Pohlmann.