CHS students perform at state solo contest

On Saturday, April 25, five musicians from Camas High School competed in this year’s state instrumental and vocal music solo contest, held at Central Washington University in Ellensburg.

Each student earned the right to compete by winning their category at the Lower Columbia River Music Educators regional competition at Union High School on Feb. 22.

The state contest is sponsored by the Washington Music Educators Association.

This year’s contestants from CHS included seniors Rebecca Fitzgerald, soprano voice; Jonathan Liao, piano; Amanda Felipe, flute; sophomore Fan Liu, piano; and freshman Phoebus Tsai, French horn. Students selected as alternates from the Southwest region included juniors Austin Miller, piano; Edith Myers-Power, mezzo-soprano voice; sophomore Isaac Hodapp, trumpet; and freshman Lucas Abrahamsen, mallets.

Tsai and Hodapp will also participate in the honor orchestra at Pacific University’s Music in May program this year, held May 22-24 in Forest Grove, Ore., while freshman tuba player John Neumann will play in the honor band.

CHS band director Richard Mancini is proud of the students’ work ethic. “When you have some talent, it takes a lot of hard work to take that to the next level,” he said. “These kids each really have an outstanding work ethic, and Ethan Chessin (CHS choir director) and I are so proud of what they’ve accomplished. They fully deserve this honor.”