Manhattan students excel at music festival

Manhattan music students ranked highly in a recent Montana High School Association (MHSA) district music festival.

Manhattan ensembles that ranked superior included Choir, Band, MHS Ladies, Tiger Choir, MHS Jazz Choir, and MHS Jazz Band. The Orange & Black Choir and Sax Trio ranked excellent.

There are five ratings: poor, fair, average, excellent, and superior. A superior rating means a student or group demonstrated “outstanding literature selection, preparation, execution or interpretation for age and training of performer(s),” in the language of the MHSA 2025-2026 Music Booklet. The rating also meant their playing was “musically very challenging yet nearly absent of technical errors with very minor flaws in advanced musical concepts and nuance.”

A flute duet including Sophie Griffen and Violet Scharen ranked superior, as did a vocal duet including Taylor Ward and Ethan Romero. Realyn Morgan and Ethan Romero ranked superior for their vocal solos.

Violet Scharen garnered a superior rating for a flute solo, and Owen Melton was awarded a superior rating for his piano solo. Taylor Ward’s tenor saxophone solo also was recognized as superior.

All superior-rated solos and ensembles except band and choir qualified for the State Music Festival on May 1 and 2.

"Despite a bus breakdown on the way, our students still delivered incredible performances!” reads an April 15 statement from the school district. “We’re also grateful for the kindness shown by Scott, a manager at Costco, who stopped to help by bringing pizza, chips, and water to our students. He turned a stressful situation into a positive and memorable experience for all. Congratulations to our students and music teachers on an incredible festival. We’re proud of your hard work and dedication!”