Meet the "Wolf Pack"

New STUDENTS 2023-24

Edriana Madiam

Hometown: Marcellus, Michigan
High School: Marcellus High School
Degree: Music Therapy

Edriana is a first-generation American and college student who was born in Redwood City, California, but moved to Marcellus, Michigan in 2015. There, she attended Marcellus Middle and High School, where she maintained a 4.0 GPA her entire high school career, and also graduated as co-valedictorian in the class of 2023. To highlight her academic accomplishments, she was president of Marcellus’ National Honor Society and Student Council. Similarly, Edriana’s participation in Science Olympiad, marked by high performances with her duo, earned their team a first-ever qualification in the state-level competition for Marcellus High School.

As for her music career, Edriana started trombone in 6th grade under band director Kathryn Essex, to whom she greatly attributes her success. She also studied under Southwestern Michigan College’s trombone professor, Bill Clark. Edriana was involved in marching, concert, jazz, and pep band. As a trombonist, Edriana secured nine Division I Ratings from MSBOA District Solo and Ensemble across a six-year span. Notably, she also received a Division I Rating for State Solo and Ensemble in 2021. During her senior year, Edriana was awarded the John Philip Sousa Award for outstanding dedication and superior musicianship.Along with being section leader, she was the Wildcat Marching Band’s senior drum major and featured soloist for “Thriller” by Michael Jackson in their “Spooktacular” show in 2022.

With a taste for challenge, Edriana taught herself how to play the guitar, ukulele, and piano at the age of 11 and has continued to grow her skills to this day. Similarly, due to a shortage of percussionists at her high school, she took on the role as a bass drum player during her sophomore marching band season. Edriana is also a singer and songwriter that creates originals and covers her favorite artists for her YouTube channel.

Edriana loves performing so much that she joined her high school’s musical theater program when it debuted in 2022. There, she played the fiery role of Dragon in “Shrek the Musical Jr.” and Dorothy Gale in “The Wizard of Oz.” Thanks to these roles, Edriana became comfortable with being onstage and heightened her musical and acting abilities.

Outside of music, some of Edriana’s hobbies include playing volleyball, photography, thrifting, gaming, and cooking.

Sienna Fee

Hometown: Angola, Indiana
High School: Angola High School
Degree: Music Therapy

Sienna Fee is from Angola, Indiana and graduated from Angola High School with an Academic Honors diploma in 2023. She will be majoring in Music Therapy with a minor in psychology and American Sign Language. She started on trombone in 6th grade at Angola Middle School and has loved it ever since. During high school she was a member of her school's concert, pep, jazz, and marching band all four years. Sienna was also section leader for her marching band. She has participated in Fort Wayne's Three River Honor Band and was principal player her final year. She has gone to state the past two years for her ISSMA (Indiana State School Music Association) solo and received gold.

Sienna loves music and also plays the guitar, ukulele, piano, baritone, and sings. Along with her love for music, she has participated in cross country and track since she was in 6th grade and loves to pole vault and stay active. She is also in Student Council, National Honor Society, Leader in Me, Prom Committee, and has held a 4.0 GPA throughout her high school career. Sienna is very extroverted and loves meeting new people, spending time with family and friends, going on the lake, her dogs, and most of all music.

Gabe Funk

Hometown: Winter Garden, Florida
High School: West Orange High School
Degree: Trombone Performance

Gabe is an incoming transfer student from the University of Central Florida. He graduated from West Orange High school in 2021 where he received the Louis Armstrong Award for excellence in jazz. While in high school he studied with Jeffrey Thomas, principal trombone of the Orlando Philharmonic. He was a member of the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra for three years and played in the top jazz band and orchestra.

Gabe spent the last two years at the University of Central Florida where he studied with Dr. Luis Fred. During his freshman year he was named a finalist for UCF’s Performance Excellence competition. For the the 2022-2023 school year, he performed as principal trombone of the UCF Symphony Orchestra. He can be heard on two albums with the UCF Flying Horse Big Band that are soon to be released.

Outside of practice Gabe enjoys reading and going to new places. He is also a big fan of movie and video game soundtracks.

Austin Furstenberg

Hometown: Hendersonville, North Carolina
School: North Henderson High School
Major: Music Education

Austin Furstenberg was born and raised in Harbor Springs, Michigan. His mom was a classically-trained singer and his siblings were involved in musicals, which led to him being raised around music. He participated in 22 musicals and productions through Harbor Springs elementary, middle, and high school, as well as at Bay View in Petoskey, Michigan. He joined band in 5th grade as a trombonist, and instantly fell in love. Under the direction of Patrick Ruddy, he was able to excel at trombone, but also marched baritone in high school marching band his freshman year.

In 2020, he moved to North Carolina and played for a year at Hendersonville High School under the direction of James Phillips. He eventually moved to North Henderson High School, and he completed high school performing under band director Steve Sigmon. Outside of trombone, he is actively involved in his church choir.

As a trombonist, Austin has been selected for the All-County Band twice and All-District Band four times. He qualified for the North Carolina All-State Band his senior year, received a superior rating at the North Carolina Solo and Ensemble (SEMPA) his junior year, was chosen as the low brass section leader for his high school marching band his senior year, and earned the Maestro Award at the 2023 Worldstrides Competition in Chicago.

For fun, Austin likes to make music, lift weights, collect shoes and records, enjoy nature, and play video games.

Sophie Maxwell

Hometown: Otsego, Michigan
School: Otsego High School
Major: Trombone Performance and Music Education

Sophie graduated in the top 10 "with distinction" (higher than a 4.0 GPA) from her high school class at Otsego High School. She began her journey on trombone in the 6th grade at Otsego Middle School. Since learning trombone, she has also enjoyed playing euphonium, trumpet, piano, and singing.

During her high school career, Sophie was a member of the MSBOA All-State Band, Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra, River City Concert Band, the Western Michigan University All-Star Band, and the WMU Trombone Choir. At Otsego High School, she participated in her school's symphonic, jazz, pep, and marching bands. Vocally, Sophie was in her school's choir program as a member of the Bella Voce Choir. For part of her senior year, she helped teach the Otsego Middle School 7th grade choir, and she was the trombone section leader for her school's marching band. Sophie was also active in high school sports as a member of the highly-ranked Otsego High School tennis team.

Aside from music, Sophie loves playing tennis, working out, sailing, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.

Owen McDowell

Hometown: Henderson, Colorado
School: Prairie View High School
Major: Trombone Performance

Freshman Owen McDowell is from Henderson, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. Outside of school, he participated in various ensembles including the Colorado Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Colorado Conservatory of the Jazz Arts Big Band. As a student at Prairie View High School, he performed in his school's concert band, symphonic band, musical pit, pep band, and jazz band. Owen was also a member of the Thunderhawk Pride Marching Band all four years of high school. His junior year he was the Drill Sargent and a featured soloist, while as a senior he was selected as the Drum Major, leading the band to their second state quarterfinals appearance.

As a trombonist, Owen earned a superior rating at Colorado’s Solo and Ensemble with his rendition of Morceau Symphonique. He was also awarded the Miles Davis Jazz Award and Outstanding Wind Player during his high school years.

In 2022, Owen was accepted to the Masterworks Orchestra at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, was the principal trombonist in the International Trombone Festival’s Youth Workshop, and participated in the Jazz in the Sangres program in Westcliffe, Colorado.

Owen is an Eagle Scout and enjoys skiing, hiking, camping, and backpacking in his free time.

Dustin Moeckel

Hometown: Napoleon, Michigan
School: Napoleon High School
Major: Trombone Performance and Accounting

Dustin began playing trombone in 6th grade and, at the end of his junior year in high school, made the switch to bass trombone. Prior to this, he learned to play tuba in his freshman year of high school. His senior year at Napoleon High School, Dustin was selected as the principal trombone of the 2023 MSBOA All-State Orchestra and was also chosen as the 5th chair tuba in the All-State Concert Band. At the Michigan State Solo & Ensemble, he was selected to advance to the MSBOA Outstanding Soloist Competition and, at the competition, was the only trombonist to advance to the finals.

Outside of school, Dustin plays in local pit orchestras, performs with the Jackson College Community Concert Band, the Jackson College Jazzy Jets, and is a bass trombone sub for the Capital City Brass Band. In the summers, Dustin is an instructor for the Jackson College Summer Band Camp and participates in a gathering of 30+ trombones in a Jackson tradition known as Trombonefest.

Other than music, Dustin is an avid bowler with two perfect 300 games and an average of 231 in his senior year. When he isn't playing the trombone or "bowling for bills," Dustin enjoys going to the movies, hanging out with friends and listening to good jokes, as well as playing board games and card games (Texas Holdem, Blackjack, you name it, he'll play it).

Colin Woniewski

Hometown: Byron Center, Michigan
School: Byron Center High School
Major: Jazz Studies (trombone)

Colin Woniewski is a 2023 graduate from Byron Center High School. He has studied jazz trombone under Dillard Center for the Arts graduate Kirby Fellis for three years. Colin has been a member of the Byron Center Wind Ensemble and the Byron Center Marching Band for four years. At the MCBA State Finals in 2022, he received the $2,000 MCBA Scholarship in Flight 2, specifically for seniors choosing to pursue music after high school. He has also been a part of the Byron Center Jazz Orchestra for three years.

During his time in the Jazz Orchestra, he had the opportunity to participate in several state jazz festivals. Most recently in 2023, he received the overall outstanding soloist award at the Central Michigan University Jazz Festival, as well as the Western Michigan University Jazz Festival. Also with the Byron Center Jazz Orchestra, he had the privilege of being an Essentially Ellington finalist for three years straight. While competing at the festival in 2022, he was honored as one of three outstanding trombone soloists for the entire competition.

His participation in the festival also landed him a scholarship to attend Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Summer Jazz Academy in New York, where for two weeks he studied with many jazz greats such as Michael Dease, Marcus Printup, Helen Sung, and many others. Some of his musical influences on the trombone are “Tricky” Sam Nanton, Al Grey, Wycliffe Gordon, Vincent Gardner, and Chris Crenshaw.

In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his friends, listening to Tyler, the Creator, and collecting vinyl records.

Returning Students 2023-24

Matias Alvarez

Hometown: Tecumseh, Michigan
School: Tecumseh High School
Major: Music Education

Sophomore Matias Alvarez is a 2021 graduate of Tecumseh High School in Tecumseh, Michigan. He attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in both 2019 and 2021, serving as principal trombone in the Symphony Band both times. Matias participated in Michigan State Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) Solo and Ensemble District VIII his junior year and received a first division rating as part of a trio. He also served as section leader in his high school band his senior year. His mentors include trombone teacher Paul Keiser, as well as his band director, Joe McInchak, Jr. It was his director who inspired him to pursue music, and Matias is hoping to eventually change lives and form connections like his director did with him. Outside of music, Matias was also involved in acting for eight years, including 11 musical shows with Tecumseh Youth Theatre. He was also a boy scout.

In his free time, he enjoys playing classic and modern Nintendo video games, practicing guitar, watching movies, and collecting/reviewing Mountain Dew. He enjoys hanging out with friends. He is also a Radio D.J. and On-Air Personality, and as of Fall 2023, Music Director at 89.1 WIDR FM, located on-campus and broadcasting to the greater Kalamazoo area.

Franco Casucci

Hometown: Cleveland Heights, Ohio
School: Cleveland Heights High School
Major: Trombone Performance

Franco Casucci is a junior from Cleveland Heights, Ohio. He started playing trombone in the 4th grade, and in 8th grade began studying with Paul Hungerford. A few years later, he studied with David Mitchell. A graduate of Cleveland Heights High School, Franco was a section leader in his school for all four years.

Throughout high school, Franco participated in a variety of events and youth music groups. He was a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony, Contemporary Youth Orchestra, the All-Ohio State Fair Band, and Kaboom Collective. He was also a participant in the Tri-C JazzFest Academy, where he had the opportunity to perform in the Tri-C JazzFest.

As a sophomore at Western, Franco was accepted on a full scholarship to participate in the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute, a selective orchestral intensive for pre-professional musicians.  At the institute, he will have the opportunity to work closely with members of the National Symphony Orchestra.

Franco enjoys reading, going on walks, spending time outdoors, listening to music, and being with friends in his spare time.

Claire Eickhoff

Hometown: Three Rivers, Michigan
School: Three Rivers High School
Major: Music Education 

Senior Claire Eickhoff is a former Honor Student from Three Rivers High School. She started private piano at age seven. Over the next 10 years she took lessons in voice, percussion, and trombone. Most recently, she ended her high school music career as the senior drum major for the award-winning Three Rivers High School Wildcat Marching Band. Off the field, Claire was French horn section leader for the Three Rivers High School Concert Band, and she played trombone in the symphony band. With the band she performed a featured piano solo at the Michigan Music Conference in January, 2020. One of her favorite moments on trombone was performing a featured solo in the 2017 Three Rivers marching band show “Summer,” playing a jazzy rendition of “Summertime.”

On the vocal front, Claire was section leader and president of Three Rivers High School’s top choir, The Aristocrats. She also performed on stage in several high school and community theater productions, including vocal leads in Footloose and Mamma Mia! She also was the vocal director for the Three Rivers Middle School musical, Alice in Wonderland Jr.

During the summers of 2018 and 2019, Claire attended leadership and conducting training at the MSU Performing Arts Marching Band Auxiliary Camp. She participated in several years of Michigan Solo and Ensemble in voice, trombone, and piano. She was a featured soloist on baritone during 2018 band festival and had a blast during early morning rehearsals playing trombone and piano in the jazz band.

Outside of music, Claire enjoys gaming, drawing, reading, and hanging out with her cats Almond and Screech.

Sydney Grenier

Hometown: Valparaiso, Indiana

School: Valparaiso High School
Double Major: Music Education and Spanish

Senior bass trombonist Sydney Grenier has a variety of musical and academic pursuits. At Western, she was recently chosen (by audition) for the 2021 DC Trombone Workshop. During high school, Sydney was 1st chair trombonist in her high school’s highest band for three years, and was in the top jazz band for three years as well, two as lead. She has played in several community ensembles, including the Northwest Indiana Symphony Youth Orchestra, the South Shore Orchestra, German Band Inc, and as a sub in the Hobart High School pit orchestra. She was also a member of the Indiana All-State Honor Band her junior year as both a trombonist and a pianist.

As a jazz trombonist, Sydney participated in the Butler Jazz Camp the summer before her senior year where she was a member of the top combo, placing ahead of 12 other trombonists. She also founded and ran her own jazz combo for students of all experiences and instruments as an official chamber group of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Youth Orchestra. Sydney also attend the 2019 International Trombone Festival, which was held just up the road in Muncie. 

Academically, Sydney graduated in the top 20 of her class of over 500 students with a 4.4 GPA, and was one of seven students at her high school to pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. With this program she completed a 3,400-word research paper concerning the tradition of the Cuban Danzón and a modern interpretation of the genre, Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2. At Western she is a member of the Lee Honors College. 

In her free time, Sydney enjoys playing card games with friends.

Alyson Johnson

Hometown: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
School: Lincoln High School
Double Major: Trombone Performance and Music Education

Alyson Johnson is a senior from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and a former student of Emily Wehde. She has been involved in a variety of musical activities, resulting in some impressive achievements. Most recently Alyson was named a finalist in the 2020 National Trombone Solo Competition, sponsored by the US Army Band in Washington, D.C. She has been active in International Trombone Festival activities, having attended the events in 2019, 2021 and 2022. Most recently Alyson was hired as a staff member and named the official financial bookkeeper of the organization.

Prior to attending Western, she held section leader and principal chairs in her high school’s symphonic band, orchestra, marching band, and jazz I band. As a jazz soloist, she won outstanding solo awards at the Augustana Jazz Festival, Northeast Jazz Festival, and the SDSU Jazz Festival. Alyson was a member of the South Dakota Symphony Youth Orchestra for four years as principal trombonist. She was also a member of the Augustana University Trombone Choir. She attended the Interlochen Trombone Institute in the summer of 2017 and was a member of the Honors Performance Series, performing in Carnegie Hall in 2018. Alyson was a four-year member of South Dakota All-State Band and All-State Jazz Band, as well as the All-State Orchestra her sophomore, junior, and senior years. She has also been a member of several honor groups, such as Augustana Honor Band, Concordia Honor Band, and Sioux Falls All-City Jazz Band. Alyson has played on MainStage JazzFest in Sioux Falls for the past five years as a member of JazzFest Jazz Camp, performing with artists such as Wycliffe Gordon, Harry Watters, Allen Vizzutti, Mark Colby, and Chris Vadala. For the past two years, she has been a trombonist in Fissure Jazz, a local jazz combo. Alyson performed with them at JazzFest in 2018 and 2019. In 2018, Alyson was awarded first place in the Young Musician Concerto Competition sponsored by the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra League and, as a result, she was featured as soloist with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra in October, 2018. In addition to her skills as a trombonist, Alyson was a member of the National Honors Society and is a member of the Lee Honors College at Western. She was appointed as the Co-President of United Sound at WMU, an organization that teaches instruments to people with disabilities. In the Kalamazoo area, Alyson has a studio of 10 private middle school low brass students.

In her free time, Alyson enjoys spending time with friends, thrifting, felting, knitting, and tutoring music theory. She also enjoys hanging out with her cat, Owen, listening to music, and spending time outdoors.

Ambry Jonker

Hometown: Allendale, Michigan
School: Home schooled
Major: Music Education 

Ambry started playing trombone at age eight with the West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts program. She studied under the instruction of Dr. James Sawyer from her sophomore year until her senior year. Ambry participated in marching band throughout high school as section leader and then drum major. As a members of the marching band, she performed in Washington D.C., St. Louis, Missouri, and Mackinac Island, MIchigan. As a three-year participant in solo and ensemble festival, she received a one rating every year. Her senior year she was also invited to participate in the YAC Honors Orchestra. With her jazz band they performed in various jazz festivals at Central Michigan University, Western Michigan University, and the Thornapple Arts Council Jazz Festival. In the summer, she participated in Aquinas College’s Jazz Camp. 

During high school, she was also enrolled in classes at Grand Rapids Community College, placing on both the Dean’s List and President’s List. 

In her free time, she enjoys painting, hiking, reading, and going to concerts.

Destiny Miskel

Hometown: Bay Minette, Alabama
Degree Held: BM Music Education (2022)
School: University of South Alabama
WMU Major: Trombone Performance

Destiny is in her second year at Western, working toward a Master’s degree in Trombone Performance. She is a Thurgood Marshall Fellow, and fulfills her fellowship duties within the Trombone Studio.

Destiny holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama, where she studied with Dr. Arie VandeWaa. Her involvement on campus during her undergraduate studies included being a member of the USA Honors College, Sigma Alpha Iota, and several ensembles. Within those organizations, she served as Treasurer and Vice President of Ritual for Sigma Alpha Iota and as a Section Leader and Student Assistant Conductor in the Jaguar Marching Band. She has also been involved in several regional and national programs, including: the Alabama Intercollegiate Band at the 2019 Alabama Music Educators Association Conference; the NOLA Chamber Fest in New Orleans (where her brass quintet placed second in the collegiate division in 2020); a masterclass with the Boston Brass in Pensacola, Florida; the 2021 International Women’s Brass Conference Mentorship Program; the 2021 Eastman Summer Trombone Institute; and the 2021 International Women’s Trombone Choir. She is also a member of Chromatic Brass Collective, a featured performing artist group at the 2022 International Women’s Brass Conference. Most recently she was accepted as a participant into the DC Trombone Workshop with a half-tuition scholarship.

Outside of music, she enjoys reading books and articles, watching and participating in sports, and spending time with family, friends, and her two pets.

Nate Moored

Hometown: Holland, Michigan
Schools: Grand Rapids Community College and West Ottawa High School
Degree Held: A.M. Trombone Performance (2022)
WMU Major: Trombone Performance

Nate Moored is a transfer student from Grand Rapids Community College. A repeat recipient of the Crescendo scholarship, he completed the Associate of Music in Trombone Performance with a minor in piano.

Previously he was a 2019 graduate of West Ottawa High School. Nate started playing piano in 5th grade. Since learning trombone in 6th grade, he had been in the marching band, Symphony Band, Jazz I, and he participated in Michigan Solo and Ensemble throughout high school. Nate performed at the Michigan Music Conference twice, once for Symphony Band in 2018 and for Jazz I in 2019. He was selected for District X All-Star Jazz Band for two seasons in 2018 and 2019 respectively. He performed in West Ottawa’s Pit Orchestra, the Holland Area Youth Orchestra, and the Tulip Time Honors Orchestra. During his senior year he learned French horn and doubled in Wind Symphony Band.

During his time at Grand Rapids Community College, he participated in the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony. He was also selected to play in the GRCC Honors Recital in 2021.

In his spare time, Nate enjoys gaming, reading, watching Star Wars and flexing his perfect pitch to those who would rather not be reminded of it.

Alayna O'Connell

Hometown: Sanford, Michigan

School: Meridian High School
Double Major: Trombone Performance and Art Education

As a senior trombone performance major at Western, tenor/bass trombonist Alayna O'Connell already has a number of impressive achievements to her credit. Alayna was recently named a finalist in the prestigious National Trombone Solo Competition, sponsored by the US Army Band in Washington, D.C. She was also recently named the Honorable Mention selection in the International Trombone Association's Gilberto Gagliardi Solo Competition, a competition attracting nearly 50 performers from all over the world. In addition, she has had the pleasure of performing as a soloist on master classes by Jeremy Wilson (2020 American Trombone Workshop) and Jorgen van Rijen (2019 International Trombone Festival). Her sophomore year at Western she was recognized as one of three winners of the School of Music Concerto Competition, one of the youngest music students ever to win. Alayna was also recently featured soloist with the Meridian High School Band at the Michigan Music Conference in Grand Rapids. 

During high school, Alayna was actively involved in various musical activities. She was selected for the Michigan All-State program on three occasions--as a member of the band her sophomore and junior year (1st chair as a junior), and her senior year (1st chair) with the All-State Orchestra. Her high scores in district and state solo and ensemble competitions resulted in her selection on two occasions as one of approximately 80 finalists for the outstanding soloists of the year, a competition she won her senior year competing against several thousand solo and ensemble entries throughout the state. As a result, she was featured as one of four soloists at the 2019 Michigan Youth Arts Festival (MYAF) with the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony. For three years, Alayna was selected as a member of the MYAF Symphony Orchestra, as well as the MYAF Jazz Band, and was 1st chair her senior year with both ensembles. She was also a small ensemble nominee for her performance with trombone quartet. Alayna was a four-year participant of the Central Michigan University (CMU) Honors Band, as well as a one-year member of the Spartan Youth Wind Symphony. She has also been recognized for her success in jazz. At the CMU Jazz Festival she was chosen as the 1st Runner-Up for Best Soloist Class C two years, as well as Best Soloist Class C on one occasion. At the Alma Jazz Festival she was selected as the Best Trombone Soloist two years, as well as the Best Soloist once. Alayna was a recipient of the Clara Highhill Memorial Scholarship, presented by the Midland Symphony Orchestra.

Gabi Stout

Hometown: Otsego, Michigan
School: Otsego High School
Double Major: Music Education and Psychology

Sophomore trombonist Gabi Stout graduated from Otsego High School. She started playing trombone in 6th grade at Jimtown Intermediate School in Indiana and transferred to Otsego High School her freshman year. Since then, she has learned to play euphonium, french horn, and piano.

Throughout high school, Gabi was a member of the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Youth Jazz Orchestra, WMU All-Star Band, and Otsego’s jazz and pep bands. As a junior, she was nominated for the 2021 Michigan Youth Arts Festival for her solo performance at State Solo & Ensemble. And as a senior, she was nominated for the 2022 Michigan State Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) Concerto Competition.

In her free time, Gabi enjoys reading and learning new instruments.

Victoria Vandenberg

Hometown: Kaukauna, Wisconsin
School: Kaukauna High School
Major: Music Education

Victoria Vandenberg is a senior from Kaukauna, Wisconsin majoring in Music Education. Victoria has taken part in the 2020 Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall as well as the 2019 High School State Honors Band. She performed as a soloist with her high school band for the Wisconsin State Music Association (WSMA) state solo and ensemble festival.

In addition to trombone, Victoria is a pianist, and she has done some work on the saxophone. During her senior year of high school, Victoria was an apprentice to her middle and high school band directors. Her work with the band programs includes teaching lessons and writing and executing teaching plans, a process that allowed her to learn a great deal about other instruments. 

Victoria was the lead trombonist in the Lawrence Academy Wind Ensemble for four years, and also took part in the St. Norbert Youth Symphony for two years as first chair. 

In her free time, Victoria loves walking her dog, baking, and sketching.

Mitchell VanderMeulen

Hometown: Vicksburg, Michigan
School: Vicksburg High School
Major: Jazz Studies (trombone)

Mitchell VanderMeulen is a sophomore from Vicksburg, Michigan with an emphasis on jazz studies. As a high school freshman he studied from Steve Wolfinbarger, and then started focusing on jazz during his sophomore year at Vicksburg High School. His love for jazz resulted in him taking lessons through the Jazz and Creative Institute program in Kalamazoo.

Mitchell was a member of the Michigan State Band and Orchestra (MSBOA) all-state bands his last three years of high school, including the concert band his sophomore year and the jazz band his junior and senior years. During high school he played with many groups associated with the Jazz and Creative Institute, and he has taken part in every instrumental music class available to him through his high school.

In his spare time, Mitchell loves listening to music, and he spends as much time as possible with his friends. He enjoys working out when time allows.