BROOKINGS – The South Dakota Music Teachers Association recently met for its state conference at South Dakota State University in Brookings. 

Local winners in the piano competition include Elementary Piano Age 10: Kyle Tan, second place, teacher, Deb Kalsbeck. Junior Piano Age 12: Ethan Peng, first place, teacher, Lee Ann Meyer and Alex Shore, Honorable Mention, teacher, John Walker. Senior Piano Age 15: Serena An, first place, teacher, Mary Walker. Senior Piano Duet Age 14-15: Serena An and Jenna Schmidt, first place, teacher, Mary Walker. 

Also participating were Albert Shore, Joseph Toronto, Quinn Miller and Vanessa An. Adjudicators for the piano events were our concert artists, Sarah and Susan Wang, from Germany, Dr. Kenneth Boulton from NSU, and John Walker, from Brookings. 

Local winners in the voice and woodwind competition include Senior Voice: Abby Turner, second place, teacher, Laura Diddle and Kristen Schmidt, Honorable Mention, teacher, Laura Diddle. Senior Woodwinds: Liberty Burckhard, 1st place, on clarinet, teacher, Michael Walsh. 

Adjudicators for these events were Bob Jones from NDSU and Holly Haddad from USD. At the Collegiate level, winners include Collegiate Voice I: 1st place, Micah Perry, teacher Laura Diddle. Collegiate Voice Ill: first place, Dan Stratton, teacher, Andrew Robinette. Collegiate Woodwinds: Andy Horst, second place, on saxophone, teacher, Yiqun Chen and Joanna Ball, Honorable Mention, on flute, teacher, Tammy Yonce. Also participating were Alyssa Anderson, Allyson Boerhave, Hannah Bowers, Cade Bruna, Anna Cox, Anna Effinger, Madisen Hansen, Kayla Holtquist, Lauren Kattner, Jay Knutson, Kelci Kooistra, Noah Kutter, Jonathan Neswick, Matthew Olson, Braden Paulsen, Emily Peirce, Maggie Steincamp, Kasidy Tvedt. Adjudicating for these events were Marla Fogderud from NSU, Bob Jones from NDSU and Holly Haddad from USD.