winners come from the medford, grants pass & Klamath falls areas.
Names to be announced soon - info below!
The first Place winner will have a
Solo Performance at RVSB’s
May 16th, 2026 Concert @ Oakdale Middle School - it will be professionally recorded!
2nd & 3rd place have been invited to play
@ the concert with RVSB!
we’ve selected our top 3 winners for the 2026 RVSB James M. Collier Young Artist Competition!
RVSB YOUNG artist educational PROGRAMS, outreach & SCHOLARSHIP
2026 jAMES m. cOLLIER yOUNG aRTIST cOMPETITION wiNNERS
WINNER, zoe guyll
The Winner of the 2026 James M. Collier Young Artist Competition is Zoe Guyll, a Senior at North Medford High School. She has been playing music since the 5th grade, mainly on Bb Clarinet and Alto Saxophone, and she currently plays in the North Medford Wind Ensemble, as well as the Jazz Ambassadors. Additionally, she has been very involved with the high school marching band and was selected to be Drum Major at North Medford during her Junior and Senior years.
Zoe also plays with the Ashland City Band and Rogue Valley Symphonic Band, and has previously been involved with the Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon (YSSO). She has also been selected to attend various honor bands such as the Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, Washington, and the Honor Band at SOU.
Music and band have become such an important part of Zoe's life, with the amazing community of people she's met and the experiences it has brought. Zoe is excited to continue to play after high school, including in college.
Zoe will be the featured soloist on a song yet to be finalized during our upcoming May 16, 2026 concert, “MAKE OUR GARDEN GROW”, as part of her competition win prizes.
Zoe Guyll, Winner
Victor Moore, 2nd Place
2nd place, victor moore
Victor Moore is a Junior at North Valley High School. Victor has been playing horn for two years. Their instrument has truly become their voice, and because of that, they’ve developed a strong passion for the French Horn, which has brought them endless opportunities. Through this, they’ve been able to discover themselves and their community.
Music has truly changed Victor’s life and become a core part of who they are.
3rd place, Tommy biggs
Tommy Biggs is a junior at Klamath Union High School in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and a trumpet player who plays both classical and jazz music. He enjoys the challenge and precision of classical trumpet along with the improvisation and expressiveness of jazz. Tommy performs in the Klamath Union High School Band.
In addition to instrumental performance, he sings in The Testostertones, Klamath Union’s male a cappella group. Tommy is a two-time district-level winner in the Oregon Music Education Association (OMEA) classical trumpet solo competition. He placed fifth in the 2025 OMEA state solo competition and will compete again in the 2026 finals. In 2025 Tommy was named to the All-Northwest Band. In jazz, Tommy has twice been named to the Oregon All-State jazz band, in 2025 won the Fine Arts award at the Interlochen Jazz Performance and Improvisation program, and in spring 2026 will perform with the Jazz Band of America.
Tommy is honored to be considered for the James M. Collier Young Artist Competition and values music as a source of discipline, creativity, and connection.
Competition made possible by a fund awarded by James M. Collier to RVSB.
Tommy Biggs, 3rd Place
2026/third annual middle school initiative
Southern Oregon Middle School Band Directors have nominated select Middle School musicians from their school programs to participate in this incredible opportunity. Students were coached and mentored by RVSB band members prior to our March 15th concert, “ECHOES of OREGON”, where the students performed three pieces along with RVSB. The musical compositions included “FARALLONES” by Megan Vinther, “VOYAGE OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS” by Isabella Morrill, and finally “CLASSICAL GAS” by Mason Williams, arranged by Ralph Ford, guest conducted by RVSB’s & Oakdale Middle School’s own Claire Donahue.
Students, 14 in all, from Ashland Middle School, Hedrick Middle School, McLoughlin Middle School, Oakdale Middle School and Talent Middle School participated in the 2026 Initiative. “ECHOES of OREGON” was a FREE concert and was held on Sunday, March 15th at 3:00pm at Oakdale Middle School, Medford.
2026 DETAILS
Each year, RVSB collaborates with Middle School Band Directors in the Rogue Valley school districts, providing educational opportunities and experiences for select, nominated middle school students to perform with the Band during our March 2026 concert, this year’s concert being “ECHOES OF OREGON”. Along with organizer Andrew Donahue, we would like to thank our mentors and volunteers who worked these talented nominated students individually to help ready them for joining RVSB’s large group rehearsals in preparation for the Spring concert pieces.
2026 Mentors:
Dr. Alexander Gonzalez, Martin Bichinsky, Jack Boulter, Bruce Dresser, Linda Harris, Alena Houghton, Hi'iakaikapoliopele Kekipi, Clara Kidd, Kyllian LeCours, and Tiffany Schmidt
ASHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL
Band Director: Jenifer Carstensen
Roslyn Bertrand - Horn
Alice Sible - Tenor Saxophone
Soren Smith - Trombone
HEDRICK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Band Director: David SommersAshton Small - Bassoon
Emma Wolf - Flute/Piccolo
McLOUGHLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Band Director: Andrew DonahueBend Mendez Lopez - Clarinet
Angie Montes de Oca - Trumpet
Jonaten Sanchez Parada - Trumpet
OAKDALE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Band Director: Claire DonahueLogan Conner - Trombone
Ian Salsedo - Alto Saxophone
Quinn Shultz - Percussion
TALENT MIDDLE SCHOOL
Band Director: Kelly CaseJack Boyles - Clarinet
Karina de Jesus - Percussion
Korbin Potochnick - Trumpet
Participants in the 2026 Middle School Initiative rehearsing with band preparing for “Echoes of Oregon”.
HISTORY: 2025 second annual middle school initiative
The Rogue Valley Symphonic Band’s Spring 2025 concert, “RESOUNDING LIGHT” featured the participants in the 2nd Annual Middle School Initiative. The Initiative involves Middle School music students joining our ensemble during key pieces of our concert repertoire. As many have come to realize, music education and participation in band activities has innumerable benefits to the mental health of young people/children. This concert, including the rehearsals the students will participate in, give these young musicians a glimpse into where their musicianship and hard work can take them for the remainder of their lives.
A BIG THANK YOU TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, BAND LEADERS & STUDENTS from 2025’s initiative & performance!
Each of the 11 students in the 2025 Initiative had been playing for 2-3 years and were excited to perform during the “RESOUNDING LIGHT” concert. Below are a few quotes about their thoughts on music and band participation.
Ashland Middle School
Jenifer Carstensen - Band Leader
Lola Sorsoli - Euphonium
Maren Villanueva - Oboe
Dorian Zorne - Percussion
Hedrick Middle School
David Sommers - Band Leader
Erling Swensen - Trombone
Early Rouhier - Trombone
Declan Emerick - Percussion
McLoughlin Middle School
Andrew Donahue - Band Leader
Luke Blank - Alto Saxophone
Frankie Graham - Clarinet
Liam Edgar - Trumpet
Oakdale Middle School
Claire Donahue - Band Leader
Isabella Andrade - Percussion
Maile Ramirez - Trumpet
Middle School Initiative made possible by the James M. Collier Foundation’s contribution to RVSB.
The project, developed by RVSB band member, and McLoughlin Middle School Band Leader, Andrew Donahue, incorporates RVSB’s Mission & Core Initiatives, bridging the gaps in music education for talented students who will be the future music educators and performers. Music is for Life: The Rogue Valley Symphonic Band is a non-profit organization that is a multigenerational (ages 15-80+), multicultural, symphonic band of 60+ members who perform 4 (four) concerts per season of Grade 4-6 concert band music. Music keeps older brains working and teaches younger brains a new universal language they can enjoy for a lifetime. (Cycles take place each October, December, March & May.)
