YEAR IN REVIEW 2019-2020
LETTER FROM DR. RALPH S. OPACIC Dear friends, Congratulations on completing the 2019-2020 school year! Although this year presented us with a unique set of challenges, we were able to creatively adapt and finish the year strong. On behalf of the leadership team at Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA), I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to our administrative team, faculty, and staff for quickly transitioning from our traditional school format to an online educational platform, to the students for their continued passion and understanding as changes were made to the end of their school year, and to all of the parents, guardians, and family members who supported our students throughout this trying time. We could not have concluded the school year successfully without each and every one of you! As you may know, each month, we digitally distribute a State of the Art newsletter, which features the achievements of our incredible OCSA students, alumni, faculty, and staff. In celebration of the 2019-2020 school year, we are delighted to launch the first edition of State of the Art: Year in Review! Inside, you will find a collection of all of the accomplishments that were included in a State of the Art newsletter this past school year, from the summer of 2019 through May 2020. We hope that as you peruse the pages of our inaugural State of the Art: Year in Review, you will find joy in the obvious determination and enthusiasm that has been demonstrated by our OCSA community in just one short year. Please join me in congratulating the members of our OCSA family on their academic, artistic, personal, and professional achievements from the 2019-2020 school year. We are very proud of you and cannot wait to see all of the amazing things you will achieve in years to come! All good things,
Ralph S. Opacic, Ed.D. Founder and Executive Director Orange County School of the Arts
TABLE OF CONTENTS LETTER FROM DR. RALPH S. OPACIC
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ABOUT STATE OF THE ART
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 SUMMER 2019 4-5 SEPTEMBER 2019 6-7 OCTOBER 2019 8-9
NOVEMBER 2019 10-11 DECEMBER 2019 & JANUARY 2020
12-15
FEBRUARY 2020 16-19 MARCH 2020 20-21 APRIL 2020 22-23 MAY 2020 24-25
ABOUT STATE OF THE ART Since its founding in 1987, Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) has been committed to celebrating the growth and success of the many talented individuals in the OCSA family. One of the ways in which we recognize the accomplishments of our impressive students, alumni, faculty, and staff is through our State of the Art newsletter. This monthly email is compiled of submissions from members of the OCSA community and highlights a variety of achievements in academics, the arts, and more. State of the Art is one of the many methods through which OCSA continues to highlight the successes of its school community and promote a culture of recognition and support among its students and staff.
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YEAR IN REVIEW: 2019-2020
SUMMER
2019
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Isabella Madrigal (ACT, ‘20) created a performance project inspired by her own cultural roots and three traditional Cahuilla Indian stories titled Menil & Her Heart. Isabella was also awarded the Dragon Kim Fellowship, which provided additional support and resources for her impressive project. To read more about her project, please click here.
The hip hop crew SK x KM (Smurf Kids x Kingsman CoEd), featuring Edward Chen (IA, ‘24), Jared Lee (BR, ‘24), Kyle Sulit (BR, ‘21), and Sean Sulit (BR, ‘24), won the grand prize at OC Center Stage, a talent competition hosted by Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Twelve finalists out of 120 submissions performed on the Segerstrom Center’s Argyros Stage to compete for the title of “Orange County’s Best.”
Taite Morrison (IA, ‘22) appeared as Elsa in the Attic Community Theater production of Frozen Jr. over the summer.
Erin Choi (VA, ‘20) and Eden Haymond (DM, ‘21) were accepted to the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) for visual arts and animation, respectively.
Mia Rinaldi (IA, ‘23) and Teah Swartzon (IA, ‘23) completed the 15-day Costa Rica & Panama Service Challenge course with Outward Bound Costa Rica (OBCR). Alongside Girl Scouts from all over the country, Teah and Mia volunteered 50 hours, contributing to two major service-learning projects.
Sophia Del Rey (ACT, ‘21) received the 14th annual National Youth Arts Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical for her portrayal of Christine Canigula in Broadway on Tour’s production of Be More Chill.
Isabella Rivas (MT, ‘23) performed as Little Inez Stubbs in South County Performing Arts’ production of Hairspray Jr.
Anastasia Ernst (ACT, ‘20) participated in a workshop and staged reading of Global Warming: The Musical during the five-week Yale Summer Conservatory. The musical premiered in October 2019 at Vanderbilt University.
Charlotte Rubino (MT, ‘21) and Gabriella Talarico (MT, ‘21) developed a twoweek children’s performing arts camp with the California State University, Fullerton Center for Healthy Neighborhoods. The camp is a place for children from all backgrounds who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity and/or resources to study musical theatre.
Madeline Ernst (CV, ‘20) was selected by the music faculty at the California State Summer School for the Arts for the $40,000 Herb Alpert Foundation Scholarship for Emerging Young Artists. Corey Hegel (IA, ‘20) was accepted into and completed The Juilliard School’s pre-college program in Geneva, Switzerland.
A group of current OCSA students and alumni staffed Yorba Linda Spotlight Theater Company’s summer production of Newsies at Chapman University’s Chapman Auditorium in Memorial Hall. Claire Somers (PD, ‘16) was the Stage Manager, Ryan Cutler (PD, ‘18) was the Technical Director and Lighting Designer, Kaden Cutler (PD, ‘20) was the Sound Designer, and Patrick Hare (FTV, ‘19), Cade LeRose (PD, ‘20), Jeffrey Tadeo (IA, ‘22), and Reagan Vallejo (IA, ‘22) were part of the crew.
Zachary Hobbs (MT, ‘22) was selected as a North County Model All Star (NCMAS) for the 2019-2020 school year. He represented NCMAS at local community events, helping others by telling his story about overcoming a muscle disorder and bullying in order to achieve his dreams. Katelyn Jo (IM, ‘22) and Savannah Tweedt (IM, ‘24) received first place in the Yorba Linda Library Battle of the Bands with their band, Ti85. Spectrum News featured Timothy Jun (IM, ‘21), Joseph Laderer (FTV, ‘20), and Daniel Zhu (IM, ‘20) for their Dragon Kim Fellowship project, “The Growing Tree,” which teaches local children gardening, cooking, and recycling skills to promote sustainability, conservation, and nutrition. Click here to read the article. Corey LoDuca (VA, ‘20) represented OCSA at the 76th Annual American Legion Auxiliary California Girls State in June.
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YEAR IN REVIEW: 2019-2020
SUMMER
2019
The following Ballroom Dance Conservatory students and alumni competed at the Hot Ballroom Dancesport Challenge in May 2019 and placed as follows: Category: Amateur Junior 2 Championship Smooth (Four smooth dances: Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Viennese Waltz) Jericho Tran-Faypon (BR, ‘22) and Aurelia Philmore (BR, ‘24): First Place Natalia Huizar (BR, ‘21) and Colton McCann (BR, ‘22): Second Place Constantin Chekardzhikov (BR, ‘24) and his partner Aimee Reyes: Third Place
Sarah Hinrichsen (MT, ‘12) was cast as the female lead in the North American tour of Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville. The tour played over 35 cities in its first year on the road, including Costa Mesa and Los Angeles! Read more about it in this article from BroadwayWorld.com. Fresh off the National Tour of Waitress the musical, Adam Levy (MT, ‘12) was featured in a BroadwayWorld.com article about being raised in the world of musical theatre.
Category: Amateur Youth Championship Smooth (Four smooth dances: Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Viennese Waltz) Leonardo Chiriboga (BR, ‘20) and Sofia Luchetti (BR, ‘21): First Place Zoe LeBlanc (BR, ‘21) and Colton McCann (BR, ‘22): Second Place Dylana Leduc (BR, ‘21): and Lucas McCollum-Van Hoosear (BR, ‘22): Third Place Category: Youth Formation Ballroom Dance Conservatory’s Formation Team: First Place
Pedro Pascal (MT, ‘93) was featured in an article in the Daily Herald that focused on his career and role in the upcoming television series The Mandalorian. Conor Quill (IM, ‘19) was featured in Parenting OC magazine. Lorenzo Rangel-Santos (MT, ‘16) auditioned for season 16 of So You Think You Can Dance and made it to the academy round. He was featured in an article in the Daily Bruin, which you can read here.
Category: Amateur Youth Latin Jaquelyn Borcea (BR, ‘20) and Hayden Lalicker (BR, ‘19): Finalists Claire Chang (BR, ‘19) and Michael Cho (BR, ‘19): Finalists
FACULTY & STAFF ACHIEVEMENT
The Latin Formation Team also performed in the competition’s evening show titled “Rhapsody,” alongside professional dancers, including Anna Trebunskaya from Dancing with the Stars and Dimitry Chaplin from So You Think You Can Dance. Eric Zhu (FTV, ‘22) ranked third out of 106 students in the National Fraternity of Student Musicians’ piano exam.
Paige Oden, Director of the Visual Arts Conservatory, was featured in Greers OC, a major OC lifestyle blog. Read the article here. Robert Porch, Director of the Ballroom Dance Conservatory, was awarded Top Coach from the Hot Ballroom Dancesport Challenge in May 2019.
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT The following OCSA alumni, in addition to a few current students, performed with internationally acclaimed Mexican folk dance company Relámpago del Cielo Grupo Folklórico, presenting its summer concert series, Sabor A Mar: Jackie Alvarez (IM, ‘18), Vivian Alvarez (BF, ‘19), Dominique Breckenridge (BF, ‘16), Karina Cervantes (BF, ‘12), Iris Distancia (BF, ‘16), Alyssa Gomez (BF, ‘17), Michael Gomez (BF, ‘14), Bianca Huizar (BF, ‘19), Ivette Larios (BF, ‘19), Tonatiuh Luis-Martinez (BF, ‘20), Melina Marin (MT, ‘18), Brianna Marquez (BF, ‘18), Samuel Miranda (BF, ‘20), Marisa Muñoz (BF, ‘19), Miranda Murillo (BF, ‘18), Isabella Orozco (BF, ‘20), Madeline Peña (BF, ‘14), Brittany Ramirez (BF, ‘18), Jose Rea (BF, ‘18), Rodrigo Rea (BF, ‘21), and Britney Rivera (BF, ‘18).
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YEAR IN REVIEW: 2019-2020
SEPTEMBER
2019
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Lucie Kim (IM, ‘24) received a silver medal at the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition. She was also invited to perform at McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, California and won first prize at both the Steinway Junior Piano Competition and the MTAC Scholarship Competition. Additionally, Lucie performed at Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana.
Madeline Abiera (MT, ‘20) was one of 20 aspiring female filmmakers selected by the 2019 AT&T Hello Sunshine Filmmaker Lab to come to Los Angeles to learn filmmaking under the guidance of mentors and professional creators. This opportunity was the result of a unique partnership between Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine, AT&T, and Fresh Films.
Avalon Lafosse (VA, ‘20) received the inaugural Student Arts Leader Award at Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ Sixth Annual Arts & Business Leadership Awards Dinner. Avalon was honored for demonstrating a passion and dedication to the arts via her organization, Art for Relaxation Therapy (ART), through which she works with kids in hospitals and shelters throughout the SoCal area and also donates “ART Packs” filled with supplies for the recipients. To learn more about her program, please click here. To check out her feature in the Orange County Register, click here.
Aleena Anand (VA, ‘20), through her non-profit Empowered Education A.R.T. Initiative, taught children in Pakistan the importance of water conservation by way of a fun mural class. She also raised money through her business, Aleena’s Artistry, and worked to build a hand water pump in a village in Pakistan that did not have access to clean drinking water. Because of this hand water pump, women no longer have to walk for miles to get clean water for their families. To learn more about Aleena’s non-profit, please click here. To watch a time lapse of the painting of the mural, you can click here. Marcus Brooks (MT, ‘23), Devin Dilts (MT, ‘24), Aubrie Ofner (MT, ‘23), and Sophia Ruiz (MT, ‘23) all starred in Big Fish at Orange County Children’s Theater (OCCT).
Tristan Leach (MT, ‘20) and Zoe Seare (MT, ‘21) learned unique styles of voice and dance this summer at the Disney Performing Arts Conservatory. The intensive five-day conservatory allowed them to work closely with Disney choreographers, directors, performers, and artists, culminating in a spectacular performance at the Disneyland Resort.
Marcus Brooks (MT, ‘23) and Ella Gibson (MT, ‘23) performed as Hans and Anna, respectively, in Frozen at the Attic Community Theater.
Noelle Lidyoff (IA, ‘25) performed as Teen Fiona in the regional production of Shrek the Musical with 3D-Theatricals.
Caitlin Cheung (ACT, ‘21) directed a play called Story of the Street, which made the front page of the Orange County Register. Caitlin planned to submit her oneact play about homelessness as her Gold Award project for the Girl Scouts. Read more about it here.
Isabella Madrigal (ACT, ‘20) and Sophia Madrigal (ACT, ‘22) won the Dragon Challenge through the Dragon Kim Foundation for their project titled “Native Storytelling,” from which Isabella’s play, Menil and Her Heart, was derived. The $5,000 award fostered continued development and performances of the play, which brings to light the contemporary issue of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Sophia Del Rey (ACT, ‘21) participated in a special production of the musical Sweeney Todd in which she was a “vocal shadow” for actor Joe Saraceni, who is deaf and communicates primarily through American Sign Language. During the show, Sophia spoke and sung the words while Joe signed them, as both of them moved about the stage as one. To read more about the production, please click here.
Makenna Olsen (MT, ‘22) was cast and performed in three shows over the summer. Her roles included Zaneeta in Music Man at the Musical Theatre Village, Holly in The Wedding Singer at Ovations Performing Arts Center, and Rugby in The Merry Wives of Windsor for On the Edge Productions’ Shakespeare in the Hills. Charlee Rubino (MT, ‘21) was awarded Best Supporting Actress for her role as Wednesday Addams in Camino Real Theatre’s production of The Addams Family.
Keaton Evans (MT, ‘24) was cast as the lead in French Woods Festival’s production of She Loves Me. Jacob Ferguson (ACT, ‘22) was accepted into and attended the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) in the theatre department over the summer. 6
YEAR IN REVIEW: 2019-2020
SEPTEMBER
2019
Grace Wilcox (ACT, ‘22) traveled to Gillette, Wyoming to perform with Phantom Project’s Teens on Tour. She performed the leading role of Conscience in the show Center of the Universe for thousands of Wyoming students. The show explored the tough topics teens face today, such as bullying, violence, racism, and prejudice, and was followed by a candid, meaningful, and motivating Q&A, where the teen audience could ask questions of the all-teen cast about the challenges facing their generation.
FACULTY & STAFF ACHIEVEMENT
Aaron Wimbley (CV, ‘23) earned a Gold Award at the 2019 Hua Yue Cup International Instrument, Dance, and Song Competition.
Dr. Sarkis Baltaian, Director of the Instrumental Music Conservatory, recorded a two-piano CD at Michigan State University over the summer, featuring music by composers from the United States who drew on Latin American themes, alongside the music of composers from Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico. He also served on the artist faculty at the Casalmaggiore Music Festival in Italy, performing and working with award-winning students.
The OCSA Tennis Team won first place in the highly competitive USTA Southern California Spring Semester mixed division. The team succeeded by leveraging their once-a-week practice sessions and overcoming the lack of on-campus courts. OCSA Tennis Team Team Captain: Emi Yoshino (PD, ‘20) Daniel Apolonio (IM, ‘20) Kieran Collins (PD, ‘20) Branden Kim (PD, ‘23) Lauren Kim (VA, ‘22) Joey Laderer (FTV, ‘20) Aidan Luu (IM, ‘23) Ethan Luu (IM, ‘22) Alexis Song (CV, ‘21) Mia Soumbasakis (PM, ‘23) Anthony Suh (PD, ‘22) Aaron Sundukovskiy (DM, ‘22) Matthew Teng (IM, ‘20) Ansh Vashisth (IM, ‘21) Coaches Danny Salloum, Matchpoint Tennis Academy Gary Yoshino, Registered Parent Coach ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT Warren Hagerty (IM, ‘09) was appointed Principal Cellist of the Pacific Symphony. Shirley Napoleone (CW, ‘18) was awarded Best TV Script at the 2019 FanFic Gala. Krysta Rodriguez (MT, ‘02) was featured in an article in the New York Times, which praised her for her performance as Meg in the musical Hercules. Read more about it here. 7
YEAR IN REVIEW: 2019-2020
OCTOBER
2019
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Raegan Larson (MT, ‘26) and Erin Tardibuono (MT, ‘26) made their debuts at the La Mirada Theatre in the musical Matilda.
Klarisse Base (IM, ‘20) taught as the First Sergeant at the Division Six Senior Leadership School in Phoenix, Arizona. She helped teach future leaders from the Young Marine program everything from Map and Compass to important leadership skills.
Miriya Lee (CMD, ‘20) was the recipient of Laguna Dance Festival’s Young Artist Scholarship for 2019. Isabella Madrigal (ACT, ‘20) was selected as one of 10 National Gold Award Girl Scouts to receive $20,000 in scholarship funds. She also spoke at the United Nations in New York at the “Girls Speak Out” event about her play, Menil and Her Heart, to raise awareness of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Taven Blanke (MT, ‘24) was cast in the lead role in a production of Billy Elliot at the historic Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut. Taven was chosen after a nationwide search to play the iconic role and played Billy through the end of November. To read more about the production, please click here.
Christina Miles (CW, ‘21) was awarded a fellowship from Get Lit, a youth performance poetry organization, and received help publishing her poetry in chapbook form. Christina also performed an original poem for the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter.
Fairah Burruss (MT, ‘25), as a member of the Redondo Ballet Company, was invited to participate in the “Ballet in a Box” program at the Salvation Army in Torrance.
Semi Ola (CW, ‘20) successfully auditioned for and was named a Player with the prestigious LA-based performance poetry organization Get Lit. They performed throughout the Southland in venues ranging from high schools to Dodger Stadium.
The following Production & Design Conservatory students competed in the inaugural Production & Design “Flea Market Flip” contest at the Long Beach Antique Market: Angela Delgado (PD, ‘22), Zach Harrison (PD, ‘23), Zoe Harrison (PD, ‘25), Piper Huntley (PD, ‘25), Cameron Klipfel (PD, ‘20), Jack McGuinness (PD, ‘21), Gael Ortiz (PD, ‘23), Emi Yoshino (PD, ‘20), and Dean Zamiska (PD, ‘22). The students raised more than $1,000 for the conservatory, with Emi winning first place, Zach and Gael receiving second place, Zoe landing in third place, and Jack coming in fourth place.
Kennie Shen (CMD, ‘25) was featured in a commercial for Children’s Hospital of Colorado. To view the commercial, please click here. Clara Son (CW, ‘23) was awarded first place in Open Extemporaneous Speech and second place in Open Impromptu Speech at California State University, Fullerton’s High School Speech and Debate Invitational Tournament.
Juliet Garbacz (MT, ‘25) was selected to play the role of Clara in the American Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in December. She was also a featured soloist in Mariinsky Ballet’s production of La Bayadere.
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT Alyssa Allen (CMD, ‘15) was selected to join Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as a company member for their 42nd season. To read more about her journey, please click here.
Olivia Knox (IA, ‘23) played the lead in a short film titled The Vicious by Ghost Party Pictures that was featured at numerous film festivals throughout the U.S., including the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival and the Rhode Island International Film Festival.
Nico Ballesteros (FTV, ‘17) was featured in a Rolling Stone article for his work with Kanye West. To read more about this project, please click here.
Avalon Lafosse (VA, ‘20) partnered with Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) to create an eight-month-long Studio “ARTists” Series. For more information, please click here. Avalon also taught monthly Global ART Lessons at CHOC, where she and her team educated children about specific artists’ techniques and then created a work of art based on the lesson.
Avery Grant (MT, ‘09) received a certificate in “Comedie Musicale” from Cours Florent, an acting school in Paris, France. She now works as an English-language coach for 27 Saville, a French theatre troupe that does American musicals with English singing and French dialogue. 8
YEAR IN REVIEW: 2019-2020
OCTOBER
2019
Lindsay Mendez (MT, ‘01) was featured in an article about diversity on Broadway by NBC News. To read the article, please click here. Valeria Miranda (BF, ‘18) was cast as a featured dancer in the “Dia de Muertos” U.S. Tour with six-time Grammy Award winner and Mexican singer Lila Downs. Valeria collaborated with Jose Vences, Founder and Artistic Director of Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company, in the creation of the pieces staged in this tour. Michelle Tseng (IM, ‘09) was selected from 400 candidates to fill one of three violin vacancies for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. FACULTY & STAFF ACHIEVEMENT The Santa Ana Police Department and OCSA partnered together on a story about our School Resource Officer (SRO), Sonia Rojo, and how she keeps us safe and connected to the community. To read more about this wonderful story, please click here.
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YEAR IN REVIEW: 2019-2020
NOVEMBER
2019
Classical Voice Conservatory students took top honors at the recent National Association of Teachers of Singing SEP Competition.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Youth Classical Mona George (CV, ‘25): First Place
Select students from the Production & Design, Visual Arts, and Integrated Arts Conservatories were invited by OCSA Foundation Board Member Saini Kannan and OCSA Executive Vice President Teren Shaffer to curate a Japanese art exhibition at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, California. The student research and curatorial team included: Sara Abrahamsson (PD, ‘20), Nicolas Amitrano (PD, ‘20), Nathan Bowden (PD, ‘20), Darlene Chen (VA, ‘21), Clare Cho (PD, ‘20), Corey Hegel (IA, ‘20), Lauren Huang (VA, ‘20), Rachel Joo (VA, ‘20), Rachael Kim (VA, ‘21), Cameron Klipfel (PD, ‘20), Emma Kwan (PD, ‘20), Sabrina Nakasone (PD, ‘20), Ana Soto (PD, ‘20), Kaelin Tester (PD, ‘20), Enzo Viado (PD, ‘20), and Emi Yoshino (PD, ‘20).
Youth Musical Theatre Mona George (CV, ‘25): Third Place 9th-10th Grade Tenor, Baritone, and Bass – Classical Evan Richards (CV, ‘22): First Place Lukas Wozencraft (CV, ‘22): Second Place Jake Soriano (CV, ‘23): Third Place Stephen Goeres-Hill (CV, ‘23): Honorable Mention
Madison Becerra (CV, ‘25) and Drew Cazares (MT, ‘25) performed in six shows of Seussical at Hope International University with the Spero Program for the Performing Arts.
9th-10th Grade Treble – Classical Mia Baron (CV, ‘22): First Place Ally Holbrook (CV ‘22): Second Place Sophia Pachl (CV, ‘22): Third Place
Emily Calcagnini (ACT, ‘20) was cast in the lead role as Nora in SOLVE, the world’s leading interactive crime series. She became a series regular on the show.
9th-10th Grade Treble – Musical Theatre Mia Baron (CV, ‘22): Second Place
Adam Castrillon (MT, ‘21), Haven Hanson (PD, ‘23), and Mariah Williams (MT, ‘21) participated in Educational Theatre Foundation’s annual “Thespians Go Hollywood” gala. Haven assisted with costumes, shadowed the sound designer, and participated in an exclusive, behind-the-scenes technical workshop at the Disneyland Resort. Adam and Mariah both performed in the show, and Mariah also performed alongside actress Nia Vardalos.
11th Grade Treble – Classical Ava Kuntz (CV, ‘21): First Place Catherine Johnston (CV, ‘21): Third Place 11th Grade Treble – Musical Theatre Catherine Johnston (CV, ‘21): Second Place Ava Kuntz (CV ‘21): Honorable Mention
Laura Chen (CW, ‘21) received second place in the Artiste Piano category at the Southern California Philharmonic Young Artist Concerto Competition.
11th-12th Grade Tenor, Baritone, and Bass – Classical Garrett Wilmoth (CV, ‘21): Honorable Mention
Kayalani DeGrave (MT, ‘23), Sophia Gabal (MT, ‘23), Ashley Gambill (MT, ‘23), Aubrie Ofner (MT, ‘23), Hannah Osier (IA, ‘24), Phoenix Lambie (McCullough) (MT, ‘24), and Luke Stark (IA, ‘24) volunteered as mentors to support Musical Theater Matters, a program that serves children with special needs at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. They volunteered for 10 weeks and participated in the final share-out event in the Judy Morr Theatre at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, performing excerpts from You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown alongside their “buddies.”
12th Grade Treble – Classical Maggie Liu (CV, ‘20): Second Place Madeline Ernst (CV, ‘20): Honorable Mention 12th Grade Treble – Musical Theatre Madeline Ernst (CV, ‘20): Second Place High School Tenor, Baritone, and Bass – Musical Theatre Lukas Wozencraft (CV, ‘22): Third Place
Sammy Dorfman (IA, ‘24) played the role of Chip in California State University, Fullerton’s production of Beauty and the Beast.
Contemporary and Commercial Music Hugo Nguyen (CV, ‘24): Third Place
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YEAR IN REVIEW: 2019-2020
NOVEMBER
2019
Catherine Johnston (CV, ‘21) was featured in KUDOS Newport Beach magazine following her performance at South Coast Symphony’s annual “Soirees Musicales” event.
FACULTY & STAFF ACHIEVEMENT Randy Au, Assistant Director of the Visual Arts Conservatory, was the Featured Artist of the Week in Downtown Santa Ana.
Tim Jun (IM, ‘20), Joey Laderer (FTV, ‘20), and Daniel Zhu (IM, ‘20) were awarded a monetary grant from Karma for Cara to continue their project, “The Growing Tree,” which emphasizes the importance of growing your own food, cooking, and recycling to help our environment. The three seniors started this project in summer 2019 as a Dragon Kim Fellowship Project, impacting more than 50 at-risk young children and employing nearly 40 volunteers.
Mark Lamanna, Classical Voice Opera Stage Director and Opera Scenes teacher, staged “An Evening of Opera” at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in New York City for Angels Vocal Art.
Samara Kohne (CV, ‘24) was featured in KitchenAid, Nissan, Old Wisconsin, Nintendo, Jimu Robots, and AT&T commercials. She also worked as a body scan model for Sony PlayStation and did print modeling for the Disneyland Resort. Sarah Lina (CV, ‘20) wrote a one-act play titled Silent Night that was chosen as a finalist at the International Thespian Festival and performed in Lincoln, Nebraska. Sarah was then admitted into the Dramatists Guild of America and invited to attend the Dramatists Guild Gala in New York City. Silent Night was also selected by Samuel French for publication. Ari Mateo Paltin (MT, ‘20) played the role of Big Deal in Performance Riverside’s production of West Side Story at Riverside City College. Allee Stone (FTV, ‘20) won the New Filmmaker Award at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth in Seattle, Washington. ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT Several former students from The Mekjian Family Culinary Arts & Hospitality Conservatory received scholarships from the California Restaurant Foundation Scholarship Program: Nicholas Bilt (CAH, ‘19), Katie Derr (CAH, ‘16), Emily Fedorchek (CAH, ‘18), Jacqueline Hanson (CAH, ‘16), Hannah MacDonald (CAH, ‘18), and McKenna Voisin (CAH, ‘19). Pedro Pascal (MT, ‘93) starred in The Mandalorian, which premiered on Tuesday, November 12th. He was also featured in an Elle article documenting his journey from OCSA to Disney+.
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YEAR IN REVIEW: 2019-2020
DECEMBER 2019 & JANUARY 2020
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Claire Karr (VA, ‘23) Nathaniel Kim (DM, ‘22) Regan Mading (IA, ‘23) Lauren Mei (ACT, ‘23) Gabrielle Mikhail (CW, ‘21) Christina Miles (CW, ‘21) Daisy Noh (IA, ‘22) Jess Perez (ACT, ‘21) Elora Sparnicht (CW, ‘23) Ripken Wellikson (PD, ‘20) Mariah Williams (MT, ‘20) Anathea Woirhaye (ACT, ‘20)
The following students received Overall Superiors, the highest rating, at the California State Junior Thespian Festival in Los Alamitos: Musical Solo Cynthia Allen (IA, ‘25) Ana Sofia Gomez Garza (MT, ‘25) Mia Geise (MT, ‘24) Daniel Grossgold (IA, ‘24) Sophia Kang (PD, ‘24) Joaquin Law (MT, ‘24) Chloe Ness (MT, ‘24) Autumn Ricketts (MT, ‘25) Zach Willis (MT, ‘25)
Courtroom Artists: Claire Karr (VA, ‘23) and Holland Fox (VA, ‘21) Journalist: Tyler Simpson Pouncey (IM, ‘21) Young Marine MSgt Klarisse Base (IM, ‘20) and Young Marine SSgt Keira Base (CV, ‘22) were integral participants in the Young Marines Pearl Harbor Memorial trip to Oahu, Hawaii, supporting WWII veterans at the 78th anniversary event of the attack on Pearl Harbor. This event was followed by YM/MSgt Klarisse’s retirement ceremony after serving honorably for nine years in the Young Marines.
Acting Solo Amanda Agredano (IA, ‘24) Samantha Dejbakhsh (MT, ‘24) Luke Stark (IA, ‘24) Set Design Caitlin Kim (PD, ‘25)
Jaquelyn Borcea (BR, ‘20) received first place in the American Smooth category at the Holiday Dance Classic Competition in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Saira Arora (IM, ‘22) presented at the Western Medical Research Conference in January 2020 as a part of the project “Use of Aromatherapy as a Complimentary Therapy in Alleviating Chemotherapy Related Adverse Effects in Cancer Patients.”
Marcus Brooks (MT, ‘23), Aubrie Ofner (MT, ‘23), and Sophia Ruiz (MT, ‘23) performed in the Arts and Learning Conservatory performances of Mary Poppins in the roles of Bert, Mrs. Brill, and Mary Poppins, respectively.
OCSA’s Mock Trial Team placed in the top 16 of almost 50 Orange County teams at the Veritas Classical tournament. The team advanced to playoffs for the third year in a row, and most of the team was nominated for performance awards.
OCSA’s Science Olympiad Team earned eight medals after competing against 29 teams at the Cerritos Invitational and earned four medals, placing 11th, after competing against 39 teams at the Wilson Invitational.
OCSA Mock Trial Team Sara Balanta (IA, ‘22) Charlotte Brandman (MT, ‘23) Riley Bryant (FTV, ‘21) Hannah Dawson (CW, ‘20) Victoria Dozer (CW, ‘20) Kelly Guethlein (CW, ‘21) Sasha Herthel (ACT, ‘23) Ashley Hodge (IA, ‘23) Darian Hojreh (CAH, ‘22) Melanie Huq (CW, ‘21)
Cerritos Invitational: First Place Ornithology: Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22) and Caleb Empig (IM, ‘23) Water Quality: Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22) and Sara Shimabukuro (IM, ‘21) Second Place Protein Modeling: Tiffany Zhang (VA, ‘20), Erica Yang (IA, ‘21), and Grant Li (CW, ‘23) Fossils: Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22) and Caleb Empig (IM, ‘23)
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Third Place Disease Detectives: Makayla Brown (IM, ‘20) and Grant Li (CW, ‘23)
Honorable Mentions Maya Alvarez-Coyne (CMD, ‘21): Dance (World Dance/Irish Step) Ollie Dupuy (CW, ‘19): Writing (Poetry) Anna Herrera (CW, ‘19): Writing (Spoken Word) Brian Lin (IM, ‘21): Classical Music (Saxophone) Michele Lu (PM, ‘21): Voice (Popular) Youning Jiang (FTV, ‘22): Film Alixandra Page (PM, ‘20): Voice (Singer-Songwriter)
Fourth Place Machines: Ansh Vashisth (IM, ‘21) and Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23) Fifth Place Chemistry Lab: Makayla Brown (IM, ‘20) and Bailey Liu (IM, ‘20) Detector Building: Isabelle Tran (VA, ‘22) and Vivian Chen (IM, ‘23)
Merit Catherine Bui (CW, ‘22): Writing (Novel) Logan Gould (MT, ‘19): Theater John Lybbert (IM, ‘23): Jazz (Percussion) Christina Miles (CW, ‘21): Writing (Spoken Word) Semilore Ola (CW, ‘20): Writing (Poetry) Max Rogoff (FTV, ‘20): Film Sidra Villacorta (PM, ‘21): Voice (Singer-Songwriter)
Dorene Pilapandet (VA, ‘20), Samantha Su (VA, ‘21), Aleks Cornforth (CMD, ‘21), and Alexandra Valainis (VA, ‘21) also competed at the Cerritos Invitational. Wilson Invitational: Third Place Chemistry Lab: Makayla Brown (IM, ‘20) and Bailey Liu (IM, ‘20) Ornithology: Sylvia Cheeseman (DM ‘22) and Caleb Empig (IM, ‘23) Fourth Place Dynamic Planet: Erica Yang (IA, ‘21) and Sylvia Cheeseman (DM ‘22) Forensics: Makayla Brown (IM, ‘20) and Samantha Su (VA ,’21)
OCSA’s CHOC Arts Club, co-founded by Sonali Dhanidina (IA, ‘25) and Olivia Le (IA, ‘25), created a short holiday show that was performed for the patients at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. The group also read stories and distributed handmade holiday cards to the children.
Tiffany Zhang (VA, ‘20), Sara Shimabukuro (IM, ‘21), Ansh Vashisth (IM, ‘21), Aleks Cornforth (CMD, ‘21), Alexandra Valainis (VA, ‘21), Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22), Grant Li (CW, ‘23), Joshua Qin (BR, ‘23), Vivian Chen (IM, ‘23), and Isabelle Tran (VA, ‘22) also competed at the Wilson Invitational.
Ava Devoe (ACT, ‘24) booked a recurring role on Grey’s Anatomy after completing a production of Matilda where she played the role of Miss Trunchbull. Samantha Divis (MT, ‘25), Tegan Leong (IA, ‘23), and Allayna Slate (ACT, ‘24) performed in Matilda at The Attic Community Theatre in Santa Ana.
Caitlin Cheung (ACT, ‘21) was featured in an interactive video quiz for BuzzFeed. To view the video, click here.
Jolie Fitch (IM, ‘20) won the Southwestern Youth Music Festival Concerto Competition and received first place at the Musical Arts Competition of Orange County in the flute category. She was also the winner of the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition in the flute category.
The following students and alumni were recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation for their artistic achievements. Finalists were invited to participate in National YoungArts Week in Miami, Florida, an intensive program filled with master classes and workshops aimed at fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and community.
Ryder Flowers (IA, ‘24) starred as Luther in Saddleback College’s production of Inspecting Carol and as Mr. Wormwood in South County Performing Arts’ production of Matilda.
Finalists Ethan Danto (PM, ‘20): Voice (Singer-Songwriter) Semilore Ola (CW, ‘20): Writing (Spoken Word) Austin Kim (VA, ‘19): Visual Art Claire Lucas (CMD, ‘20): Dance (Modern/Contemporary)
Guinevere Gale (CMD, ‘25), Miabella Gonzalez (CMD, ‘20), William Okajima (CMD, ‘20), and Jonah Smith (CMD, ‘23) were featured in OCSA alumnus Matthew Morrison’s (MT, ‘97) music video for his rendition of “Go the Distance.” Click here to watch the music video. 13
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DECEMBER 2019 & JANUARY 2020 Lizzy Hatch (CW, ‘20), Pia Hirsch (CW, ‘22), and Tobi Park (CW, ‘21) performed original spoken word to help kick off the Orange County Department of Education’s professional learning event, “California Next Generation Science Standards Statewide Rollout: Environmental Literacy.”
Ella Webb (ACT, ‘20) performed the role of Martha alongside legendary actor Hal Landon Jr. in South Coast Repertory Theatre’s A Christmas Carol.
Corey Hegel (IA, ‘20) was featured in an editorial in Teen Look magazine.
Alyssa Allen (CMD, ‘15) was featured in an article on the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance website highlighting her offer to join Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. To read more about her journey, please click here.
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT
Avalon Lafosse (VA, ‘20) was named one of Orange County’s top influencers for 2019 by the Orange County Register. To view the full top 100 list, click here.
The following alumni completed another successful run of Disney’s ¡Viva Navidad! in Disney California Adventure Park during the holidays: Jackie Alvarez (IM, ‘18), Vivian Alvarez (BF, ‘19), Dominique Breckenridge (BF, ‘16), Karina Cervantes (BF, ‘12), Matthew De Leon (BF, ‘17), Iris Distancia (BF, ‘16), Alyssa Gomez (BF, ‘17), Michael Gomez (BF, ‘14), Ivette Larios (BF, ‘19), Brianna Marquez (BF, ‘18), Melina Marin (MT, ‘18), Marisa Muñoz (BF, ‘19), Miranda Murillo (BF, ‘18), Madeline Peña (BF, ‘14), Brittany Ramirez (BF, ‘18), Jose Rea (BF, ‘18), and Britney Rivera (BF, ‘18).
Bailey Liu (IM, ‘20) was named a top 300 scholar in the 79th Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high school seniors, for his project, “Tracing the Evolutionary Stages of Supermassive Black Holes in Galaxy Mergers with High Spatial Resolution Archival Data.” He earned two $2,000 grants – one for himself and one for OCSA, which he designated to the Science Olympiad Team. Maggie Liu (CV, ‘20) and Elizabeth Minerman (CV, ‘20) participated in a master class at the LA Opera with one of the world’s most prolific opera singers, mezzosoprano Susan Graham, in front of their classmates from the Classical Voice Conservatory. Read about their experience in this story on the OCSA news blog.
UNDECIDED FUTURE released their newest single, “Look Up.” The band is comprised of Cole Fredrick (IM, ‘16) on guitar, Matt Jarnagin (FTV, ‘15) on lead vocals, Matisse Pasillas (FTV, ‘15) on drums, and Nick Stone (IM, ‘16) on keys.
Isabella Madrigal (ACT, ‘20) was named a 2020 Coca-Cola Scholar semifinalist, placing in the top 27 of more than 93,000 applicants.
Matthew Morrison (MT, ‘97) was cast as a special guest in concert with Broadway star and Oscar-nominated actress Cynthia Erivo in Tokyo, Japan.
West Mulholland (ACT, ‘23) appeared as Blue in the final season of the FX show Legion and as a guest star on the Disney Channel show Sydney to the Max.
Pedro Pascal (MT, ‘93) was featured in a Showbiz article about finding out he was cast as the title role in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. To read the full article, click here
Chloe Ness (MT, ‘24) was awarded first place in the Musical Theater category and second place in the Classical category at the National Association of Teachers of Singing Student Evaluation Program. Chloe also was awarded the Patty Murphy Music Theater Scholarship for vocal study from the Professional Arts Education Center.
FACULTY & STAFF ACHIEVEMENT Kat Eason, a Creative Writing Conservatory instructor, released her newest novel, How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse. This is the first in a two-book series that chronicles the adventures of intergalactic Princess Rory Thorne as she upends one fairytale trope after another.
Charlotte Rubino (MT, ‘21) and Gabriella Talarico (MT, ‘21) were selected as the “Junior Hero of the Year” award recipients for 2020 by California State University, Fullerton’s Center for Healthy Neighborhoods. They were recognized for their work establishing a summer musical theater performance camp for children from lowincome families.
Tira Palmquist, a Creative Writing Conservatory instructor, wrote the play Safe Harbor, which premiered at the Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble in Los Angeles. This moving and probing play investigates the world of human trafficking through the experiences of two young women who are victims and survivors of it. 14
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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Silver Key Award Sylvia Cheeseman (DM): Drawing & Illustration, shroom to grow Maggie Ding (FTV): Film & Animation, Left Behind Mira Hirabayashi (VA): Comic Art, Ramen Girl Claire Hong (VA): Drawing & Illustration, Danger Zone; Painting, Wall Lauren Huang (VA): Painting, Continuity; Drawing & Illustration, Dreaming Seoyun Kang (VA): Drawing & Illustration, Shattered Cassandra Kesig (CW): Short Story, Lief Erikson Discovers the West, Everything is Fine for 500 Years Rachael Kim (VA): Painting, Lounging on a Monday Afternoon in Rome Allison Lee (VA): Mixed Media, Delicate Harmony Dawon Lee (PD): Drawing & Illustration, Brush and Shoe Kristie Lee (VA): Painting, Spilt Oil Maggie McKelvey (DM): Digital Art, Inside Junhan Meng (VA): Painting, Growth Heysu Oh (VA): Mixed Media, Time flies Juhyun Park (VA): Mixed Media, Violence; Mixed Media, Split Kaitlyn Pak (VA): Mixed Media, Head in the Clouds Kaon Suh (CW): Poetry, Should’ve, could’ve, would’ve Clara Szalay (CW): Poetry, Five Senses of Possibility Suofei Wang (VA): Architecture & Industrial Design, Dome Café Render; Painting, Night Market Allison Wong (CW): Poetry, Soggy Cereal; Short Story, Dart Throat Katherine Wong (CW): Poetry, yellow flower; Essay, Familial Soup Jessica Yoo (VA): Drawing & Illustration, Spotlight Junzhu Zhang (VA): Painting, Transparent Wall
Pierce Akers’ (IM, ‘22) band, Slaves to Humanity, released the original song “Battleground,” which was the most played song on the legendary L.A.-based KLOS 95.5 radio station for two consecutive weeks. The band was also featured on the front page of the Orange County Register in a full-length article. Jonathan Arendt-Rosenberg (VA, ‘20) was selected as the fit model for the design house Enfants Riches Déprimés in preparation for Paris Fashion Week for the Autumn/Winter 2020 season. Congratulations to the following students for their success in the 2020 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. These students received West Art and/or West Writing Region-atLarge awards. Gold Key recipients moved on to be judged at the national level, the winners of which were invited to a culminating ceremony at Carnegie Hall in June. Gold Key Award Elena Brem (CW): Poetry, 2222 B Canyon Drive Sylvia Cheeseman (DM): Painting, too bright Erin Choi (DM): Mixed Media, Perception of Childhood; Mixed Media, Things Yet to be Misplaced Hannah Dawson (CW): Flash Fiction, Lost Coast Mira Hirabayashi (VA): Drawing & Illustration, Red Umbrella Claire Hong (VA): Painting, Contrast; Painting, Who Am I?; Drawing & Illustration, Light Lauren Huang (VA): Painting, Merchandise Rachel Joo (VA): Ceramics & Glass, Past: Accoutrements Lauren Kim (VA): Sculpture, Tiger Fur Removed Rachael Kim (VA): Mixed Media, Journey to a New Life Ava Li (VA): Drawing & Illustration, girl Maggie McKelvey (DM): Comic Art, Photo Boxes Junhan Meng (VA): Painting, Growth Christina Miles (CW): Poetry, The Old Testament Heysu Oh (VA): Painting, Mural Ella Park (VA): Digital Art, Love the Earth Juhyun Park (VA): Painting, Still Life Clara Son (CW): Poetry, Paper Tragedies Ashley Thornton (CW): Poetry, Aria Rachel Tian (CW): Science Fiction & Fantasy, 4:44 p.m. Jonathan Truon (CW): Short Story, Virginia’s Room Amy Wang (VA): Painting, KongMing Lantern Suofei Wang (VA): Painting, Steamed Corn Allison Wong (CW): Poetry, primary colors Kelly Zheng (VA): Painting, Birth Cycle
Honorable Mention Marie Bong (CW): Poetry, Whetstone for the Mirror Laura Chen (CW): Novel, A Letter for the Ashes Erin Choi (DM): Painting, Open Your Mind; Mixed Media, Chains in life Mira Hirabayashi (VA): Mixed Media, Colors Multiplied; Digital Art, Intruder; Art Portfolio, To Meet in the Middle Claire Hong (VA): Mixed Media, Disconnection Lauren Huang (VA): Painting, Let Go; Painting, Coexistence; Mixed Media, Habitat; Drawing & Illustration, Disturbance Aaliyah Joo (VA): Drawing & Illustration, Vintage Genes Rachel Joo (VA): Art Portfolio, Genuine Amalgam Lauren Kim (VA): Sculpture, Ivory Elephant Rachael Kim (VA): Painting, Innocent Soldier Carrie Kuo (VA): Painting, The Cypress Tree Avalon Lafosse (VA): Painting, Egg-Over-Easy Allison Lee (VA): Mixed Media, Framed Heritage Taeyoung Lee (VA): Painting, Serendipity
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Maggie McKelvey (DM): Digital Art, Mother Earth Sidney Muntean (CW): Flash Fiction, The Fate of Electrical Currents and Celestial Bodies; Poetry, letter No 7 from my watch; Poetry, how to heal Heysu Oh (VA): Mixed Media, Commercialism; Art Portfolio, lucid Juhyun Park (VA): Drawing & Illustration, The Abstract in the Ordinary; Drawing & Illustration, Addiction; Mixed Media, Iceberg; Mixed Media, Overproduction Tobi Park (CW): Poetry, a series Kaon Suh (CW): Flash Fiction, sir stewart wallace Ashley Thornton (CW): Short Story, Cider of Cyanide; Poetry, Lost and Found Jonathan Truon (CW): Flash Fiction, New York Rolled into a Cigarette Suofei Wang (VA): Architecture & Industrial Design, Dome Café Vivienne Williams (VA): Painting, Passing on Knowledge; Drawing & Illustration, Save Mother Earth Katherine Wong (CW): Flash Fiction, REM Jeffrey Yang (CV): Poetry, Ballad to the Grave Junzhu Zhang (VA): Painting, One-Party State; Painting, Heavy Price to the Peak of Life Kelly Zheng (VA): Painting, Daily Routine; Painting, Emotional Child Abuse; Painting, mutual concession; Painting, scar; Art Portfolio, Moments
Chloe Capulong (CCD, ‘22) received first place in Contemporary Dance and second place in Classical Dance at the Los Angeles Regional Youth American Grand Prix competition, which qualified her to compete in their New York finals. OCSA’s Science Olympiad Team earned eighth place overall and medaled in 12 of the 23 events after competing against 35 other teams at the Orange County Regional Science Olympiad Competition. Second Place Water Quality: Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22) and Sara Shimabukuro (IM, ‘21) Ornithology: Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22) and Caleb Empig (IM, ‘23)
Fifth Place Detector Building: Vivian Chen (IM, ‘23) and Ansh Vashisth (IM, ‘21) Dynamic Planet: Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22) and Erica Yang (IA, ‘21) Geologic Mapping: Aleks Cornforth (CMD, ‘21) and Erica Yang (IA, ‘21) Sixth Place Fossils: Caleb Empig (IM, ‘23) and Anjal Jain (CV, ‘22) Wright Stuff: Vivian Chen (IM, ‘23) and Samantha Su (VA, ‘21) Isabelle Tran (VA, ‘22) and Tiffany Zhang (VA, ‘20) also competed at the Orange County Regional Science Olympiad Competition. Congratulations to the following Instrumental Music Conservatory students on their acceptance to 2020 Honor Groups for the Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association (SCSBOA): Middle School Band Angelina Chiang Hannah Cho Samuel Chung Mateo Tomas Cruz Andrew Fung Allison Molin Keilah Park Bingyi Qiu Katherine Shinogi Kahlan Steffens Luke Toner Garrett Walker High School Band & Orchestra Kiana Alvarez Riley Ameli Matthew Anderson Shihoon Bae Melody Chang Cartor Crisp Benjamin Doubet Julianne Fung Isabel Hahn Auvin Hajian Kylie Heidal Trent Horio Shelton Hsu
Third Place Machines: Joshua Quin (BR, ‘23) and Ansh Vashisth (IM, ‘21) Disease Detectives: Makayla Brown (IM, ‘20) and Grant Li (CW, ‘23) Fourth Place Anatomy and Physiology: Sylvia Cheeseman (DM, ‘22) and Sara Shimabukuro (IM, ‘21) Astronomy: Bailey Liu (IM, ‘20) and Alexandra Valainis (VA, ‘21) Chemistry Lab: Makayla Brown (IM, ‘20) and Bailey Liu (IM, ‘20)
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High School Band & Orchestra (cont.) Yoojung Jang Katelyn Jo Ryan Klotz Anna Lee Dayoon Lee Kyungmin Lee Zoe Lee Brian Lin Issac Liu Ty Merritt Isaac Ng Nathan Nguyen Anabelle Park Nara Park Carlo Rabano Benjamin Smith Jonathan Stetson Leo Sui Matthew Teng Rachel Tian Alexander Tran Jericho Tran Aiden Urschel Austin Wegener Jared Weissberg Connor Yew Rachel Yoo Hannah Zhao
Corey Hegel (IA, ‘20) modeled in OC Fashion Week. Reese Hewitt (MT, ‘25) played the role of Christian in Chance Theater’s production of Fun Home at the Betty Aiken Theater Arts Center in Anaheim. Zach Hoffman (ACT, ‘22) played the lead role of Tunny in the musical American Idiot with Braver Players Theater Foundation. Kaitlyn Irianto (IM, ‘21), Jennifer Jin (IM, ‘21), and Timothy Jun (IM, ‘21) were invited to perform at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Image Awards dinner. Estella Sky Keyoung (IA, ‘25) received an honorable mention award in the Musical Theater category through the National Association of Teachers of Singing Student Evaluation Program for the Cal-Western Region. Hannah Kim (FTV, ‘20) directed, produced, and served as the co-editor and co-cinematographer for her film, Cambodia Evolving: Food and Culture, which became an official selection for the Cambodia International Film Festival. Isabella Madrigal (ACT, ‘20) won the Young Native Storytellers Contest offered through the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program for her play, Menil and her Heart. To read more about the contest, please click here. She was also named a 2020 Coca-Cola Scholar Regional Finalist, placing in the top 251 of more than 93,000 applicants, and was featured on the podcast “Onstage Offstage” with George Sapio. Caleb Malis (IA, ‘23) was cast in the upcoming six-episode HBO miniseries The Plot Against America and can be spotted in the show’s official teaser trailer!
Jazz Andrew Cho Trent Horio David Lee Ty Merritt Liam Walsh Connor Yew
Caitlyn Mason (CW, ‘23) was accepted into The School of The New York Times to study journalism in their summer academy. Sisters Alexa Roemer (MT, ‘23) and Avery Roemer (MT, ‘25) rescued a chihuahua named Sketch who inspired their debut album, Songs About Dogs. In November 2018, they released a new album, Wishing Well, which consists of 14 original songs they co-wrote with their dad. The girls have donated more than $5,000 from their music sales to local animal rescue organizations. They were also featured in OC Family magazine as Whiz Kids and appeared on the CBS news segment “People Making a Difference.”
Hannah Cho (IM, ‘25) was awarded second place at the American Protégé International Concerto Competition and received an invitation to perform her winner’s solo at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Devyn Dilts (MT, ‘24) and Sean Hawkins (MT, ‘24) played the roles of Young Terk and Terk, respectively, in the Orange County Children’s Theatre production of Tarzan. 18
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Aryan Simhadri (ACT, ‘24) was featured as a guest star on NBC’s Will & Grace and in a recurring role on Disney Channel’s Just Roll with It. Rachel Ta (CCD, ‘21) was offered a full scholarship to the Los Angeles Ballet Academy for their summer intensive. The following group of OCSA students and alumni were part of the production The Drowsy Chaperone at Musical Theater Village in Irvine. Director: Josh Teincuff (ACT, ‘16) Musical Director: Noah Schartz (CV, ‘17) Assistant Director: Emily Ricketts (MT, ‘22) Assistant Choreographer: Makenna Olsen (MT, ‘22) Cast: Autumn Ricketts (MT, ‘25), Emily Ricketts (MT, ‘22), Noah Schartz (CV, ‘17), Kate Trout (CW, ‘20), and Jordan Ward (CV, ‘20) Emma Weisbach (BR, ‘22) was cast in the Netflix original show Dead to Me. ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT Nelson Cade III (IM) received a four-chair-turn on the premiere of NBC’s The Voice season 16. To view his performance, please click here. Noah Rosen (CAH, ‘16) was featured in the German magazine BestChefs in a piece about his business, Forge to Table. FACULTY & STAFF ACHIEVEMENT Dr. Sarkis Baltaian, Director of the Instrumental Music Conservatory, released a new album titled Latin American Music for Two Pianos.
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2020
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Maya Alvarez-Coyne (CMD, ‘21), Mackenzie Auger (CMD, ‘20), Valerie Chen (CMD, ‘20), and Kailyn Yee (CMD, ‘22) were selected as semifinalists for The Music Center’s annual Spotlight Program, a free, nationally acclaimed scholarship and arts training program. The following students received prestigious 2020 Dragon Kim Fellowships from the Dragon Kim Foundation. This year’s fellowship awarded 23 innovative teams with five days of leadership training, a business mentor, and $5,000 in funding to execute an initiative to serve their community. OCSA’s recipients are listed below by team. Community in Concert: Sean Antongiorgi (IM, ‘21) and Hannah Noh (IM, ‘21) Team STEAM: Sophia Chun (CMD, ‘21) Films for our Future: Gabrielle Mikhail (CW, ‘21) and Christina Miles (CW, ‘21) The Orange County Register announced the nominees for the 7th annual Artist of the Year Award. This program highlights talented students across the county for their accomplishments in the arts. 750 students were nominated across 78 Orange County high schools, and each of these students has proven their abilities in their areas of expertise.
Film/Animation Animation and Visual Effects: Celeste McGee (DM, ‘20) and Maggie Mckelvey (FTV, ‘20) Cinematography: Adrian Dionisio (FTV, ‘20) and Conrad Holzman (FTV, ‘20) Directing and Editing: Faith Garcia (FTV, ‘20), Hannah Kim (FTV, ‘20), Blake Nielson (FTV, ‘20), Max Rogoff (FTV, ‘20), Hailey Marie Saga (FTV, ‘20), and Allee Stone (FTV, ‘20) Handcrafted Visual Arts Hand Drawing and Painting: Aleena Mufti Anand (VA, ‘20), Eena Cho (DM, ‘20), Claire Yesol Jun (VA, ‘20), Avalon Lafosse (VA, ‘20), Sheridan Lalicker (VA, ‘20), Danielle Rathbun (DM, ‘20), Trenyce Tong (VA, ‘21), Vu Nguyen QuynhAnh (VA, ‘21), and Suofei Wang (VA, ‘21) Sculpting and Metalwork: Rachel Joo (VA, ‘20) Instrumental Music Commercial and World/Cultural Music: James Bergren (PM, ‘20) and Christian Somoya (PM, ‘20) Jazz: Gabriel Gibb (PM, ‘20), Gianna Pedregon (IM, ‘21), and Reynaldo Soza-Sandoval (IM, ‘21) Piano and Strings: Sean Antongiorgi (IM, ‘21), Cece La Puma (IM, ‘20), and Katherine Wong (IM, ‘21) Winds and Percussion: Heera Kamaraj (IM, ‘20) Theater Acting: Jet Dean Armstrong (ACT, ‘20), Christina Tinde Jesenski (ACT, ‘20), Isabella Madrigal (ACT, ‘20), Emma Park (MT, ‘20), Ella Webb (ACT, ‘20), and Mariah Williams (MT, ‘20) Musical Theater Performance: Nathan Burke (MT, ‘20), Maggie Gidden (MT, ‘20), Mia Kaplan (MT, ‘21), Arielle Schmid (MT, ‘21), and Katie Steuernagal (IA, ‘20)
Computer-Assisted Visual Arts Computer Drawing and Painting: Mira Hirabayashi (VA, ‘20), Akira Quan (DM, ‘20), and Reiver Sage Smith (VA, ‘20) Graphic Design and Digital Illustration: Lindsay Yang (DM, ‘20) Dance Commercial Dance: Sophia Frilot (CMD, ‘20), Lilah Horton (CMD, ‘21), and Tallula Klass (IA, ‘21) Concert Dance: Corah Abbott (CCD, ‘20), Kaprice Janae Glen (CCD, ‘20), Riley Parrish (CCD, ‘20), and Rachel Ta (CCD, ‘21) World/Cultural Dance: Maya Alvarez Coyne (CMD, ‘21), Leonardo Chiriboga (BR, ‘20), Madeleine Lindbeck (BR, ‘20), Sofia Luchetti (BR, ‘21), Tonatiuh Luis-Martinez (BF, ‘20), and Isabella Orozco (BF, ‘20)
Vocal Music Classical Voice: Catherine Johnston (CV, ‘21), Grace Melody Juell (CV, ‘20), Ava Kuntz (CV, ‘21), Maggie Liu (CV, ‘20), Elizabeth Minerman (CV, ‘20), and Demmi Anna Ross (CV, ‘20) Commercial Voice: Ethan Danto (PM, ‘20) and Claire Serrano (PM, ‘20)
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Jodie Kiyokawa (MT, ‘21) co-starred in False Advertising, a short film that premiered at the Golden State Film Festival hosted at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT Ceci Balagot (MT, ‘19) was cast in the role of Clara on the new AMC anthology series Dispatches From Elsewhere, starring Jason Segel, Sally Field, Andre 3000, Eve Lindley, and Richard E. Grant. For more information about the show, please click here.
Isabella Madrigal (ACT, ‘20) was named a 2020 Coca-Cola Scholar in recognition of her superior leadership, service, and academics, as well as her efforts to positively affect others in her community. She received a $20,000 college scholarship and joined a network of more than 6,000 CocaCola Scholar alumni that encourage, challenge, and support each other in their common goal of making the world a better place.
Warren Hagerty (IM, ‘09) was featured in Orange Coast Magazine after being appointed Principal Cellist of the Pacific Symphony. FACULTY & STAFF ACHIEVEMENT
Caleb Malis (IA, ‘23) attended the red-carpet premiere for HBO’s six-part miniseries The Plot Against America, which premiered on Monday, March 16th. Caleb stars as Sandy Levin, an artistic teenager who rebels against his family, alongside co-stars Winona Ryder, John Turturro, and Zoe Kazan.
Janelle Kruly, Director of Public Relations and Communications, earned her APR (Accreditation in Public Relations) from the Public Relations Society of America, which reflects a mastery of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to succeed in the increasingly complex profession of public relations.
Elizabeth Minerman (CV, ‘20) won first place in the prestigious Schmidt Vocal Competition, taking home $2,500 for her incredible performance of “The Crucifixion” by Samuel Barber. Celine Ngo (ACT, ‘25) performed with her a cappella group, Acapop! KIDS, on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Sarah Parigela (IM, ‘23) won an international concerto competition and was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City over the summer. Jack Reid (ACT, ‘23) was cast in the role of Brian on Brat TV’s new mystery series, Stage Fright, a spin-off of the network’s popular Crown Lake series. Kyle Rumble (CV, ‘22) played the role of Friedrich in the La Sierra University Music Department’s production of The Sound of Music in Riverside. Hailey Somphone (CV, ‘22) and Meera Sriram (CV, ‘22) performed in the All-State Honor Choir Festival in Fresno. More than 1,800 vocalists from across the state auditioned for the premier vocal festival. Cooper Tomasick (MT, ‘22) received a full-ride scholarship for US Performing Arts Camps’ two-week Broadway Conservatory program at Pepperdine University in Malibu.
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2020 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Maya Alvarez-Coyne (CMD, ‘21) received the Music Center Spotlight Award for 2020 and was the grand prize winner in non-classical dance. Sean Antongiorgi (IM, ‘21) and Hannah Noh’s (IM, ‘21) project, “Community in Concert,” was featured in a Spectrum News article. To read the article, please click here. Jonathan Arendt-Rosenberg (VA, ‘20) was a featured model for a ready-towear high fashion website, H.Lorenzo, and modeled many of the men’s new arrivals for both national and international designers. He was also featured in a punk styling editorial for the Parisian fashion magazine Bello Mag. Marbella Bolognese (CW, ‘20) wrote an article about the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on her senior year that was published by the Los Angeles Times High School Insider. To read her article, please click here. Madeleine Chang (ACT, ‘25) played the role of Chen in episode six of the Apple TV series Little America, an anthology based on the true stories originally featured in Epic Magazine. Paige Comire (CAH, ‘22), Lizzy Garcia Sanchez (CAH, ‘20), Summer Rahim (CAH, ‘20), and Bella Vegh (CAH, ‘21) all received college scholarships from their placement in the virtual CA ProStart Cup. The Mekjian Family Culinary Arts & Hospitality Conservatory’s ProStart Management Team also took second place at the event. Ethan Danto (PM, ‘20) was named one of 621 semifinalists in the prestigious 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. The semifinalists were selected from nearly 5,600 candidates for their superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character, and involvement in community and school activities. Daria Good (ACT, ‘20) was named the first recipient of the Acting Conservatory’s Summer Acting Scholarship. Daria will embark on an allexpenses paid trip to London this summer to train at Mountview, one of the leading drama schools in the world.
Alana Harrison (MT, ‘21) was accepted into the MPULSE Musical Theatre Workshop hosted by the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. This renowned summer program is led by University of Michigan faculty members and graduates and is designed to expose students to rigorous collegiate training and campus life. Corey Hegel (IA, ‘20) was selected to be part of the research team at Bowers Museum. The Orange County Register announced the semifinalists for Artist of the Year, and OCSA had 28 students represented! Please click on the division titles below to view performance videos/portfolios and quotes from the students about their art. Computer-Assisted Visual Arts Computer Drawing and Painting: Mira Hirabayashi (VA, ‘20) Dance Commercial Dance: Sophia Frilot (CMD, ‘20), Lilah Horton (CMD, ‘21), and Tallula Klass (IA, ‘21) Concert Dance: Corah Abbott (CCD, ‘20) and Kaprice Janae Glen (CCD, ‘20) World/Cultural Dance: Maya Alvarez Coyne (CMD, ‘21), Leonardo Chiriboga (BR, ‘20), and Tonatiuh Luis-Martinez (BF, ‘20) Film/Animation Animation and Visual Effects: Maggie Mckelvey (FTV, ‘20) Cinematography: Adrian Dionisio (FTV, ‘20) and Conrad Holzman (FTV, ‘20) Directing and Editing: Blake Nielson (FTV, ‘20), Max Rogoff (FTV, ‘20), and Allee Stone (FTV, ‘20) Handcrafted Visual Arts Hand Drawing and Painting: Avalon Lafosse (VA, ‘20) Sculpting and Metalwork: Rachel Joo (VA, ‘20) Instrumental Music Jazz: Reynaldo Soza-Sandoval (IM, ‘21) Piano and Strings: Sean Antongiorgi (IM, ‘21) and Cece La Puma (IM, ‘20) Theater Acting: Isabella Madrigal (ACT, ‘20) and Christina Tinde Jesenski (ACT, ‘20) Musical Theatre Performance: Nathan Burke (MT, ‘20) and Maggie Gidden (MT, ‘20)
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2020 Vocal Music Classical Voice: Catherine Johnston (CV, ‘21), Grace Melody Juell (CV, ‘20), and Ava Kuntz (CV, ‘21) Commercial Voice: Ethan Danto (PM, ‘20) Aryan Simhadri (ACT, ‘24) played the lead role of Riyaz in the Netflix movie The Main Event released in April. Louis Tonkovich (MT, ‘20) received the Raoul Teilhet Scholarship Award in the amount of $3,000 from the California Federation of Teachers. ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT Alexa Cappelli (IM, ‘18) was featured in a Los Angeles Times article about her culde-sac performances that bring together her neighbors and lift their spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic. To read the article and watch an excerpt of her performance, please click here. Grace McLean’s (MT, ‘02) debut musical, In The Green, earned six nominations for the Lucille Lortel Awards, which recognizes excellence in off-Broadway theatre. To learn more, read the article featured on Playbill here. FACULTY, STAFF & SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT Acting Conservatory Instructor Lyndell Higgins and her husband created www.giveoxygen.com, a centralized resource for people to find information, tips, resources, and tools related to the COVID-19 pandemic. They released an opensource design for emergency back-up ventilators that can be made from common household tools. The open-source design is intended to aid countries that may not have enough manufacturing capabilities to meet the demand for ventilators. They are also working with medical professionals to submit the ventilator design for approval by the Food and Drug Administration so they can be used in the United States. The U.S. News & World Report released their 2020 high school rankings, and on the list of “Best Charter High Schools,” Orange County School of the Arts is #1 in Orange County, #11 in California, and #67 in the nation! OCSA was also ranked the #3 best public high school in Orange County. Click here to learn more.
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2020 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Sheridan Lalicker (VA, ‘20) received the Eugenia Love Arts Scholarship from the Assistance League of Orange.
Nazaneen Colton (IM, ‘23) received a silver medal in the Theme Festival Competition for her performance of Polichinelle in F# minor, Op 3, No 4 by Sergei Rachmaninoff. She was also accepted into the ninth level of the Music Teachers’ Association of California Certificate of Merit Branch Honors evaluation program.
Jagsher Mann (ACT, ‘25) won OCSA’s Vans custom shoe design competition after receiving the most likes on Instagram for his tie-dye design! Jagsher won a $50 Amazon gift card as a prize from the school. Linn Molin (CCD, ‘22) won the Moving Forward Dallas choreography contest and was awarded a scholarship to study with Madison Hicks at their summer intensive program in August. Linn also received the Judges’ Choice award from the Young Creators Challenge for another of her choreographic works.
Madelynn Dabbs (IA, ‘22) was accepted to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy College and Conservatory of Performing Arts (AMDA) Musical Theater Intensive in New York City for the summer. Ryan Flahrety (CAH, ’20) and her team of current OCSA students and alumni at TV Wasteland published an interview with Nicole Maines from the CW’s TV show Supergirl. The article was written by alumnus Matt Gannon (CW, ‘19). To read the article, please click here.
The Musical Theatre Conservatory’s unprecedented virtual edition of Now. Here. This. featured more than 30 students from the Musical Theatre, Acting, Production & Design, and Visual Arts Conservatories and garnered the attention of major theatre outlets such as Playbill, Broadway.com, and BackstageSoCal. Click here to watch the full-length production of Now. Here. This.
Sydney Kaminski (CCD, ‘21) was selected to participate in the 30th Annual Asian Pacific Youth Leadership Conference in Sacramento. This conference provides a select group of 50 Asian and Pacific Islander high school juniors and seniors from California with a unique opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the legislative process, community leadership, and political activism.
Alexander Niles (ACT, ’20) released his album, ALEX PLAYS ALEX, which is available on iTunes and all other digital platforms. This is his first album as a composer, singer, and keyboard player and features guest performances from award-winning jazz artists Claire Martin, Danny Gottlieb, Blake Aaron, and Martin Taylor. For more information about the album, please click here.
Emma Kay (ACT, ‘23) released a new single titled “Stars” under her performance name Emma Madison.
Adan O’Toole (VA, ‘22), with the help of many OCSA students, including Pierce Akers (IM, ‘22), Soren Almeida (FTV, ‘22), Justin Shin (FTV, ‘22), and Isabelle Tran (VA, ‘22), recreated an interior and exterior replica of OCSA’s campus in the popular video game Minecraft. Click here to view the project.
Hannah Kim (FTV, ‘20) was honored as a 2020 Orange County Chinese American Chamber of Commerce Foundation Scholar and will receive a $20,000 scholarship. Additionally, she received a $3,200 scholarship from the National Honor Society and the $1,500 Barbara Benson Memorial Scholarship from the Tustin Area Council of Fine Arts.
Ari Mateo Paltin (MT, ‘20) received both the Dean’s Award Scholarship and Theatre Award Merit Scholarship, totaling approximately $64,000, to attend Wagner College for Theatre Performance.
Ava Kuntz (CV, ‘21) was accepted into the MPULSE Musical Theatre Workshop hosted by the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. This renowned summer program is led by the University of Michigan faculty members and graduates and is designed to expose students to rigorous collegiate training and campus life.
Alexandra Valainis (VA, ‘21) was accepted into the highly competitive COSMOS program, a summer program that is designed for students who have demonstrated an aptitude for academic and professional careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
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To submit an accomplishment on behalf of an OCSA student, alumni, or faculty/staff member for a future edition of State of the Art, please visit www.ocsarts.net/StateoftheArt. Orange County School of the Arts | 1010 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92701 | (714) 560-0900 | success@ocsarts.net #weareocsa