From elementary to high school, Ladue Schools students continue to make their mark in music!

Congratulations to the talented musicians from Ladue Horton Watkins High School who earned spots in the All-Suburban High School Honors Orchestra, Concert Band, and Jazz Band. These students were selected through highly competitive blind auditions against peers from across the region and will soon take the stage for performances celebrating their musical excellence.

All-Suburban Honors Orchestra Students

• Darren Lee, 2nd Violin (14th chair)
• Kevin Liu, 1st Violin (8th chair)
• Akiya Naka, 1st Violin (11th chair)
• Maame Ekua Nsaful, 2nd Violin (8th chair)
• Gavin Rao, Viola (9th chair)
• Louis Shen, 1st Violin (14th chair)
• Frank Tian, Cello (7th chair)
• Miyasi Welivita, 2nd Violin (9th chair)
• William Weltig, 1st Violin (15th chair)

All-Suburban Honor Concert Band Students

• Aidan Antony, Flute (10th chair)
• Kai Chen, Alto Saxophone (1st chair)
• Anna Drescher, General Percussion (6th chair)
• Miles Grossman, Trombone (2nd chair)
• Calvino Hammerman, Clarinet (4th chair)
• Ayden Huang, Clarinet (20th chair)
• Matilda Kim, General Percussion (5th chair)
• Kimmi Lin, Timpani (1st chair)
• Norah Murphy, General Percussion (3rd chair)
• Rishi Suri, Alto Saxophone (1st alternate)
• Eric Tang, Timpani (2nd chair)
• Tracy Wu, Flute (9th chair)
• Serenity Xu, Timpani (2nd alternate)
• Jin Zhang, Clarinet (7th chair)
• Felix Zhang, Clarinet (3rd chair)
• Angella Zhang, Timpani (1st alternate)

All-Suburban Honor Jazz Band Students

• Silas Baltzell, Jazz Guitar (1st alternate)
• Samarth Donakanti, Jazz Vibes (1st alternate)

These students will perform at LHWHS on Saturday, January 10, 2026 (Orchestra) and at Lindbergh High School on Sunday, January 11, 2026 (Concert and Jazz Bands). Many will also advance to audition for the Missouri All-State Band in December.

Big congratulations also go to LHWHS seniors Norah Murphy and Anthony Zhao, who have earned a spot in the Missouri All-State Choir—an exceptional honor achieved by only four students per voice part out of 564 singers from the St. Louis Suburban District. They will travel to Osage Beach, Missouri, to perform alongside the state's top performers at the 88th Annual Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) Conference, January 27-31.

The celebration doesn’t stop at the high school level—our younger musicians are also earning impressive honors. Ten Ladue fourth- and fifth-grade students were selected for the Missouri All-State Children’s Choir and will also perform at the MMEA Conference in Osage Beach on January 27, 2026.

Missouri All-State Children’s Choir Members

• Gaby Allen
• Layla Frisch
• Leo Gao
• Keira He
• Lena Luo
• Ethan Pan
• Alina Raghuram
• Riley Rau
• George Yuan
• Chloe Zhang

Ladue’s tradition of musical excellence continues to grow at every level. Be sure to check out our recent story, which highlights the achievements of middle school band and orchestra students.

A heartfelt thank-you to the dedicated music educators and staff across our district who inspire, guide, and support our students in reaching these incredible milestones.