BY MARIA AMOR ANTINIERO
The Region 1 Music Festival took place in Dillingham, Alaska, on April 10th and 11th, 2026. The five schools that attended the festival were Kotzebue, Bethel, Nome, Dillingham, and your very own Unalakleet Wolfpack. Our music teacher, Mrs. Samanthah Towarak, brought eight students to Dillingham, including Ayuu Roesch, Emily Dickens, Kathrynne Dixon, and Caelyn Attatayuk, and three students who opted into the Solo and Ensemble competition: Isabella Eller, Maria Amor Antiniero, and Harold Antiniero.
Sophomore Isabella Eller qualified for the All-State Music Festival, which will be held in Anchorage on May 7th, 2026, with two superior performances. Her first performance was a vocal solo of "Dreamer” by Laufey, and her second performance was an alto saxophone solo of “Andante” by Joseph Haydn. When asked about her experience, she responded with, “I really liked playing with the pianist; it makes everything feel better. I also enjoy playing in a big band and being in a large choir. I had fun.”
On April 9th, upon arrival, the musicians gathered in the Dillingham gym, where each school was welcomed. The host then introduced the choir director, Teryn Gervais, the band director, John Stewart, and finally the pianist, Andrew Metz.
On the 10th, Day One of the Festival, adjudications took place, where soloists and ensembles performed in front of judges to qualify for state. This day was a highlight for Harold Antiniero who did a solo of “Pink Panther” with his instrument, the tenor saxophone. “I felt scared, but at the same time excited to do it. It was an unforgettable experience.” Later in the evening, they had a concert where individual schools performed, and there was a game/movie night after.
Finally, on Day Two, April 11th, was the grand concert, where the musicians combined to perform as a band and a choir, and the students that qualified for state performed in a Command Performance. Hearing a huge band and being able to play with a bunch of people from other schools was a highlight for vocalist and trumpet player Ayuu Roesch. She stated, “It was fun to go back for my final year, especially after participating for four years.”
After everything was done, they had a school dance that gave the students a blast!
Miss Sam shared, ”I feel like the music festival is a great opportunity to gather students from different schools and play music together.”
You can have a chance to see some of their performances at the upcoming Spring Concert on May 6th, 2026, at 7:00 P.M. in the Unalakleet School gym. See you there!