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CUSD OC Artist of the Year nominees - CUSD Insider

CUSD OC Artist of the Year nominees

The Orange County Register held its annual Artist of the Year competition in April, showcasing the creative talents of high school students throughout the county. In the seven categories, CUSD had 89 students nominated for the distinguished awards. Of that group, 10 were named semifinalists and three were among the 35 finalists announced on May 1.

San Juan Hills senior Jadyn Fox was a finalist in Theater in the theatrical design specialty. Capistrano Valley junior Miguel Angel Tiscareno was a finalist in Instrumenal Music in the world/cultural and commercial music specialty. Tesoro senior Zach Pehrson was a finalist in Vocal Music in the commercial voice specialty.

Students were chosen by a panel of teachers based on written statements, performance videos or design portfolios, and artistic resumes. During the final round of adjudication, students are interviewed by a panel of distinguished artistic professionals and faculty members from Southern California universities as well as a few representative high school teachers. Interviews include a live presentation by the students followed by a quesiton-and-answer session.

OC Artist of the Year Semifinalists

Full list of CUSD students nominated for OC Artist of the Year (semifinalists in bold)

Name

School

Specialty

DANCE

Samantha Dwyer

SCHS

Commercial Dance

Riley Fox

DHHS

Commercial Dance

Grace Giranda

SCHS

Commercial Dance

Mercedes Granese

SJHHS

Commercial Dance

Jacey Greene

SJHHS

Commercial Dance

Taylor Harvey

SCHS

Commercial Dance

Ava Olsen

SJHHS

Commercia Dance

MK Sills

SJHHS

Concert Dance

Megan Tillotson

SJHHS

Concert Dance

Holly Walker

SJHHS

Concert Dance

Maddie Burks

SCHS

Street Dance

THEATER

Nathaniel W. Chin

SJHHS

Acting

Bella De Marco

THS

Acting

Molly Fineberg

THS

Acting

Kaasandra Georgi

SJHHS

Acting

Natalie Hidalgo

ANHS

Acting

Brielle Jenkins

SCHS

Acting

Tanner Lloyd

SCHS

Acting

Bailey Moroson

SJHHS

Acting

Alexa Rae Roemer

SJHHS

Acting

Alex Ushiyama

DHHS

Acting

Benjamin Yawn

SCHS

Acting

Alaina Arbiso

SJHHS

Musical Theater Performance

Erin Kathleen Brennan

ANHS

Musical Theater Performance

Liam Hallinan

SCHS

Musical Theater Performance

Daylene Iway

THS

Musical Theater Performance

Peyton Holloman

ANHS

Musical Theater Performance

Liv Hottinger

SCHS

Musical Theater Performance

Daisy Lynn Kopenhefer

SCHS

Musical Theater Performance

Marina Kosor

DHHS

Musical Theater Performance

Isabelle Le

CVHS

Musical Theater Performance

Abigail Matossian

SCHS

Musical Theater Performance

Christian D McCleary

SCHS

Musical Theater Performance

Andrea Nalbandian

SJHHS

Musical Theater Performance

Austyn Perrone

DHHS

Musical Theater Performance

Mikayla Procter

THS

Musical Theater Performance

William Redmond

SCHS

Musical Theater Performance

Amanda Shea

THS

Musical Theater Performance

Natalia Vassilian

THS

Musical Theater Performance

Sophia White

SJHHS

Musical Theater Performance

Regan Wood

THS

Musical Theater Performance

Taylor Zieienbach

SJHHS

Musical Theater Performance

Michala Ballard

DHHS

Theatrical Design

Nolan Crosby

SJHHS

Theatrical Design

Aishah Flores

SJHHS

Theatrical Design

Jadyn Fox

SJHHS

Theatrical Design

Carter Bradley

SCHS

Theatrical Design

Jessica Nero

THS

Theatrical Design

Leilani Obana

SJHHS

Theatrical Design

Kasey Rocha

DHHS

Theatrical Design

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

Emma Anousheh Azhan

CVHS

Piano and Strings

Evan Lipofsky

SCHS

Piano and Strings

Timothy Healy

CVHS

Winds and Percussion

Abigail Liebmann

CVHS

Winds and Percussion

Nicholas Legaspi

CVHS

World/Cultural and Commercial Music

Miguel Angel Tiscareno

CVHS

World/Cultural and Commercial Music

VOCAL MUSIC

Caroline Field

DHHS

Classical Voice

Melody Hancock

THS

Classical Voice

Christina Mueller

THS

Classical Voice

Claire Nguyen

SJHHS

Classical Voice

Abby Olson

THS

Classical Voice

Julia Tonai

SJHHS

Classical Voice

Lauren Trustee

THS

Classical Voice

Rebecca Bourne

SJHHS

Commercial Voice

Sage Escalante

DHHS

Commercial Voice

Raveena Khetarpal

SCHS

Commercial Voice

Zach Pehrson

THS

Commercial Voice

Natalia Vassilian

THS

Commercial Voice

Izzy Watts

THS

Commercial Voice

Alaina Arbiso

SJHHS

Non-Classical Voice

Leah Rachelle Cook

SJHHS

Non-Classical Voice

Molly Fineberg

THS

Non-Classical Voice

Priyana Khanna

THS

Non-Classical Voice

Peyton Kirkner

SJHHS

Non-Classical Voice

Daisy Lynn Kopenhefer

SCHS

Non-Classical Voice

Alysea Loreto

CVHS

Non-Classical Voice

Christian D McCleary

SCHS

Non-Classical Voice

Andrea Naibandian

SJHHS

Non-Classical Voice

Mikayla Procter

THS

Non-Classical Voice

Amanda Shea

THS

Non-Classical Voice

COMPUTER-ASSISTED VISUAL ARTS

Erica Sjoholm

DHHS

Computer Drawing and Painting

HANDCRAFTED VISUAL ARTS

Colleen Hilliard

CVHS

Ceramics

Middori McConathy

CVHS

Ceramics

Isabella Deacon

ANHS

Hand Drawing and Painting

Bethany Grabowski

CVHS

Hand Drawing and Painting

Sophia Hu

ANHS

Hand Drawing and Painting

Lee Hun Lim

CVHS

Hand Drawing and Painting

Edda Montenegro

ANHS

Hand Drawing and Painting

FILM AND ANIMATION

Elika Bathaee

CVHS

Directing and Editing

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