29th Annual NFMC/OFMC District Junior Music Festival 

Submitted by Natlynn Hayes, District 5, Poteau, Co-Chair 

The 29th Annual NFMC/OFMC District Junior Music Festival was held March 28th, 2026 at the First United Methodist Church in Poteau. 

There were 82 entries judged in multiple events. The district offered participation in 8 different events including:  

• Theory 

• Hymn Playing 

• Piano Solo 

• Piano Duet 

• Vocal Art Song 

• Vocal Musical Theatre 

• Vocal Musical Theatre Duet 

• Sacred Music Piano Solo 

The participating Junior Clubs included Nancy’s Nimble Fingers, Raegan’s Music Studio, M&M Music Studio, and Natlynn’s Voice Studio. Participating club teachers included Raegan Thomas, Ryan Pipkins, Nancy Pipkins, Natasha Rachamsetty, Moriah Schmidt, and Natlynn Hayes. Diann Henson, Moriah Schmidt, Taylor Schmidt, and Beth Wooldridge handled the Vivace Festival Information Program for our district and national reports. 

Judges for the festival were Christine Graham from Van Buren, AR and Shalyn Gallaway from Muskogee, OK. Pianists for the festival were Bill King, Diann Henson, and Alisha Smedley. 

Four events were represented by 25 participants chosen for the play/sing off competition. Some students were in multiple play/sing off events. The students in the play/sing off competition were: Claire Thompson, Joy McClendon, Paige Whitworth, Carsyn Thompson, Callie Phillips, Samantha Osterhout, Arizona Perry, Aria Hayes, Tiara Frazier, Psalm Yandell, Leah Hogan, Hudson Phillips, Elizabeth Perceful-Dale, Levi Hayes, Samuel Horne, Morgin Shockley, Evie Horne, McKenzie Staples, Violet Keller, and Chaya Rodgers. 

The winners and alternates of the play/sing offs and their events are as follows:  

• Pre-Primary Piano Solo-Elizabeth Perceful-Dale, winner 

• Lower Primary Piano Solo-Levi Hayes, winner 

• Lower Elementary Piano Solo-Carsyn Thompson, winner 

• Lower Junior Piano Solo-Samuel Horne, winner 

• Musically Advanced Piano Solo-Samantha Osterhout, winner 

• Lower Primary Piano Hymn-Claire Thompson, winner and Levi Hayes, alternate 

• Upper Primary Piano Hymn-Evie Horne, winner 

• Junior Piano Hymn-Caroline Thompson, winner and Aria Hayes, alternate 

• Elementary Vocal Art Song-Callie Phillips, winner and Joy McClendon, alternate 

• Junior Vocal Art Song-McKenzie Staples, winner and Aria Hayes, alternate 

• Senior Female Vocal Art Song-Tiara Frazier, winner 

• Musically Advanced Female Vocal Art Song-Psalm Yandell, winner

• Elementary Vocal Musical Theatre-Paige Whitworth, winner and Joy McClendon, alternate 

• Junior Female Vocal Musical Theatre-Chaya Rodgers, winner and Aria Hayes, alternate 

• Musically Advanced Female Vocal Musical Theatre-Psalm Yandell, winner 

 The winning students have qualified to advance to the Oklahoma Federation of Music Clubs State Competition in Ada, OK on Saturday, April 25th. The alternates are qualified to step in if the winner is unable to attend the state competition. 

The Poteau Musical Arts Club sponsors the festival each year for teachers with membership in the Oklahoma Federation of Music Clubs and the National Federation of Music Clubs. This year, the music club was thankful for the help of several members of the community and parents to work the event. For more information about this organization, you may call the PMA Club Vice President, Natlynn Hayes at 918-649-4012. 

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