2025 WSMA State Honors Concerts

12/22/2025 | 56m 48sVideo has Closed Captions

Enjoy highlights from Wisconsin’s top high school musicians performing in Madison.

The Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) State Honors Concerts showcase over 400 of Wisconsin’s most accomplished high school musicians. After spring auditions and a summer camp, students reunite in Madison each fall to perform in orchestra, band, jazz, mixed choir and treble choir ensembles. Recorded Oct. 30–31.

12/22/2025

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WSMA State Honors Concerts is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin

2025 WSMA State Honors Concerts

12/22/2025 | 56m 48sVideo has Closed Captions

12/22/2025

Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

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Arts and Music

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WSMA State Honors Concerts is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.

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- Announcer: The following program is a PBS Wisconsin original production.

[rousing orchestra music] - Narrator: Every year, over 400 of Wisconsin's most talented high school musicians participate in a unique program.

- Dan Sommerville: They do four pretty grueling days of rehearsals in the summer.

And then, we come back for two days here in Madison, and then take it to the top level.

- Narrator: Orchestra, band, jazz, treble choir, and mixed choir.

Five ensembles, one unforgettable experience.

- Tessa Benischek: It's a lot of work, but in the end, it all just creates something so beautiful.

- Narrator: Welcome to the 2025 Wisconsin School Music Association State Honors Concerts.

- Announcer: Funding for this program is provided by: the John W. and Lenore L. Landry Endowment, donors to the Focus Fund for the Arts, and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.

["El Vito" arr.

by Joni Jensen] ♪ Ah!

♪ [clapping] ♪ Con el vito vito vito ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito va ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito vito ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito va ♪ ♪ Yo no quiero que me miren ♪ ♪ Que me pongo colorá ♪ ♪ Yo no quiero que me miren ♪ ♪ Que me pongo colorá ♪ ♪ Las solteras son de oro ♪ ♪ Las casadas son de plata ♪ ♪ Las solteras son de oro ♪ ♪ Las casadas son de plata ♪ ♪ Las viuditas son de cobre ♪ ♪ Y las viejas de hojalata ♪ ♪ Las viuditas son de cobre ♪ ♪ Y las viejas de hojalata ♪ [clapping] ♪ Con el vito vito vito ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito va ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito vito ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito va ♪ ♪ No me mires a la cara ♪ ♪ Que me pongo colorá ♪ ♪ Yo no quiero que me mires ♪ ♪ Que me vas a enamorar ♪ ♪ Ah!

Ah!

♪ ♪ Ah!

♪ [gentle piano accompaniment] ♪ Una malagueña fue a Sevilla ♪ ♪ A ver los toros ♪ ♪ Una malagueña fue a Sevilla ♪ ♪ A ver los toros ♪ ♪ Y en la mitad del camino ♪ ♪ La cautivaron los moros ♪ ♪ Y en la mitad del camino ♪ ♪ La cautivaron los moros ♪ ♪ Las solteras son de oro ♪ ♪ Las casadas son de plata ♪ ♪ Las solteras son de oro ♪ ♪ Las casadas son de plata ♪ ♪ Las viuditas son de cobre ♪ ♪ Y las viejas de hojalata ♪ ♪ Las viuditas son de cobre ♪ ♪ Y las viejas de hojalata ♪ ♪ Con el vi, con el vi ♪ ♪ Con el vi, con el vi ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito vito ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito va ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito vito ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito va ♪ ♪ Yo no quiero que me miren ♪ ♪ Que me pongo colorá ♪ ♪ Yo no quiero que me miren ♪ ♪ Que me pongo colorá ♪ ♪ Ah!

Ah!

♪ [trilling] ♪ Con el vito vito vito ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito va ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito vito ♪ ♪ Con el vito vito va ♪ ♪ Ah!

Ah!

♪ ♪ La!

♪ [stomp] [audience applauds and cheers] [ Four Scottish Dances by Malcolm Arnold] [rousing band music] [ Four Scottish Dances by Malcolm Arnold] [ Four Scottish Dances by Malcolm Arnold] [ Four Scottish Dances by Malcolm Arnold] [audience applauds and cheers] ["Apple Tree" by AURORA, arr.

by Katerina Gimon] [rhythmic percussion] ♪ All of my life I've been hunting ♪ ♪ I've been a girl, I've been a boy ♪ ♪ Digging my feet into the ground ♪ ♪ Like an apple tree ♪ ♪ Wanting to live with a purpose ♪ ♪ Skin is a word, love is not a sin ♪ ♪ People are bad, people are good ♪ ♪ Just like the moon is a stone ♪ ♪ But it's a star when it's dark ♪ ♪ And now she's hiding ♪ ♪ Yea ee eh ♪ ♪ If you've seen what a heart is ♪ ♪ You've seen its color ♪ ♪ If I ever knew how we could guide it ♪ ♪ Yea ee eh ♪ ♪ I would take care of its children ♪ ♪ Become their mother ♪ ♪ If I ever knew ♪ ♪ How we could hide it ♪ ♪ Hide it, ha ha ♪ ♪ Let her save the world ♪ ♪ She is just a girl ♪ ♪ Let him save them all ♪ ♪ He is just a boy ♪ ♪ Let her save the world ♪ ♪ She is just a girl ♪ ♪ Let him save them all ♪ ♪ He is just a boy ♪ [rhythmic percussion] [rhythmic clapping] ♪ Hunger is quiet if you do it right ♪ ♪ Hunter is loud and predictable ♪ ♪ Scaring away every prey ♪ ♪ So they are gone ♪ ♪ Before the hunter arrives ♪ ♪ Would you be kind and put away your sword?

♪ ♪ You cannot cut away what we got ♪ ♪ You cannot kill what we are ♪ ♪ We are not here ♪ ♪ In physical form ♪ ♪ You've seen where the knife is ♪ ♪ Its dark location ♪ ♪ If I ever knew how ♪ ♪ We could fight it, fight it ♪ ♪ I would cut into our anger ♪ ♪ Make pure emotion ♪ ♪ If I ever knew how ♪ ♪ We could hide it ♪ ♪ Hide it, ha ha ♪ ♪ Let her save the world ♪ ♪ She is just a girl ♪ ♪ Let him save them all ♪ ♪ He is just a boy ♪ ♪ Let her save the world ♪ ♪ She is just a girl ♪ ♪ Let him save them all ♪ ♪ He is just a boy ♪ [rhythmic drumming and clapping] ♪ Hah yah oh wah ♪ ♪ Hoh yeh oh ho ♪ ♪ Ah ah ah hah ♪ ♪ Can you carry the weight ♪ ♪ Of mortality?

♪ ♪ Ah ah ah hah ♪ ♪ The explosions around you ♪ ♪ Are your symphony ♪ ♪ Let her save the world ♪ ♪ She is just a girl ♪ ♪ Let him save them all ♪ ♪ He is just a boy ♪ ♪ Let her save the world ♪ ♪ She is just a girl ♪ ♪ Let him save them all ♪ ♪ He is just a boy ♪ [audience applauds and cheers] - Mariana Farah: I think everybody can connect through music, through text, through singing together.

In an ensemble, people learn the value of listening to each other, right?

You have to listen and you have to engage with other ideas, you have to honor other experiences and then bring them all together.

So, whether it's in school, whether it's in our community, whether it's here in this performance space, the arts are really essential for humanity.

["Cirandas Brasileiras" by Dr.

Matheus Cruz] ♪ Ciranda ciranda ♪ ♪ Ciranda ciranda ♪ ♪ Ciranda ciranda ♪ ♪ Ciranda ♪ ♪ Ciranda ♪ ♪ Mandei fazer uma casa de farinha ♪ ♪ Bem maneirinha que o vento possa levar ♪ ♪ Oi passa sol, oi passa chuva, oi passa vento ♪ ♪ Só não passa o ♪ ♪ Ciranda ♪ ♪ Movimento do cirandeiro a rodar ♪ ♪ Achei bom bonito, meu amor brincar ♪ ♪ Ciranda maneira ♪ ♪ Vem cá cirandeira, vem cá balançar ♪ ♪ Mandei fazer uma casa de farinha ♪ ♪ Bem maneirinha que o vento possa levar ♪ ♪ Oi passa sol, oi passa chuva, oi passa vento ♪ ♪ Só não passa o ♪ ♪ Movimento do cirandeiro a rodar ♪ ♪ Pá pá ra pá, pá pá ra pá ♪ ♪ Pá pá ra pá, pá pá ra pá ♪ ♪ Pá pá ra pá, pá pá ra pá ♪ ♪ Pá pá ra pá, pá pá ra pá ♪ ♪ Quando a morena ♪ ♪ Quando a morena ♪ ♪ Brinca na beira do mar ♪ ♪ Levanta a saia ♪ ♪ Pra não molhar ♪ ♪ Ha vem cirandeiro ♪ ♪ Ha vem com a morena dancar ♪ ♪ Ciranda vem balançar ♪ [rhythmic clapping] ♪ Quando a morena ♪ ♪ Brinca na beira do mar ♪ ♪ Levanta a saia ♪ ♪ Pra não molhar ♪ ♪ Quando a morena ♪ ♪ Brinca na beira do mar ♪ ♪ Brinca na beira do mar ♪ ♪ Brinca na beira do mar ♪ ♪ Ciranda vem balançar ♪ ♪ Ciranda vem balançar ♪ ♪ Ha vem com a morena dancar ♪ ♪ Quando a morena ♪ ♪ Brinca na beira do mar ♪ ♪ Brinca na beira do mar ♪ ♪ Brinca na beira do mar ♪ ♪ Ciranda vem balançar ♪ ♪ Pá pá ra pá, pá pá ra pá ♪ ♪ Pá pá ra pá, pá pá ra pá ♪ ♪ Pá pá ra pá, pá pá ra pá ♪ ♪ Pá pá ra pá ♪ ♪ Ciranda pa ♪ [audience applauds and cheers] ["Nimrod" from Variations on an Original Theme by Edward Elgar] [bright orchestral music] ["Nimrod" from Variations on an Original Theme by Edward Elgar] ["Nimrod" from Variations on an Original Theme by Edward Elgar] ["Nimrod" from Variations on an Original Theme by Edward Elgar] [audience applauds] - Michael Dease: Ah one, two, three!

["Roll 'Em" by Mary Lou Williams] [piano solo] [audience applauds and cheers] [saxophone solo] [audience applauds and cheers] [trumpet solo] ["Roll 'Em" by Mary Lou Williams] [audience applauds and cheers] Yeah, "Roll 'Em" by Mary Lou Williams.

- Shanti Simon: To be able to make art at this high level is truly incredible.

And you know, regardless of the next steps that each of these students takes in their lives, they will always have this gift of music.

And music, as we know, has the power to build connections.

So my hope for all of you on stage is that you take your gift of music, and you use it in whatever you end up doing in this world to build connection with people.

So, thank you, thank you, thank you so much.

How about another round of applause for the students?

[audience applauds] [ Danzón No.

2 by Arturo Marquez] [gentle tango-style band music] [gentle oboe solo] [bright tango-style band music] [ Danzón No.

2 by Arturo Marquez] [bright piccolo solo] [ Danzón No.

2 by Arturo Marquez] [gentle woodwind music] [ Danzón No.

2 by Arturo Marquez] [gentle clarinet and flute music] [rousing band music] [rousing trumpet music] [ Danzón No.

2 by Arturo Marquez] [bright piccolo music] [bright ending note] [audience applauds and cheers] ["The Reborn Sun" by Faith Zimmer] [bright piano accompaniment] ♪ Let us bless the power ♪ ♪ Of the reborn sun ♪ ♪ With all the universe ♪ ♪ Let us celebrate its return ♪ ♪ Crowned with splendor ♪ ♪ It rises, it soars ♪ ♪ The waking of the earth ♪ ♪ Is a hymn of love ♪ ♪ Seven rushing ♪ ♪ Seven rushing steeds ♪ ♪ Seven rushing ♪ ♪ Seven rushing steeds ♪ ♪ Seven rushing steeds ♪ ♪ That God scarcely holds back ♪ ♪ Ignite the horizon ♪ ♪ With their scorching breath ♪ ♪ Ignite the horizon ♪ ♪ With their scorching breath ♪ ♪ Oh, vivid sun, you appear!

♪ ♪ Oh, vivid sun ♪ ♪ With the fields in bloom ♪ ♪ The mountains, the thick forest ♪ ♪ The vast sea set ablaze ♪ ♪ By your fire!

♪ ♪ The universe, younger and fresher ♪ ♪ The universe, younger and fresher ♪ ♪ With morning vapors ♪ ♪ Is glistening, glistening, glistening with dew ♪ ♪ Let us bless the power ♪ ♪ Of the reborn sun ♪ ♪ With all the universe ♪ ♪ Let us celebrate ♪ ♪ Let us celebrate its return ♪ ♪ Crowned with splendor ♪ ♪ It rises ♪ ♪ Crowned with splendor ♪ ♪ It rises, it rises, it soars ♪ ♪ The waking of the earth ♪ ♪ Is a hymn of love ♪ ♪ The waking of the earth ♪ ♪ Is a hymn of love ♪ [gentle piano accompaniment] [audience applauds] ["Jong Jong Inai" arr.

by Tracy Wong] ♪ Jong jong jong jong jong ♪ ♪ Jong jong jong jong jong ♪ ♪ Jong inai, jong inai ♪ ♪ Jong inai, jong inai ♪ ♪ Jong inai, jong inai ♪ ♪ Rajawali ♪ [snapping] ♪ Jong jong inai ♪ ♪ Mak Ipong Rajawali ♪ ♪ Jong jong inai ♪ ♪ Mak Ipong Rajawali ♪ ♪ Jong jong inai ♪ ♪ Mak Ipong Rajawali ♪ ♪ Sepak tunggul inai ♪ ♪ Berdarah ibu kaki ♪ ♪ Jong jong inai ♪ ♪ Mak Ipong Rajawali ♪ ♪ Sepak tunggul inai ♪ ♪ Berdarah ibu kaki ♪ ♪ Semangkuk jeluk, sepinggan dadar ♪ ♪ Tak cukup pulut, tambah nasi dagang ♪ ♪ Semangkuk jeluk, sepinggan dadar ♪ ♪ Tak cukup pulut, tambah nasi dagang ♪ ♪ Jong jong jong, jong jong jong ♪ [clapping] ♪ Jong Ipong wali!

♪ ♪ Jong hey jong hey pong ♪ ♪ Raja wali wali ♪ ♪ Jong hey jong hey pong ♪ ♪ Rajawali ♪ ♪ Jong jong inai ♪ ♪ Mak Ipong Rajawali ♪ ♪ Sepak tunggul inai ♪ ♪ Berdarah ibu kaki ♪ ♪ Jong jong inai ♪ ♪ Mak Ipong Rajawali ♪ ♪ Sepak tunggul inai ♪ ♪ Berdarah ibu kaki ♪ ♪ Semangkuk jeluk, sepinggan dadar ♪ ♪ Tak cukup pulut, tambah nasi dagang ♪ ♪ Semangkuk jeluk, sepinggan dadar ♪ ♪ Tak cukup pulut, tambah nasi dagang ♪ ♪ Jong jong jong, jong jong jong ♪ ♪ Jong Ipong wali!

♪ ♪ Jong hey jong hey pong ♪ ♪ Raja wali wali ♪ ♪ Jong hey jong hey pong ♪ ♪ Rajawali ♪ ♪ Jong jong inai ♪ ♪ Mak Ipong Rajawali ♪ ♪ Sepak tunggul inai ♪ ♪ Berdarah ibu kaki ♪ ♪ Jong jong inai ♪ ♪ Mak Ipong Rajawali ♪ ♪ Sepak tunggul inai ♪ ♪ Berdarah ibu kaki ♪ ♪ Sepak tunggul inai ♪ ♪ Berdarah ibu kaki ♪ ♪ Sepak tunggul inai ♪ ♪ Berdarah ibu kaki ♪ ♪ Sepak tunggul inai ♪ ♪ Berdarah ibu kaki ♪ ♪ Jong inai jong inai ♪ ♪ Jong inai jong inai ♪ ♪ Jong inai jong inai ♪ ♪ Jong inai jong inai ♪ ♪ Rajawali ♪ [audience applauds and cheers] [Symphony No.

4, mvt.

IV by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky] [rousing orchestra music] [Symphony No.

4, mvt.