Whiz Kids: Lakewood Students Get Regional, State Orchestra Honors

Beth Hankins, the director of ’s orchestra, has a music program to be proud of.

This week, she’s got 13 new reasons.

That’s how many Lakewood students who were selected for the elite Ohio Music Education Association’s Northeast Region Orchestra. 

Every Lakewood student who auditioned for the select group on Sept. 24 was chosen.

Of those who auditioned for the Region Orchestra, six musicians were named to the prestigious All-State Orchestra — the highest number for any school in Northeast Ohio. Three more were named alternates.

“The kids — and their parents — are really fantastic,” Hankins said. “These kids work hard. They understand that if they work hard, positive things will happen.”

At the audition, the Lakewood students individually performed “New World Symphony” by Dvorak.

Chelsea Polk, a junior at Lakewood High School who was one of the half-dozen students selected to the All-State Orchestra, gave credit to her teacher, Hankins. 

“She’s strict, but in a good way,” said Polk, a cellist who was one of the four who qualified for All-State last year. “We all listen to whatever she says. She pushes us.”

Joining Polk on the Regional Team from Lakewood are: Andy Peng, violin, who will sit first chair violin and serve as the orchestra’s concertmaster; Cooper Brown, violin; Kendall King, violin; Claire Gliozzi, violin; Devon Caskey, viola; Zach Prebal, viola; Bea Aldrich, viola; Danny Toner, cello; Moira Horn, cello; Matt Sims, cello; Jenny Hood, bass; and Katie Reading, harp.

The students will participate in the Region Orchestra, performing at Cleveland State’s Wolstein Center 3 p.m. Nov. 8 at 3 p.m.

Participants in OMEA’s All-State Orchestra, which will perform in Columbus at the OMEA conference in February, are: Peng; Caskey, Polk, Toner, Hood and Reading, who will play harp if the ensemble uses the instrument in its arrangements. Alternates are Brown, Horn and Prebel.

“We all work together,” said Polk, who practices two hours each day. “You really have to love music to be so dedicated to it.” 

Hankins said that many of her students are bound for distinguished music colleges — and careers in the field.

“They challenge themselves for a higher level of achievement,” she said. “Before I even started teaching in Lakewood 21 years ago, music has always been essential here — that’s a community feeling. The administration has always given us the support and the resources to give the kids as many opportunities as possible. I have one goal: That they always sound fantastic.”