WHS junior Lukus McIlhaney

Launch the media gallery 1 player

WHS junior Lukus McIlhaney

McIlhaney named winner of Orchestra Omaha's Young Artist Competition

WHS junior performs his concerto on Feb. 16 in Papillion (free & open to public)

by WHS Band Director Jason Smith

'O! What a Sound!'

Orchestra Omaha holds a Young Artists Competition during the fall of each concert season. The competition is open to all wind, brass, string, percussion, piano and harp students who reside in the state of Nebraska and identified counties in Western Iowa.

WHS junior Lukas McIlhaney is the orchestral winner of the Young Artist Competition this year!

Winners of this competition will be featured concerto soloists with Orchestra Omaha this February.

McIlhaney will be performing his concerto on Sunday, February 16 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 324 S. Jackson Street in Papillion, NE. Admission is FREE! Come out and support Lukas and enjoy great music!

Here is the official press release:
Lukas is a junior at Wahoo High School, and currently studies with Leslie Fagan. A member of the Omaha Area Youth Orchestra (OAYO) Youth Symphony, Lukas has been selected for numerous honor bands and festivals over the past several years. He is also a budding composer, having his original work, Shatter, premiered by the Omaha Chamber Music Society in 2012. Lukas will be performing the Hungarian Pastorale Fantasy for Flute and Orchestra by Franz Doppler.

This past November, Lukas performed with the 2014 All-State Orchestra. The All-State Performing groups are comprised of the best high school musicians from across the state of Nebraska.

Students have only a couple weeks to prepare difficult music for All-State week. For three days students come together to work with a nationally recognized musician/conductor/composer.

The last day of the convention students put on an evening concert. This is the second year Lukas has performed in an All-State ensemble!

Congratulations Lukus on another impressive accomplishment!

----------

Media Coverage: Please click HERE to read the Wahoo Newspaper's article "McIlhaney to perform in concerto" published Feb. 13, 2014

----------

Video below is of the Omaha Chamber Music Society performing Lukas McIlhaney's 'Shatter,' written in 2012 (Leslie Fagan - flute, Christi Zuniga - piano):