Students capped national win with gold ranking at state music contest
BLOOMINGTON, IN — The Hoosier Youth Philharmonic (HYP), the combined orchestras of Bloomington High School North (BHSN) and Bloomington High School South (BHSS), placed first as the highest-scoring ensemble in the High School String Orchestra AA category at the 2026 Festivals of Music competition, held on April 17 at the Kindig Performing Arts Center in Chicago. Shortly after, both orchestras earned a gold ranking at the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) statewide contest.
Sixty-eight student musicians from BHSN and BHSS participated in the competition. Their top placement reflects months of preparation, led by Monroe County Community School Corporation (MCCSC) orchestra teachers and HYP directors Joshua Balogh and Christopher Herz.
“I am incredibly proud of how well the students performed in Chicago. Every day, they have come to class with a positive attitude and a strong motivation to improve,” said MCCSC and HYP orchestra director Joshua Balogh. “This first-place finish is a testament to the hard work and dedication they have shown throughout the year.”
HYP is the culmination of the Monroe County Community School Corporation’s K–12 orchestra pathway, which begins with elementary strings and continues through middle and high school.
“HYP is a great opportunity for students from both schools to come together. It’s important for students to feel that sense of community and that drive to perform to the best of their ability,” said Christopher Herz, assistant director of MCCSC orchestras and MCCSC elementary strings coordinator.
Before teaching at the high school level, Herz previously taught in the MCCSC elementary strings program.
“I get to see so many of my students from four and five years ago here at the high school level. It’s wonderful to see that they’ve kept pursuing music and are enjoying it so much,” said Herz.
Student Perspectives
BHSS senior and HYP president Jonathan Massey said competing against other schools nationally was a different experience. Every year, North and South music students participate in the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) contest and receive ratings on their performances, but competing against other schools on a national level felt unique to many students.
“We know that we’re a pretty skilled group and we’re doing challenging music, but it was surprising to get the win,” said Massey. “We’re just proud of all the work we did.” Massey said that this year was challenging due to having only two seniors in HYP and a majority of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.
“For newer students, the musicianship is already there,” said Massey. “They all have a solid base, but it’s the being a whole group and performing as a unit — that’s what sets you apart. The younger players haven’t usually played with a group this size, so having a holistic and unified sound is really important.”
Massey, a violinist, said orchestra has been part of his education from an early age.
“I took part in the elementary strings program in fifth grade and continued through high school,” he said. “Orchestra has been a great place for community. It’s been where I’ve found a lot of my friends and is a ‘home base.’”
BHSS sophomore Evelyn Steele (left)
Bloomington High School South sophomore and cellist Evelyn Steele plays an important role in helping HYP students build that strong community. She serves as a freshman liaison and mentors new students.
“It has been a fun experience. I get to talk to the freshmen before trips and concerts and prepare them for what to expect,” she said.
Steele, who has been a cellist for six years, said everyone’s work in the classroom reflects in how well they perform.
“Just the way that people communicate to each other while we play music — the way that everyone has chemistry between each other is very helpful,” she said. “We all listen to each other and band together to get to this point.”
Bloomington High School North sophomore Allen Geier agreed.
“I like the atmosphere in class with Mr. Balogh. Making everyone have good relationships with each other is more important than people might think. If we’re all friends, we’re going to play together well. It’s like chemistry,” he said.
Geier joined the HYP orchestra last year. Previously, he took violin lessons through the IU Jacobs School.
“I’ve never been in an orchestra before,” said Geier. “Playing in class and then hearing it as a bigger group sounds great. I like everybody in orchestra — they’re all my friends and it’s nice being able to do something with all of them and play well. It feels like we accomplished something.”
Growing up with music — and giving back
Bloomington High School North senior Carlee Mueller has been playing viola for seven years. She started in the elementary strings program and has continued to progress as a musician.
“Music has become almost like a friend to me. There’s no better feeling than when the bow hits the string and you have these feelings — you can tell stories in other ways without words,” she said.
Now, her education has come full circle, and she tutors younger musicians.
“I give viola lessons to a child at Fairview every Friday through a student-run organization — shoutout to Melody Project!” said Mueller. “It’s just so good to see these kids finding this passion. Music can also express emotion, so I think it’s important for kids to have that creative outlet.”
Mueller, like many HYP students, said strong friendships and teachers helped everyone perform cohesively.
“I think our teachers are doing a wonderful job — I feel like they’ve proved their dedication to us and our program, and I don’t think any of us would want to have it any other way and we really cherish them,” she said.
Balogh said students and families have also shown great dedication.
“Performing in an ensemble is much like being part of a team, and the students truly demonstrated essential skills such as leadership, collaboration, and determination,” said Balogh. “I am also deeply grateful for our school community’s support of the arts, as well as for the parents who have driven their children to countless rehearsals and supported them in pursuing their musical goals.”
Herz also commended students and thanked families for their support.
“We are so, so grateful for the parent chaperones from both schools who helped with organizing,” he said. “I’m also so grateful for how amazing our students are each and every day — especially on this trip. Their dedication to HYP is just completely evident every minute along the way,” said Herz.