On Feb. 4-7, 2026, the best high school band and orchestra students from Idaho will participate in All-State, an honorary performance, at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa. Being selected for All-State is a huge honor and shows dedication to musical excellence and discipline. Recently, I had the pleasure to interview five talented Timberline musicians who were chosen to perform there. Here’s a little bit about them.
Javier Feo-Fernandez (Sr.) has played the viola since he was ten years old. Besides being a member of the Timberline orchestra community, Javier is active in the Boise Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and continues to hone his craft alongside his private viola teacher, Jennifer. This year will be his third and last year as an All-State participant, but he still looks forward to it nonetheless. He remarked, “What drives my passion are the people I work with. I’ve always loved going to All-State… it’s been a great learning experience every time.” After college, he plans to major in music and bring his talent to university ensembles.
Hayoung Kim (So.) is another stellar member of the Timberline orchestra and plays the violin. For her, the joys of orchestra lie in the collaboration and camaraderie that playing as an ensemble entails. Her favorite aspects of orchestra include supporting each other within the community and forming strong bonds with the other members. Her excitement for All-State is quite tangible — she noted that she felt “grateful and honored to have been selected” and couldn’t wait to meet the rest of her section. Although she doesn’t plan to major in music after graduation, she hopes to continue playing as a way to de-stress from academics.
Lucy Brewton’s (Jr.) love for the flute is driven by her passion for performing and invoking emotion through her music. She shared that although it is sometimes challenging to maintain a healthy balance between consistent practice and schoolwork, band has helped her develop a lot of discipline in her life. Furthermore, she stated that performing and “hearing that final product culminate [after rehearsing for so long]” is incredibly rewarding. While this will be her second year participating in All-State, she is just as excited to play alongside other equally talented musicians. In college, she plans to continue her journey as a skilled flutist and audition for wind ensembles.
Anna Lim (So.) is another excellent Timberline flutist whose enthusiasm for band stems from the unique experience of making music as a collective group. Like Brewton, she noted that participating in band contributes to a greater sense of responsibility and cooperation, such as staying on track with a busy schedule. She also mentioned that everyone in the flute section is “incredibly supportive of one another” and looks forward to learning a lot at All-State this year. In the future, she plans to continue playing in musical groups at whatever university she attends.
Emma Chimenton’s (So.) passion for music began when she joined her school band at age twelve. She not only plays her flute as a way to de-stress and create art, but also enjoys the process of collaborating on a final product that listeners can appreciate. She also remarked that Timberline’s flute section makes her feel “very welcome and included” and that “it’s really amazing to have a bunch of other people who share the same passion for music as I do.” As for All-State, her eagerness to meet other musicians and collaborate in an ensemble is clearly evident. After high school, she hopes to stay involved in the music community, whether it be playing for an adult ensemble or performing at a university.
Hearing them share their thoughts about the upcoming event and what continues to drive their love for music is truly inspiring.
