MMA Cadets Earn Top Honors at 2026 National Military School Band & Choir Festival

Missouri Military Academy cadets competed at the 2026 National Military School Band & Choir Festival held at Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia, from Feb. 19 to Feb. 22. MMA cadets earned multiple first-chair honors, national medals and top choir awards, competing against military schools from across the country. Feature photo of the Academy Band from the 2026 Valentine's Day review.

At this prestigious annual event, cadets audition individually and are ranked from first chair to last chair before performing together in a combined festival ensemble. This year’s competition included exceptionally strong performances from both high school and collegiate-level participants.

MMA cadets earned the following honors in band competition:

• Cadet Heshun Xiao — 1st Chair Alto Saxophone and Gold Medal for Highest Overall Band Audition Score

• Cadet Ulis Gordon Jr. — 1st Chair Bass Clarinet

• Cadet Christopher Song — 2nd Chair Clarinet

• Cadet Gunnar Ward — 2nd Chair Mallet Percussion

• Cadet YiChen Chen — 4th Chair Clarinet

• Cadet William Creighton — 4th Chair Tuba

• Cadet Lucas Bergman — 6th Chair Battery Percussion

• Cadet James Farnell — 10th Chair Trumpet

Cadet Xiao achieved the highest overall score of all band auditions at the festival, including collegiate competitors, earning one of only four gold medals awarded during the weekend. Gold medals are presented to the top overall performers in band, choir, bagpipe and drum major categories. First-chair performers receive silver medals for their sections.

As a group, MMA also earned fourth place in the “Most Prepared Band” category, which averages audition scores across participating schools. MMA narrowly missed first place by fewer than seven points in one of the strongest competitive fields in recent years.

Choir competition at the festival features one combined choir made up of cadets from participating schools. All choir members perform together, while individual singers are evaluated throughout rehearsals based on vocal quality, work ethic, musicianship and leadership within the ensemble.

MMA cadets earned the two highest choir honors possible at the festival:

• Cadet Jacob Stallone — Best Tenor

• Cadet River Punab-Mitchell — Best Overall Choir Member (Gold Medal)

Cadets Stallone and Jesus Robinson were also selected as featured soloists during the choir performance.