2026 Musician of the Year Award
Annemieke Pronker-Coron studied at the Amsterdam Sweelinck Conservatory in her native country, the Netherlands, where her teachers included baroque specialist Jaap Schröder. She went on to study music therapy in London. After starting her career in the Netherlands by playing in different orchestral settings and teaching violin, Annemieke went to the United States to do research in bluegrass fiddling and subsequently emigrated to Gainesville, Florida.
In Gainesville, Annemieke became a member of the Gainesville Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Raymond Chobaz. She built up a thriving violin and fiddle studio and became an active promoter of music in the community, bringing Dutch baroque specialist Jaap Schröder, Gypsy Jazz violinist, Tim Kliphuis, as well as bluegrass top fiddler, Byron Berline to Gainesville and the University of Florida. As a member of Magnolia Roots Music, she helped promote Roots music via helping facilitate workshops and concerts by national and international renowned musicians.
Annemieke helped inaugurate the Sawgrass Fiddle Contest and under her musical direction founded the Annasemble Community Orchestra, the Annasemble Chamber Orchestra and together with Angela Terrell: the Young Annasemble orchestra. She taught string programs in local schools, including at the Einstein School for children with learning disabilities as well as the after-school strings classes with Angela Terrell at the Caring & Sharing Learning school.
Annemieke was a member of the Alachua Consort, a baroque-focused trio with oboe and organ, and played electric violin in the Greek band EMBROS. Her research into different musical styles led her to write a book, in particular focusing on the similarity in techniques between baroque performance and fiddling; a book about closing the gap between violin playing and fiddling: The Bridge, Connecting Violin and Fiddle Worlds.
She lives in Gainesville with her husband Jonathan and son David.
2025 Sarah Baird Fouse Woodwind Award Winners
1st Place: zachary caldwell
Zachary Caldwell is a 10th-grade student in the Cambridge program at Gainesville High School. He is a member of the GHS Symphonic Band, under the direction of Bill Pirzer. His clarinet teacher is Dale Fedele, with whom he has taken lessons for four years. Zachary began playing the clarinet in the fourth grade and has played in the Alachua County Honor band for the past four years along with the Alachua County Youth Orchestra for the past three years. He has also received two superior ratings at state solo and ensemble, as well as four superior ratings at the district solo and ensemble. At the Stetson University Clarinet Clinic, he received the certificate of outstanding musicianship. Following high school, Zachary would like to go to the University of Florida to eventually study medicine. Following college, he would like to become a doctor and hopefully continue playing clarinet in his spare time.
2nd Place: angelina butcher
Angelina Butcher was born in California before moving to Ormond Beach, Florida in 2015. She started her journey playing flute at 7, before moving to Gainesville in 2022. Angelina earned a spot in the Middle School All-State band in 8th grade while attending Kanapaha Middle School, and again in 9th grade as she attended Buchholz High. She enjoys art and occasional baking, as well as participation in the Alachua County Youth Orchestra. Angelina currently takes flute lessons with Sydney Burton as well as being a 9th grader in the Buchholz Wind Symphony.
2025 Dorothy Reaves String Award Winners
1st Place: Isaac son
Isaac Son, a junior at Eastside High School, started playing the violin at the age of four and is a student of Dr. Janna Lower. Isaac has been a member of the Alachua County Youth Orchestra since the fifth grade and is currently serving as the concertmaster. He has participated in the All-State Orchestra and has won first place at the FFMC State Competition for multiple years in violin solo, concerto, and violin duet performances with his sister, Isabelle. Isaac has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in May 2026.
2nd Place: Hyunjin oh
Hyunjin Oh is a 9th-grade student at Eastside High School. She began playing the violin at the age of nine and currently studies with Ms. Jueun Warf. She is a member of the Alachua County Youth Orchestra and has participated in the Florida All-State ensembles from 2023 to 2026. Hyunjin received second prize at the Opus Concerto Competition and was a solo and duet winner at the FFMC State Junior Convention in 2025. She is a passionate musician who enjoys both solo and chamber performances.
2025 William Dishman Award Winners
1st Place: jack wiggins
Jack Wiggins is a sophomore at F. W. Buchholz High School. He currently plays Euphonium in the school's Wind Symphony, in which he has performed at the 2025 Music for All National Festival, 2026 FMEA President's Concert, and at Carnegie Hall, New York City in 2026 with this ensemble. Jack also participates in the school's top Jazz ensemble, Brass Quintet, Tuba Quartet, and Marching Band, as well as the Alachua County Honor Band 2023-2026 and the Florida All-State Band in 2024.
2nd Place: Zachary Bryan
Zachary Bryan is currently a sophomore at F. W. Buchholz High School. He serves as principal horn of the Buchholz Wind Symphony, the Buchholz Symphony Orchestra, and the Alachua County Youth Orchestra. Zachary has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York and the Music For All Convention in Indianapolis with the Buchholz Wind Symphony. He has also consistently received superior ratings at district solo and ensemble and superior with distinction at the state level. For the past two years, Zachary has been accepted to perform at the FMEA All-State Convention in Tampa. Zachary plans to pursue music in college.
2025 Betsy Schnell Piano Award Winners
MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARD: analaya “lui” muneepeerakul
Analaya "Lui" Muneepeerakul started playing music at 4, on the violin, and around a year later explored the piano (with Ms. Cindy Mueller), which felt more natural to him. He has won the 2020 FPM Sonatina Festival (Division I), the 2025 GMTA Virginia Clayton Summer Music Camp Award (Middle School), and the 2026 FSMTA District 3 Concerto Competition (Intermediate). He participated in the 2025 University of Florida International Piano Festival, which had further deepened his passion for the piano. He has been studying the piano under Dr. Evan Mitchell since Summer 2025. His favorite composers include Beethoven, Chopin, and Liszt, whose music he plays in the background during his daily activities. When not playing piano, Lui enjoys chess, math, and soccer.
HIGH SCHOOL AWARD: Claudia thomas
Claudia Thomas has played piano for seven years and is a student of Mika Fujita. She is a 9th grade dual-enrollment student at Florida Gateway College. Claudia is also the keyboardist for and a member of the percussion section of the Alachua County Youth Orchestra. She has attended music festivals at both Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan and the University of Florida on scholarship. She enjoys playing chamber music with family and friends.
Winners of the 2025 FPM Sonata/Sonatina Festival
Division I Winner: Ryan Li, student of Ruby Lee
Division II Winner: Victoria Xu, student of Juan Chen
Division IV Winner: Austin Liu, student of Mika Fujita
Division V Winner: Zixin Zhang, student of Mika Fujita
Division VI Winner: Nicanor Pérez-Bruzzone, student of Natsuko Eijiri
Division VIII Winner: Austin Li, student of Wanda Louie
Division IXa Winner: Elizabeth Annie Blay, student of Wanda Louie
Division IXb Winner: Adriel Tan, student of Wanda Louie
Division X Winner: Andrew Xiong, student of Hee Jung Kang