Students from Advance and Clemmons earned National Federation of Music Clubs Festival Gold Cups from the NFMC Junior Festival for 2025, held annually on the campus of Wake Forest University, sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs.
The 2025 festival hosted 638 students. It gives musicians of all levels and abilities the opportunity to perform and receive yearly evaluations in a non-competitive environment, said Teresia Queen, their instructor.
“Participation promotes music study, stimulates interest in the musical literature, and encourages each student to reach a high standard of achievement. The program is nationally recognized and honors outstanding and excellent musicianship skills in all areas of music.”
Festival Gold Cups are earned in three-year increments when a student earns a score of Superior for each of three consecutive years.
The following local students earned their NFMC Festival Gold Cups for 2025:
Jax Andrews is the son of Adam and Allison Andrews of Advance. He will be an incoming sixth grader at Ellis Middle School in the fall.
Jax earned his NFMC Festival Gold Cups in Piano Solo, Piano Hymns, Musicianship/Theory and American Patriotic/Folk Songs. This was his first year to enter the Piano Duet with his duet partner, Alex Hirata. Both earned a score of Superior and are on track to receive their duet cup in 2027.
Jax is a member of Hillsdale Methodist Church in Advance.
Katelynn Beadle is a homeschool senior and holds dual enrollment at Forsyth Technical Community College. Upon completion of her senior year she will receive a two year associate degree.
Katelynn is a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, where she also plays the piano and organ; she is the daughter of David and Jeanette Beadle of Clemmons.
She is a consistent recipient of superior scores from the NFMC Wake Forest Festival. She has participated for the past seven years, and this year earned two 30 point Festival Gold Cups in Piano Solo and Piano Concerto. A 30-point cup represents six years in a single event with a score of Superior for each year. She is on track to earn her final 30 point cup in tSacred Music Piano Solo as a senior for Festival 2026.
This was the first year for Flora Hewitt to earn her NFMC Festival Gold Cups for her Superior work in the events of Piano Hymns, American Patriot/Folk Songs and Musicianship/Theory. Her NFMC journey started as a second grader and her cups represent three years of receiving Superior scores in each event.
She will be in the fifth grade at Shady Grove Elementary School in the fall and is the daughter of Brett and Ashley Hewitt of Advance. Flora competes in tPiano Solo and is on track to earn her 15-point cup in the 2026 Festival.
Garrison Hewitt will be in the eighth grade at Ellis Middle School in the fall. He is the grandson of Anthony and Sandra Carbone and Lorelei and Gary Hewitt. His parents are Brett and Ashley Hewitt of Advance.
Having entered the NFMC Festival at Wake Forest as a second grader, Garrison was able to earn his 30-point cups this year in Piano Hymns and American Patriotic/Folk Song – a high achievement for someone in the seventh grade. These cups represent six years of achieving a perfect score of Superior in each event.
Alex Hirata is the son of Tak and Jennifer Hirata of Advance and will be entering seventh grade at Ellis Middle School in the fall.
For 2025, Alex earned his first level Festival Gold Cups in Piano Solo and Piano Hymns, having earned his first cups this past year in his other music events. He has been a member of NFMC for four years and has earned all Superiors in all events each year.
He combined with friend and fellow student, Jax Andrews, to enter the Piano Duet event for 2025, and both received a score of Superior with a target date of Festival 2027 to earn their 15 point cups in duet.
Sean Lane is a June graduate of Davie High School. He has been accepted into the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC Chapel Hill for the fall. Sean has participated in the annual NFMC Festival event for eight years.
His senior year has been a stellar NFMC journey, having won the Cover Artist honor for the NFMC national magazine, Jr. Keynotes as well as having won the annual NFMC Poetry in Music writing contest for the Southeastern United States. He represented Wake Forest in the NCFMC state finals at UNCG, and won his Piano Hymns event and the scholarship for the American Patriotic/Folk Songs Piano Solo event.
In an effort to earn a 45 point Festival Gold Cup upon graduation from NFMC, Sean combined his efforts in both Piano Solo and Piano Concerto, in accelerated levels, and was successful in earning a Superior in both events. He was awarded one of only six 45 point cups earned across the state for 2025. He is the son of John and Jackie Lane of Advance, and continues to play at Wesley Chapel Methodist Church where he is the church pianist.
Nicholas Morris just completed his freshman year at West Forsyth High School and is entering the 10th grade in the fall. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Clemmons, and is the son of Bryan and Lisa Morris of Clemmons.
Nicholas earned two NFMC Festival Gold Cups in Piano Hymns and American Patriotic/Folk Songs for 2025. These cups represent three years of Superior scores. Nicholas had earned his 15 point cups in other festival events and is working toward his 30 point cup in Piano Solo.
Olivia Rareshide is the daughter of Steve and Melissa Rareshide of Advance. She attends Davie High School where she is an incoming sophomore.
Olivia started her NFMC journey as a seventh grader, and at the end of her ninth grade year has earned her 15-point NFMC Festival Cups with all scores of Superior for all three years. Her six events include: Piano Solo, Piano Concerto, Sacred Music Piano Solo, Piano Hymns, American Patriotic/Folk Songs and Musicianship/Theory. Her future NFMC plans include combining her Piano Solo and Piano Concerto points for the next three years, via an accelerated level, to earn the high honor of a 45 point Festival Gold Cup her senior year.
Alice Steuart is a rising seventh grade home-schooled student and is the daughter of Michael and Kristen Steuart of Advance.
She has been a member of NFMC for three years and received all of her event Festival Gold Cups from the Wake Forest Festival in 2025. Alice started her NFMC journey as a fourth grader, competing in all five events from the beginning. After three successful years of earning consecutive Superiors, she earned her 15 point cups in the events of: Piano Solo, Piano Duet, Piano Hymns, American Patriotic/Folk Songs and Musicianship/Theory. This past year she also earned the music studio award of “Top Memory Award” and received her second year of “Personal Best Memory” with Queen’s studio.
Many other of Queen’s students are in their first or middle years of earning Festival Gold Cup points and will earn 15 or 30 point cups in 2026 or 2027. inmcluding: Mallory Andrews, Kayla Ayers, Blythe Barnes, Gracyn Coleman, Emma Hagen, Viola Hewitt, Eleanor Hooker, Ella Interlandi, Brayden Kahler, Gabrielle McFarln, Sophia Penny, Afton Schnakenburg, Kenzie Smith and Sophie St. Clair. Their combined events include: Piano Solo, Piano Concerto, Piano Duet, Piano Hymns, American Patriotic/Folk Songs (both piano and voice), Sacred Music Piano Solo, Vocal Musical Theatre, Vocal Art Song and Musicianship/Theory.
“Congratulations to all students for their good work and commitment to being their best,” she said.