A U-High ninth grader claimed first place in the finals of the 2022 United States Marine Band concerto competition Feb. 19 in Washington, D.C. 

Violinist Henry Auxenfans’ rendition of the Allegro Molto Appassionato from Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor at the finals in the John Philip Sousa Band Hall at the Marine Barracks Annex earned him the victory.

Despite the competition from the five other young musicians selected from around the country, Henry didn’t feel any extra pressure.

“I just treated it like any other competition, with the same mentality of ‘just do your best,’” Henry said. “I was just trying to tell a story to the audience, which is the most important thing.”

As part of the first place prize, Henry will perform as a guest soloist with the United States Marine Band on April 3.

“I’m really looking forward to working with the conductor and the orchestra, and getting to know them. It’s such an honor to be able to play with them, because this institution is one of the oldest orchestras in the nation,” Henry said.

Henry encourages other Lab musicians to try out for the competition in future years. 

“It’s an amazing experience to be able to go to D.C. It’s a great city, the hall is a very nice place to play in, and you get to meet other musicians from around the country,” Henry said. “I think it’s a great experience that I will never forget, so I would definitely recommend it.”