Stevenson High School sophomore Lincoln Tezak plays tuba in the concert and symphonic band program, and the sousaphone with the marching band.
By: Sarah Wright | C&G Newspapers | Published May 18, 2026
STERLING HEIGHTS — Stevenson High School sophomore Lincoln Tezak received a perfect score of 100 as a tuba soloist at the Michigan State Band and Orchestra Solo and Ensemble Festival on March 21.
The Michigan State Band and Orchestra Solo and Ensemble Festival allows students from different schools to perform, either alone or with a group, and receive feedback from judges on their performances. Students or groups who earn a rating of 1 (or “Superior”) at district-level festivals are qualified for the State Solo & Ensemble Festival.
“I also, in addition to being a band director, I’m also an adjudicator for solo/ensemble, and when Lincoln was performing at ensemble, I was adjudicating at another site and I didn’t give any perfect scores to any of the events in my room,” Stevenson High School band teacher Michael Yaros said.
“So, hearing he did that was incredibly awe-inspiring. . . . It’s not something that happens all the time,” Yaros said.
Tezak had been working on his solo piece since October. He also used his solo piece to audition for the Louis Gonda Memorial Music Scholarship and received $400.
“I was kind of in disbelief,” Tezak said. “I almost thought he was joking because . . . I knew I did really good, but I didn’t realize it was that good. I was honestly shooting for a 95, if I had gotten a 90 or 95, I would have been pleased with myself, and I’m like, OK, there’s no way I’m getting a perfect score,’ but that’s what I did.”
Tezak started playing tuba in the seventh grade. He plays tuba in the concert and symphonic band program, as well as playing the sousaphone, a marching tuba, with the marching band. Tezak previously had played bass guitar before joining the band program and deciding to play the tuba.
“I had played bass guitar, and tuba was pretty similar to that, and it was also really big, which I thought was cool,” Tezak said.
The award also earned him participation in the MSBOA’s recent brass chamber ensemble.
Tezak credits his band teachers, Yaros and Scott Condne, as well his family for his musical growth. He said the perfect score has only given him further energy for his career goal, which is to teach music.
For more information, visit uticak12.org and msboa.org.