Seven Standout Students Named 2026 Artists of the Year
- Heide Janssen
- 4 hours ago
- 7 min read
In it's 13th season, Orange County's Artist of the Year program has finally whittled down the 888 students nominated this year to the top seven arts students in the county in 2026.
Originally developed by as a program for the Orange County Register's Varsity Arts coverage with the help of over 50 teachers, this program has continued to grow, with this year's winners were announced during a celebration at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall on May 13.
The 2026 Artists of the Year are:
The Judy Morr Award for DANCE
Rio Gomez
Fullerton Union High School
“Artists are defiant. We reject the status quo, forging our own pathway. Artists are often met with disdain: people wonder why we choose such a ‘fickle’ and ‘unstable’ field. However, an artist’s innate defiance reaps the best art. Defying norms forces people to tap into a novel school of thought. I think of Igor Stravinsky’s ballet ‘The Right of Spring,’ a bizarre mess to the audience of the early 20th century, but a masterpiece to the 21st century generation of artists. Artists like Stravinsky make waves in society through their deviance.”
Read the full profile at The Orange County Register
FILM and TV
Christopher Blocher
Los Alamitos High School
“Being in film and TV as influenced my perspective to view everything as art. Once you do that, you can find the beauty in everything. With everything I look at I ask myself what could be filmed that would replicate that, but without showing it. It’s taught me to stay grounded, and to have an open eye and mind to everything and everybody. It’s taught me to work with others, to take constructive criticism, and most importantly, it’s taught me how to be myself.”
Read the full profile at The Orange County Register
FINE ARTS
Lucius Acker
Esperanza High School
“Art isn’t so much a message as it is a process. Every artist must love their process, no matter how tedious it is because being an artist means you have greater capacities to love. It means that you knowingly pursue what you love to do, and process your feelings through that love as if it were the only way. The best I can do is live through my process and the products that come out of it will speak for themselves.”
Read the full profile at The Orange County Register
The Pacific Symphony Award FOR INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Naomi Gesk
University High School
“I first encountered the healing power of music as a volunteer harpist performing at UCI Medical Center. I saw how the sounds of the harp could calm a patient’s breathing, relax a parent’s shoulders, or spark a nurse’s smile. ...As an artist, I want to share the harp's emotional and restorative effects through performance while serving my community and hopefully a broader audience. I can also see myself pursuing research related to music in an academic setting, as I am fascinated by the connection between music and human well-being.”
Read the full profile at The Orange County Register
MEDIA ARTS
Angela Nguyen
Magnolia High School
“Without art, I would’ve never embraced asking for and receiving critique, a key trait for improving in any area of life. My passion for art pushed me to self-advocate; I requested to take AP Art despite it not being an available course at my school. Thanks to my initiative, I’m the only AP Art student in my school, the first in five years. The media arts taught me how to establish and strengthen communities. I volunteered at my school’s first student art gallery, creating a connection between artists at my high school and the wider community.”
Read the full profile at The Orange County Register
The SEgerstrom Center for the Arts Award for Theater
Gavin Shams
St. Margaret's Episcopal School
“I truly want what I do in the theater to be a big part of my future, and I want the art that I create to be something truly amazing that is able to connect others and make the arts accessible to countless people. For me as an artist and as a person, I can not think of a more magical place to create these experiences for others than at Disney. Disney has always been a huge part of my life, from me going to the parks for every birthday, or to me wanting to be the only one in the group to stay late to see the fireworks and light beams ignite the night sky. Disney has taught me so much through their incredible stories all throughout my life.”
Read the full profile at The Orange County Register
The Pacific Chorale Award for Vocal Music
Lexie Shehab
Orange County School of the Arts
“My work in vocal music has influenced my life by inspiring me to work hard in every aspect of it. Music was always an outlet for me. When I was in elementary school, my after school singing lessons felt like an escape from the real, un-musical world. As I grew up and decided to become more serious about music, I realized that it was not a hobby anymore. Practicing (even when I didn't want to) became a new habit for me, and music started feeling a lot more challenging than it did before.”
Read the full profile at The Orange County Register
What stays with students in Orange County’s Artist of the Year program isn’t just how far they advance – it’s the chance to be part of a community of peers who are equally committed to their craft.
Now in its 13th year, the program celebrates standout high school artists across seven disciplines, recognizing not only technical skill but also voice, vision and a growing sense of artistic identity. From a pool of 888 nominees, seven students were ultimately named 2026 Artists of the Year at a May 13 ceremony in the Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where honorees shared performances and presentations of their work.
More than a competition, Artist of the Year offers a glimpse of where the arts are headed. This year’s students pushed beyond convention – blending styles, building their own tools, and reimagining traditional forms – all while articulating not just what they create, but why they create it.
For many, that sense of purpose is what endures. “I am incredibly grateful for this experience and for the chance to reflect more deeply on who I am, not only as an artist, but as a person,” wrote theater semifinalist Madeleine Orozco – a reminder that, for these young creatives, the journey is as meaningful as the recognition.
The program is supported by the Chapman University College of Performing Arts and Segerstrom Center for the Arts, with additional support from Arts Orange County, Pacific Symphony, Pacific Chorale and individual donors.
To support Artist of the Year with a donation, go to: https://bit.ly/4ekUNMv. Donations are made to Arts Orange County on behalf of Artist of the Year.
THE FINALISTS
Along with the top seven students, an additional 29 students have been named as finalists – four in six of the disciplines, and five in Film and TV. They are:
The Judy Morr Award for DANCE
Dance finalists, from left:
Ali Arambarri, San Juan Hills High School (Photo courtesy of Steve Wylie)
Aleah Crew, Fullerton Union High School (Photo courtesy of Jane Won)
Arron Myers, Los Alamitos High School (Photo courtesy of Arron Myers)
FILM and TV
Film and TV finalists, from left:
Anvi Dayal, Orange County School of the Arts (Photo courtesy of Anvi Dayal)
Sean Massoumi, Los Alamitos High School (Photo courtesy of Lisa Massoumi)
Mac Ullem, St. Margaret's Episcopal School (Photo courtesy of Rian Otto)
FINE ARTS
Fine arts finalists, from left:
Reshan Harris, Capistrano Valley High School (Photo courtesy of Ashini Harris)
Damian Slavkov, Valencia High School (Photo courtesy of Camian Slavkov)
Junting Zhang, Portola High School (Photo courtesy of Paris Sharp)
The Pacific Symphony Award For INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Instrumental music finalists, from left:
Casey Cunningham, Yorba Linda High School (Photo courtesy of Maddisen Miller)
Gracie Fox, El Dorado High School (Photo courtesy of Deanne Fox)
Celine Zhu, Tarbut V'Torah Community Day School (Photo courtesy of Emma Qin)
MEDIA ARTS
Media arts finalists, from left:
Victoria Quynh Vy Dinh, Corona del Mar High School (Photo courtesy of Sharee Dinh)
Kai Fishburn, Portola High School (Photo courtesy of Kai Fishburn)
Keven Morales, Buena Park High School (Photo courtesy of Josh Himbury)
THe Segerstrom Center for the Arts Award for Theater
Theater finalists, from left:
Isaiah Medina, Tesoro High School (Photo courtesy of Tracy Rinehart)
Daniela Nieto, Garden Grove High School (Photo courtesy of Daniela Nieto)
Nathan Song, Yorba Linda High School (Photo courtesy of Stephanie Rue)
The PACIFIC CHORALE AWARD FOR Vocal Music
Vocal music finalists, from left:
Isabel Calvo, private instructor Melissa Lyons Caldretti (Photo courtesy of Steve Wylie)
Libby Rue, Santa Margarita Catholic High School (Photo courtesy of Stephanie Rue)
Rebecca Lilliana Vu, Santa Ana High School (Photo courtesy of Haniel Guerrero)
The program is supported by the Chapman University College of Performing Arts and Segerstrom Center for the Arts, with additional support from Arts Orange County, Pacific Symphony, Pacific Chorale and individual donors.
To support Artist of the Year with a donation, go to: https://bit.ly/4ekUNMv. Donations are made to Arts Orange County on behalf of Artist of the Year.
Heide Janssen, author of this story, is the managing editor for Culture OC and the executive producer for Artist of the Year.
