2025 Senior Spotlights
Annalyn Milford
Annalyn Milford is a dedicated and passionate vocalist who has been part of Gilmore Voice Studio for the past two years. In that time, Annalyn has grown tremendously, exploring her voice and a wide range of musical repertoire.
Annalyn’s love for performance started early through dance, and she’s been actively involved in choir and theater for the past nine years. Her musical journey includes six consecutive years in her school district’s Honor Choir and selection for the prestigious Colorado All State Choirs during both middle school and her senior year. She is also a proud member of the music honor society, Tri-M. She has been a proud member of several Synthesis Theater productions, and most recently appeared as the Baker’s Wife in Erie High’s Into the Woods.
When asked what music means to her, Annalyn shares:
"Music means the absolute world to me. It's something that is so much greater than any one person and brings groups of people together every day. It helps you explore different cultures, it holds so much emotion, and it helps you express things that you can't say with words. Music is so powerful that when a group of people are singing together their hearts literally sync up. Music has brought me my best friends and I am so grateful."
To younger singers, she offers this advice:
"Keep going. It doesn't matter if someone else gets that solo you want or if you are having a hard time reaching a note. Just focus on improving and reaching your goals and it will pay off. It's not fair to compare yourself to others because if you're focused on that, you might miss the incredible unique abilities that YOU have right in front of you."
Annalyn will be attending Colorado Mesa University to pursue a degree in nursing, with plans to specialize in Pediatrics. We know she’ll bring the same heart and passion to her medical career as she has to her music. Just keep singing, Annalyn — the world needs that big, beautiful sound of yours!
Fenix Pinilla
For the past four years, Fenix Pinilla has grown tremendously, and what a journey it’s been! With eight years of theatre experience and four years of choral performance, Fenix has made his mark at both Erie High School and Peak to Peak. His talent and dedication earned him spots in the Colorado All State Choir for two consecutive years, a National semifinalist position at the NATS Student Auditions, and Superior ratings at Colorado Thescon for solo musical theatre.
At Erie, Fenix served as president of the school’s premier audition choir, CR5, and was a standout member of the jazz choir, 5130. Onstage, he brought depth and charisma to major roles including George in Our Town, The Baker in Into the Woods, and Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense Amen. One of his most powerful performances came in Bright Star, where he portrayed Billy with authenticity at Centerstage Theatre.
When asked what music means to him, Fenix shared:
“Everything – it’s my way to comprehend the hard times in life and celebrate the happy times. Without music, my life would be so bland and awful. Music is what makes me feel like me.”
To young singers, he offers this advice:
“Keep singing! It’s hard when you face so much rejection, but it only makes you stronger. Please never stop—everyone can sing, and everyone can sing well. Take time to hone your craft and learn to love the art.”
Next up, Fenix will head to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where he’ll pursue classical voice performance and pre-law. The future is bright, Fenix - I know you will make an impact wherever life leads you!
Levi Hughes
Senior Levi Hughes has been with Gilmore Voice Studio for nearly 3 years, although Dr. G coached Levi in a church Christmas production in middle school and witnessed what a beautiful tenor sound he had. Dabbling in theatre in elementary school and focusing on trumpet through 9th grade, Levi truly found his passion when he discovered the joy of singing and acting in high school.
🎵 Musical Journey Highlights:
✨ 3 years in the choir | 🎭 4 years in theatre, both at Erie High School
🏅 Colorado All State Choir x2 | 🎷 Colorado All State Jazz Choir
🎖 Heart of Erie Award for Theatre
🎼 EHS Choir Lettering x3 | 🎭 EHS Theatre Lettering x3
🌟 Roles in every EHS production, most recently as Jack in Into the Woods
🎭 Alfred in Alice by Heart (Synthesis Theater Company)
🪆 Marionette in Slightly Mad (Dionysus Dancers)
🖤 JD in Heathers (Reel Kids)
When asked what music means to him, Levi says:
“A lot! Music is a wonderfully made form of emotional expression. It tells stories in a more powerful way and speaks directly to people’s hearts. I think that music is one of the coolest things ever!”
His advice to younger singers is simple but powerful:
“Live by Love.”
This fall, Levi will be continuing his journey at Colorado Mesa University, majoring in Musical Theatre.What a testimony to hard work and growing in a short time - Levi has only been doing theater, singing, and dancing for three years, and has grown tremendously in that time.
Lindsey Liu
Lindsey is one of those artists that is so gifted, both academically and artistically. While attending The Summit Academy and Front Range Community College during high school, she worked diligently to earn her associate's degree before even graduating high school. Alongside her academic pursuits, she dedicated six years to choir and brought her musical gifts to her youth group, WNT, where she leads worship from the keyboard with passion and grace. Dr. G. will always remember the first time she met Lindsey - she came to one of the GVS recitals as an attendee, and was genuinely encouraging and positive about everyone’s performances. Since then, Lindsey has shown what being the light in a dark world really means, sharing her big smile and encouraging others every day.
A gifted classical pianist as well as a vocalist, Lindsey once stunned Dr. Gilmore during a recital with her masterful performance of a challenging Liszt piece—an unforgettable moment. Over her time at GVS, Lindsey has shown remarkable growth, putting in the hard work to develop her voice across both classical and contemporary styles. Her dedication and musical intuition have truly set her apart.
Lindsey beautifully describes her connection to music:
“Music is something divine that makes us reach a pathway to the soul that speaking simply cannot access. We still don’t know why our brains enjoy certain frequency ratios (chords and harmonies) compared to others. The pure existence of music, to me, proves that there are supernatural things in a seemingly ordinary world. That’s why worship works in powerful ways—the lyrics begin to penetrate our hearts. My favorite part of leading worship is getting the best view of people worshipping... Music is, in one word, heavenly.”
Her advice to younger singers is both practical and inspired:
“Straw work is awesome and effective! Even just doing the melody through a straw helps get the voice in a better resonance. Use that straw!”
This fall, Lindsey will begin her next chapter at Purdue University, where she’ll study Electrical Engineering. We hope she keeps making beautiful music alongside the numbers and circuits—because the world needs artists like Lindsey who blend heart, intellect, and soul.
Marek Jones
Marek has been singing with Gilmore Voice Studio weekly for 3 years, but his journey began long before that. In elementary school, Dr. G helped him prep for his first audition: Aladdin at Red Hawk Elementary… and he got the part! That moment sparked a lifelong love of musical theatre. When Marek came to the studio, he was determined to get into his high school’s top audition choir, but he was still learning how to use his voice. In 25 years of teaching, Marek may be the most determined, hard-working student Dr. G has had - he wanted to understand his voice, learn how to read music, and work hard at staying in tune when singing (a challenge for many young men as the voice changes). As a result, Marek made it into that top choir, and even earned a spot in the Colorado All State choir his junior year!
🌟 Highlights from Marek’s Artistic Journey:
🎶 9 years in choir | 🎭 4 years in theatre
🎤 SVVSD Honor Choir x3 | 🎼 Colorado All State Choir
🏅 EHS Choir Lettering x3 | 🎭 EHS Theatre Lettering x4
🌈 Reverend Mother in Nunsense A-Men
🎬 Co-Director of Game of Tiaras (one-act)
📖 Narrator in Into the Woods
Marek shares:
“Music and singing are beautiful forms of expression. With music, emotions are felt and communicated, stories become more profound, and the soul is uplifted. Choir, theatre, and voice lessons are an escape from the stress of school and a space to connect. I’ve made some of my closest friends and bonded with strangers—there are few things that bring people together like music. And above all, it’s a powerful form of worship that has helped me encounter God in meaningful ways.”
Marek’s advice to young singers:
“Work hard and don’t compare yourself to others. It’s far more important to practice, improve, and enjoy the music than to be the ‘best.’”
This fall, Marek is headed to Colorado Mesa University to study Nursing, but he plans to find ways to continue singing and acting. Marek, your caring heart and work ethic are two great qualities that will make you a wonderful nurse!
