Photo courtesy of Ada Dapkus.
Mountain Brook High School graduate Ada Dapkus will attend Florida State University to study music education.
Ada Dapkus is finishing her senior year at Mountain Brook High School with a full musical résumé. She plays bassoon in the MBHS Symphonic Band and the Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra, sings in the MBHS Chamber Choir and the women’s a cappella group Una Voce, and served as drum major for the marching band this past fall. This fall, she will head to Florida State University College of Music to study music education.
Q: What extracurricular activities do you participate in at MBHS or in the community?
A: I am a part of MBHS’s marching band, symphonic band, chamber choir and women’s a cappella group Una Voce. Outside of school I am the first chair and [currently] only bassoonist in the Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra, and [I’m] a Troop 186 Eagle Scout.
Q: What is your favorite memory of high school thus far? Why was it significant for you?
A: It’s very difficult to pick one memory to be my favorite from all of high school, but one that stands out in a special way is the Germany trip that the band and choir took this year. It was so exciting and rewarding to be able to travel Europe with my friends and family, and my favorite thing that we did was singing in the Melk Abbey with the MBHS choir. I have never experienced beauty, both visually and audibly, in a higher form than in that space, and I’m so grateful that our directors were able to put together a trip like that for us.
Q: What are your plans following graduation? Where do you plan to attend college, and why do you feel that it is a good fit for you?
A: I am going to attend the Florida State University College of Music in the fall, and I couldn’t be more excited. Although it was a tough choice, I ultimately chose FSU for its impressive bassoon studio and instructor, conservatory-level music training and incredible music education program. It is one of the only public music education programs with a 100% job placement rate, and it really would be a gift to be able to work in music.
Q: What do you plan to major in? Why did you choose this as your major?
A: I plan on majoring in music education because I love music and couldn’t imagine doing anything else, and I love the social side of it and being able to interact with my peers and help people discover the joys of music.
Photo courtesy of Ada Dapkus.
Ada Dapkus, Clarke Gillespy, Olivia Mahoney, Will Eagan and Sloan Stephens backstage for the MBHS Choir Winter Show 2026.
Q: Who is your role model and why?
A: I have a lot of people that I would want to be like one day. My parents are both incredibly caring people, and my friends help me learn to be a better person every day. I would say that my real role models are my band and choir directors because of their commitment to creating welcoming and rewarding musical environments and inspiring me to become a music educator.
Q: Is there a particular class or teacher that has had an impact on you at MBHS? Why was that class or teacher significant to you?
A: My band and choir directors have been important to me throughout my high school career, especially in my final year. Being in Mr. [James] Rogers’ class has taught me a lot about the principles of servant leadership and how to create connection within a community, and my choir director Mr. Mandt has been a very important person to me this year since he has done the most to teach us about life. Every week or so we take time out of class to go over our “Life Rules” where Mandt gives us a piece of life advice that we can carry with us from high school into our real lives. Being able to talk with him and unpack the difficult and messy aspects of high school has made me a better person, and I couldn’t be more grateful for him.
Q: What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you?
A: Probably that I was a founding member of my Scouts troop, and I made it to the rank of Eagle this year. My eagle project was creating a theater classroom in collaboration with the Virginia Samford Theatre for the kids at Avondale Elementary School in Birmingham.
Q: What advice would you offer incoming freshmen or students new to MBHS?
A: Make it count. Don’t spend your high school career doing only things that people want you to do or things that everyone else is doing. Trying new things is the only way to figure out what you love and who you are, and despite what people say, that is possible in high school. Find your people and find what you love, and everything else will fall into place.
Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?
A: I would love to be directing a youth orchestra or a high school orchestra somewhere — that or a high school or middle school band. I hope to also be writing a little. I love making musical arrangements, and I would love to have some time to make arrangements for a cappella groups like Una Voce and maybe even [write] marching band shows.
