Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Eight band, choir and orchestra students from Spring Branch ISD high schools have won the highest honor possible in their areas of musical study. They’ve been named Texas All-State Award recipients.

All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can earn. More than 1,500 students are selected through a process that begins each year with over 60,000 students from across the state vying to perform in one of 14 ensembles in choir, orchestra and band during an annual statewide meeting. 

Individual student musicians and singers begin by performing musical selections for a panel of judges. From this ranking, a select group advances from region to qualifying competitions for Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State music groups.

This year, five Memorial High students qualified for All-State. They are:

• Joie Jamison, All-State Orchestra, violin, 12th grade
• Emily Sonn, All-State Orchestra, violin, 11th grade
• Sophia Yoon, All-State Orchestra, cello, 10th grade
• Crystal Wang, All-State Choir, 2nd soprano, 12th grade
• Ruka Adachi, All-State Band, flute, 11th grade

Emily Sonn and Sophia Yoon are two-time All-State award winners.

Memorial High Orchestra director is Danielle Prontka. Band director is Suzanne Thompson. Choir director is Lawrence Johnson.

Two Stratford High students qualified for All-State. They are:

• Catherine Wu, All-State Orchestra, violin, 11th grade
• Jackson Howard, All-State Choir, bass, 12th grade

Catherine Wu is a two-time All-State award winner.

Stratford High Orchestra director is Michael Fahey; Marcos Altomirano is the assistant director. Choir directors are Peter Steinmetz and Marcie Baker.

One Spring Woods High student also qualified for All-State. He is:

• Christian Paz, All-State Band, baritone saxophone, 12th grade.

Spring Woods High Band director is Wallace Morris-Brame.

All-State qualifying students and their families will be honored in February during the regular monthly meeting of the SBISD Board of Trustees.

Also in February, these award-winning students will participate in rehearsals directed by nationally recognized conductors during the annual TMEA convention. The Texas group includes more than 11,000 school music educators dedicated to excellence in music. Please visit TMEA to learn more.