Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Reaching the highest level a high school musician can achieve, 10 SBISD student musicians and vocalists have won coveted placements in the Texas All-State Band, Orchestra and Choir.

In addition, two district All-State orchestra students have been ranked among the “best of the best” among all Texas student musicians.

Stratford High senior Catherine Wu, a four-year All-State honoree, is ranked No. 1 overall in violin; Memorial High junior Sophia Yoon, a three-time All-State winner, is rated No. 4 among all students in cello – and she has more time to rank higher!

The Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) sponsors the annual Texas All-State audition process to promote the dedication of musicians and singers to the craft and study of musical knowledge and skill, and to also encourage association member directors to support students in their development.

Each fall, more than 70,000 students across Texas audition regionally. Students perform selected music for a panel of judges who rank each instrument or voice part. Selected musicians advance to compete against students from other TMEA regions. The highest ranking students qualify to perform in one of the 15 Texas All-State bands, orchestras or choirs.

The 2020 All-State Musicians will perform at the upcoming TMEA Convention set to meet Feb. 12-15 in San Antonio. This convention marks TMEA’s Centennial.

SBISD students selected for All-State honors include:

All-State Band

Ava Speros, Memorial High junior, horn
Ruka Adachi, Memorial High senior, flute (2nd year honoree)

All-State Choir

Jason Oquendo, Memorial High sophomore, Tenor 1

All-State Orchestra
Catherine Wu, Stratford High senior, violin (4th year honoree)
Emily Gladstone, Stratford High senior, violin
Tri Ha, Memorial High sophomore, piano
Drew Schachel, Memorial High junior, violin
Philip Liou, Memorial High junior, cello
Sophia Yoon, Memorial High junior, cello (3rd year honoree)
Ellen Seok, Memorial High, violin

District band, choir and orchestra directors for these highly ranked musicians are Suzanne Scott and Jeffrey Munger, Memorial Band; Lawrence Johnson and Katie Gravesmill, Memorial Choir; Michael Fahey and Marcos Altamirano, Stratford Orchestra; Danielle Prontka and Matthew Chan, Memorial Orchestra.