All-State Honors for Band, Choir and Orchestra

Memorial High winners (left to right) are Catherine Cai, Ryan McArthur,
Jonathan Keith, Cameron Trout, Tiffany Hu, Hannah Susman and
Meredith Aucock

American Idol it may not be, but this top honor means the world to Texas student musicians and singers.

Thirteen immensely talented Spring Branch ISD high school students have received state honors in their particular area of musical study. Students have been named Texas All-State winners in band, choir and orchestra from three area high schools.

Across Texas each year, about 1,500 students are named All-State winners after a lengthy review process that begins with more than 55,000 students statewide. The process begins with individual students performing musical selections for a panel of judges.

Spring Woods High School All-State vocalist Arlysse Ibarra, 12 grade (left)

and All-State violinist Christopher Matias Hivnor, 12th grade (right)

From this initial ranking, a select group of musicians and singers advances from a region to separate competitions that may qualify them to perform in Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State Music groups.

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

This year, two band students qualified for All-State:

• Ryan McArthur, trumpet, 12^th grade, Memorial High
• Joon Lee, clarinet, 12^th grade, Stratford High

Four choir students qualified for All-State:

• Hannah Susman, Soprano 1, 12^th grade, Memorial High
• Cameron Trout, Tenor 1, 12^th grade, Memorial High
• Arlysse Ibarra, voice, 12^th grade, Spring Woods High
• Eliza Masewicz, voice, 11^th grade, Stratford High

Seven orchestra students qualified for All-State:

• Catherine Cai, violin, 11^th grade, Memorial High
• Tiffany Hu, cello, 12^th grade, Memorial High
• Jonathan Keith, bass, 11^th grade, Memorial High
• Meredith Aucock, 11^th grade, Memorial High
• Kevin Han, cello, 12^th grade, Stratford High
• Wilson Hui, violin, 12^th grade, Stratford High
• Christopher Matias Hivnor, violin, 12^th grade, Spring Woods High

Stratford HS Seniors Wilson Hui (left) and Kevin Han (right)

Tiffany Hu of Memorial High has been an All-State musician for four consecutive years. Catherine Cai was also named to All-State in viola and violin two previous years.

Memorial High Band is led by Director David Kastor. Suzanne Thompson is the assistant band director at Memorial High.

SBISD choir directors include Memorial High Director Lawrence Johnson and Assistant Director Kerri Watson-Elrod; Stratford High Director Peter Steinmetz and Assistant Director Marcie Baker; and Spring Woods High Director Scott Houston and Assistant Director Keith Dixon.

SBISD orchestra directors include Memorial High Director Bingiee Shiu and Co-director Danielle Prontka; Stratford High Director Michael Fahey and Assistant Director Peter Jagdeo; and Spring Woods High Director Michael Chandler.