Denton Independent School District is proud to recognize ten outstanding high school musicians who have earned All-State honors through the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), the highest distinction available to high school musicians in the state of Texas. Students representing Braswell, Denton, Guyer, and Ryan high schools have been selected to perform in elite All-State ensembles spanning band, orchestra, and choir.

Through the TMEA All-State audition process, the association works to foster students’ growth in musical knowledge and skill while inspiring educators to champion that development in their programs. Each fall, more than 70,000 high school students statewide take part in auditions held within their TMEA Region, where they perform prepared music before a panel of judges who rank each instrument or voice part. Top performers then advance to Area-level competition, where they are evaluated alongside musicians from neighboring Regions. Those who rank highest at the Area level earn the opportunity to perform in one of 18 Texas All-State ensembles, presented by the Band, Orchestra, and Vocal Divisions of TMEA.

“This recognition is a testament to the extraordinary talent and dedication of our students and their directors,” said Dr. Susannah Holbert O’Bara, Denton ISD Superintendent. “Earning All-State honors is no small feat. It requires months of preparation, a commitment to excellence, and a genuine love of music. We are incredibly proud of each of these young musicians and the remarkable achievement they have accomplished.”

The students recognized, along with their directors, are:

Braswell HS: Nick Schiller, Bass Trombone, All-State Jazz Ensemble 2, Directors: Aaron Snipes, Matt Sawyer, Taylor Sitzman
Braswell HS: Ian Wingert, String Bass, All-State Sinfonietta Orchestra, Dr. Nicole Laborte

Denton HS: Travis McLemore, Tenor 2, All-State Tenor Bass Choir, Directors: Kaitlyn Candler
Denton HS: Luna Brooks, Flute, All-State 5A Band, Directors: Lance Walker & Dan Rubiano

Guyer HS: Kennedy Dixon, Trumpet, All-State 6A Band, Directors: Rob Myers & Jeremy Earnhart
Guyer HS: Sarah Bird, Alto 2, All-State Mixed Choir, Directors: Katherine Engle & Tyler Fox
Guyer HS: Sophia Gallamore, Alto 1, All-State Treble Choir, Directors: Katherine Engle & Tyler Fox
Guyer HS: Zaria Lawson, Alto 2, All-State Treble Choir, Directors: Katherine Engle & Tyler Fox
Guyer HS: Mark Eads, String Bass, All-State Symphony Orchestra, Directors: Michelle Hanlon & Deohanz Buenafe

Ryan HS: Nicolas Mills, Tenor 1, All-State Tenor Bass Choir, Directors: David Rives & Sam Kats

“Having our music students participate in the TMEA auditions process helps students grow their technical skills, self-assessment skills, and grit – further developing the mindset and experience needed for competitive interviews or auditions as an adult in any field. Congratulations to our students who advanced through multiple rounds of competitive auditions to become members of a TMEA All-State ensemble,” said Eddy Russell, Denton ISD Director of Fine Arts. “They had a very rewarding experience at the TMEA convention learning from the world’s leading educators among the best student musicians in our state. We are incredibly proud of how well they performed in the All-State concerts and how well they represented Denton ISD on the TMEA stage.”

Denton ISD congratulates each of these outstanding student musicians and extends sincere appreciation to the dedicated directors whose guidance made this achievement possible. Their collective accomplishment reinforces Denton ISD’s tradition of musical excellence and inspires the next generation of fine arts students across the district.