Sixteen Denton ISD Students Selected for All-State Band, Choir, Jazz, Orchestra, Dance
Sixteen Denton ISD musicians and dancers earned All-State honors for the 2024-2025 school year from the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) and the Texas Dance Educators Association (TDEA).
TMEA is an organization of more than 12,000 school music educators dedicated to promoting excellence in music education. Musicians are chosen for the prestigious honor of all-state through a competitive process held across Texas at the district, region and area levels. This process begins throughout the state in auditions hosted by 33 TMEA regions.
Individual musicians perform selected music for a panel of judges who rank each instrument or voice part. From this ranking, a select group of musicians advance from their region to compete against musicians from areas in eight TMEA Area competitions. The highest-ranking musicians judged at the area competition qualify to perform in a TMEA All-State music group.
All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can achieve. Only 1,875 students are selected through a process beginning with over 70,000 students – meaning only the top 2.6% of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians.
All-state musicians performed at the TMEA Clinic and Convention Feb. 12-15 in San Antonio.
The TDEA All-State Dance Team is comprised of dancers representing schools from across the state of Texas. All-State dancers participated in the TDEA All-State Convention Jan. 8-11 in
Houston. The experience included dance workshops, leadership training, master classes and networking with other students. The All-State Dance Team experience culminates in a performance choreographed by a master choreographer.
“We are extremely proud of our students who represent the very best in Texas as TMEA All-State Musicians and TDEA All-State Dancers,” said Eddy Russell, Director of Fine Arts. “The audition process and performances they experience are very rewarding educational experiences they will never forget. It is an incredible honor for them to be selected for these prestigious groups.”
The Denton ISD students named to the highest musical and dance honor in Texas include the following:
All-State Band, Choir, Orchestra and Jazz
Braswell High School Choir
Matthew Barrios, Tenor 2, All-State 5A/6A Mixed Choir
Directors Derrick Brookins & Kaela Vance
Principal: DeCorian Hailey
Braswell High School Band
Nick Schiller, Bass Trombone, All-State 6A Symphonic Band
Directors: Aaron Snipes, Taylor Sitzman-Ballard, & Matthew Sawyer
Principal: DeCorian Hailey
Guyer High School Choir
Jayden Hollister, Tenor 2, All-State 5A/6A Mixed Choir
Directors: Katherine Engle & Tyler Fox
Principal: Dr. Shaun Perry
Marshall Miller, Bass 1, All-State 5A/6A Mixed Choir
Directors: Katherine Engle & Tyler Fox
Principal: Dr. Shaun Perry
Sophia Gallamore, Alto 1, All-State 5A/6A Mixed Choir
Directors: Katherine Engle & Tyler Fox
Principal: Dr. Shaun Perry
Guyer High School Orchestra
Mark Eads, String Bass, All-State Philharmonic Orchestra
Directors: Michelle Hanlon & Sarah Wright
Principal: Dr. Shaun Perry
Ryan High School Choir
Evan Kinnaird, Bass 2, All-State 5A/6A Mixed Choir
Directors: David Rives & Sam Kats
Principal: Vernon Reeves
Ryan High School Band
Pablo Acosta, Bass Clarinet, All-State 5A Symphonic Band
Directors: Jarrod Beard & Nachel Konemann
Principal: Vernon Reeves
Ryan High School Orchestra
Osiel Cardenas, Viola, All-State Philharmonic Orchestra
Director: Jeremy Atkins
Principal: Vernon Reeves
Denton High School Band
Tobias Harold, Baritone Saxophone, All-State 5A Symphonic Band
Directors: Brian Wilson & Jesse Woolery
Principal: Joel Hays
Luna Brooks, Flute, All-State 5A Symphonic Band
Directors: Brian Wilson & Jesse Woolery
Principal: Joel Hays
Denton High School Jazz Band
Garrett Purcell, Trumpet, All-State Jazz Ensemble 2
Director: Jesse Woolery
Principal: Joel Hays
All-State Dance
Braswell High School
Amy Campos
Directors: Kristina Rankin and Tiana Martinez
Principal: DeCorian Hailey
Guyer High School
Zoe Young
Directors: Rachel Simpson and Lauren Uddin
Principal: Dr. Shaun Perry
Ryan High School
Olivia Torres
Directors: Keli Jones and Marina Cassidy
Principal: Vernon Reeves
Denton High School
Rachel Crandall
Directors: Kerri Burgess and Jamitrice Keating-Lynton Eneh
Principal: Joel Hays
