Texas Border Business
McAllen ISD orchestra students have earned a bevy of honors including two All-State and 21 All-Region recognitions.
The Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State Orchestra Musicians are Jan Paolo Yap, a violinist from McAllen High and Robert Kohler, a string bassist from James “Nikki” Rowe High.
Recently the TMEA Region XV High School Region Orchestra auditions were held virtually. McAllen ISD had 21 high school orchestra students selected for this prestigious group. In addition, McAllen Memorial’s Greta Cortez earned First Chair in cello for the second straight year.
Later, orchestra students from across the state were chosen to submit a recording of selected literature and All-State winners were identified and announced.
Under normal circumstances, these students would meet in February at the TMEA Convention in San Antonio to rehearse and perform with the TMEA All-State Ensembles. There is hope they will be able to meet in May or June to practice and perform.
“Congratulations to all these very talented orchestra students and their hard-working orchestra teachers,” Jim Egger, McAllen ISD’s Director of Fine Arts, said.
McAllen ISD has been named a national Best Community for Music Education for the past eight years in a row by the National Association of Music Merchants.
Here are the McAllen ISD students selected for All-Region Orchestra:
McAllen High
Violin – Andrew Trevino (9th grade), Jan Paolo Yap (12th, also selected All-State), Ashley Trevino (12th) and Andrew Salinas (12th).
Memorial High
Violin – Peter Choi (9th), Jules Alday (11th), Oscar De Leon (12th); Viola – Sophia Nino (12th); Cello – Greta Cortez (12th, First Chair) and Aram Garza (10th).
James “Nikki” Rowe High
Violin – Corbin Eufracio (11th), Aliza Ramirez (11th), Erick Escobar (11th); Viola – Shae Aguillardo (10th), Luigi Lemus-Acuna (12th), Samuel Alvarez (10th); Cello – Joseph Garza (12th), Asher Bautista (12th), Vicente Camacho (10th); Bass – Robert Kohler (11th, also selected All-State) and Jonah Cortes (12th).
