Texas Border Business
McALLEN ISD – Eleven McAllen ISD students have earned All-State honors in four music programs.
There are seven choir students, two mariachi musicians and one student each in band and orchestra.
“This speaks to the quality and depth of our music programs in McAllen ISD,” Fine Arts Director Debra Loya said. “Congratulations to these hard-working students and their music directors.”
This is the 43rd straight year McAllen ISD had produced at least four students who earned All-State recognition in music. McAllen ISD has the most All-State choir students of any school district in the region.
These students include Melodee Rodriguez (Rowe High, first chair, mixed choir), Ian Salazar (Rowe, first chair, bass choir), Gabriel Esguerra (Rowe, third chair, bass choir), Joseph Gonzalez (Rowe, fourth chair, bass choir), Lauren Rodriguez (Rowe, fourth chair, treble choir), Janine Medrano (Memorial High, third chair, mixed choir) and Tyler Warwas (McAllen High, second chair, mixed choir).
Warwas, in fact, earned All-State recognition for the third straight year.
Choir students were selected by the Texas Music Educators Association. More than 15,000 students across Texas begin the process but only 3.3 percent (504) become All-State Choir members.
Two students from McAllen High’s Mariachi Oro earned All-State honors through TMEA. They are Andrew Trevino (violin, first chair) and Austin Rosalez (vihuela, first chair). Trevino outperformed more than 450 other violin players while Rosalez auditioned with more than 100 vihuelas. Only 18 students out of more than 1,000 who competed statewide earned All-State in mariachi.
Rowe High is home to the All-State band and All-State orchestra students. Percussionist Diego Palacios, a junior, was selected in band while Robert Kohler earned an orchestra spot on bass. He is one of just two musicians from the Rio Grande Valley to earn All-State recognition in orchestra.
McAllen ISD has been named a national Best Community for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants for nine straight years.
