Two SMHS Choir Students Chosen for All State Choir

Sheridan-Reinhuber said, “Only the top 2.6% of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians.”

Brandon Kobayashi and Steven Morales, members of the San Marcos High School Choir Department, will perform with the Texas All-State Choir in San Antonio, Saturday, February 11, 2017 at the Henry B.

Gonzalez Convention Center as part of the 2017 Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention.

In addition, Happy Davis, also a member of the SMHS Choir Department, was chosen as first-alternate. Morales is 1^st Chair Tenor 2, and Kobayashi is 2^nd Chair Bass 1.

The San Marcos High School Choir had six students qualify to audition at the Area level, and an honorable mention goes to those who auditioned but did not advance: Sam DeLeon- Bass 2, Rachel Heiser- Alto1, and Emma Reinhuber- Soprano 1.

Steven and Brandon were chosen for this prestigious honor through a competitive process held this year across the state at District, Region, and Area levels.

Brandon is a student of Professor Ron Ulen of Texas State University, and both Steven and Happy are students of Mackenzie Parrot.

All three sing in the SMHS Choirs under the direction of Dawn Sheridan-Reinhuber and Brigitte Smith, who are both members of the Texas Music Educators Association, a 12,000+ member organization headquartered in Austin.

This is Brandon’s second time to perform as a member of a TMEA All-State organization. He is the son of Monica Hernandez and Kobe Kobayashi.

This is Steven’s first time to perform as a member of a TMEA All-State organization. He is the son of Steven and Roxane Morales. First alternate, Happy, is the son of Brad and Jeanne Davis.

According to Sheridan-Reinhuber, high school students selected to perform in the All-State concerts have competed through several levels of auditions beginning in the fall of 2016 to qualify at the state level.

All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can receive.

This year, 1,780 students were selected through a process that begins with over 68,000 students from around the state vying for this honor to perform in one of 15 ensembles (bands, orchestras, and choirs).

The Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) sponsors the Texas All-State competition. This competitive 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 advances from their Region to compete against musicians from other areas in eight TMEA Area competitions.

The highest-ranking musicians judged at the TMEA Area competitions qualify to perform in a TMEA All-State music group.

Sheridan-Reinhuber said, “Only the top 2.6% of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians.”