BLINN MUSIC STUDENTS EARN ALL-STATE HONORS
Forty-two Blinn College students recently received all-state music honors from the Texas Community College Band Directors Association (TCCBDA) and Texas Two-Year College Choral Directors Association (TTCCDA).
Thirty-six Blinn students were named to the TCCBDA all-state band, while six students earned all-state choir recognition. Both the all-state band and all-state choir performed at the recent Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Conference in San Antonio.
“This is a great experience for our kids,” said Jill Stewart, Division of Visual & Performing Arts instrumental music coordinator. “For the last 20 years, Blinn College has had more students selected for the all-state band than any other community college in the state.”
To be selected to the all-state band, students sent a solo performance recording. More Blinn students were selected to the all-state band than any other two-year college in the state. No other college had more than 14 honorees
Of the 36 Blinn students selected, 33 were named to the All-State Symphonic Band and three more Blinn students were appointed to the All-State Jazz Ensemble. The 33 students in the Symphonic Band are:
- Piccolo: Joy Rose (Houston)
- Flute: Carnell Simmons (Houston), Jaime Cajas (Houston) and Edwin Garcia (Houston).
- Bassoon: Jeremy Hasan (La Porte).
- Clarinet: Enid Guerrero (Waller), Jose Bazan (Houston), Kristen Rodriguez (Giddings), Israel Hernandez (Katy), Britney Robertson (Olney) and Austin Zimmerman (Katy).
- Bass Clarinet: Erik Flores (Houston) and Shelby Barnhart (Katy).
- Tenor Saxophone: Sean Miller (College Station) and Clint Stephenson (Mansfield).
- Trumpet: Chris Fossick (San Antonio), Daniel Stribling (Brenham) and Jose Sierra (San Antonio).
- Horn: Carlos Flores (Houston), Yuri Cerino (Baytown), Judith Cerino (Baytown), Benjamin Grames (Elgin) and Francisco Lopez (Houston).
- Trombone: Rodrigo Aquirre (Houston), Ryan Murray (Houston), Toby Brans (Brenham), Cristian Gonzalez (Houston) and Oscar Gonzalez (Houston).
- Euphonium: Nick Hooge (Brenham).
- Tuba: Jamie Harrison (The Woodlands), Raul Aguirre (Houston) and Jeff Cooper (Groesbeck).
- Percussion: Brandi Hurst (La Grange).
The three Jazz Ensemble honorees are: Ocran Solano (Houston) and Eric Pierce (Orange) for the saxophone and Cameron Street (Tomball) for the trombone.
Blinn’s all-state choir honorees are: Krystal Harris (Houston), soprano; Courtney House (Houston), alto; Antonio McMasters (Round Rock), tenor; Curtis Hurst (Waller), bass; J.C. Stribling (Navasota), bass; and Edgar Narranjo (Brenham), bass.
“Not only do the students get to perform with really talented singers but they also get to bond with a lot of other people that are all about music,” said Dr. Joel Plaag, choir director.
Auditions for both band and choir are in progress for Fall 2015. Visit www.blinn.edu/vpa/auditions for details, or contact Stewart (instrumental: 979-830-4262) or Plaag (vocal: 979-830-4239).
The Music Department is part of Blinn’s Division of Visual & Performing Arts, which offers courses in architecture, arts, music, theatre and communication studies. For more information visit, www.blinn.edu/vpa/music.html.
Story courtesy of Blinn College