McAllen ISD had 50 students selected for the TMEA District High School Choir at auditions held recently. That is the highest of any school district in this region.
McAllen ISD students took 35 percent of the chairs, which is more than one third of the total.
McAllen ISD’s high schools also took first, second and fourth spots overall for the most students selected. James “Nikki” Rowe High had 21 students selected, the most for any school. McAllen High was second overall with 16 students and McAllen Memorial High took fourth with 13 students.
McAllen ISD also had two students selected as the top performer in their section. These first chair students included Tyler Warwas, a McAllen High tenor, and James Richardson, a baritone from Rowe High.
Recently, the Region 15 Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) High School Choir District auditions consisted of a five-day window for students to upload recordings of their audition music. The recordings were then verified and judged. This contest included several hundred students from multiple schools.
The Rowe students honored include Daniela Sanchez (Soprano 1), Destiny Menchaca (Soprano 1), Haely Aleman (Soprano 2), Dariana Munoz (Soprano 2), Dahara Martinez (Alto 1), Mayrin Perez (Alto 2), Dylan Moreno (Tenor 1), Gabriel Esquerra (Tenor 1), James Richardson (Baritone), Oscar Humphrey (Baritone), Ivan Sanchez (Baritone), Ian Salazar (Baritone), Julian Lozano (Baritone), Luke Franco Salazar (Baritone), Alejandro Vega Sanchez (Baritone), Gabriel Banda (Baritone), Joseph Gonzalez (Bass), Joey Partida (Bass), , Donovan Hernandez (Bass), Adam Alvarado (Bass), and Michael Banda (Bass).
The McAllen High students honored include Heather Gager (Soprano 1), Kendall Warwas (Soprano 1), Aria Shirah (Soprano 2), Roxeth Gonzalez (Soprano 2), Regina Perez (Soprano 2), Catherine Bynum (Soprano 2), Jenika Montes (Soprano 2), Natalie Carmona (Alto 1), Emma Perez (Alto 1), Evie Shirah (Alto 2), Sarah Vargas (Alto 2), Pily Stevens (Alto 2), Hector Lara (Tenor 1), Daniel Su (Tenor 1), Tyler Warwas (Tenor 2), and Ismael Hernandez (Bass).
The McAllen Memorial High students honored include Savannah De La Garza (Soprano 1), Itzel Fuentes (Soprano 1), Maya Peralez (Soprano 2), Alyssa Galvan (Soprano 2), Zarah Zamora (Soprano 2), Carla Reyes (Alto 1), Anranza Repreza (Alto 1), Janine Medrano (Alto 2), Matthew Guerra (Tenor 2), Tyler Thomas (Tenor 2), Joshua Villarreal (Tenor 2), Michael Cole (Bass 1), and Jose Medrano (Bass).
This audition is the first step for students to be selected for the TMEA Texas All-State Choir.
The McAllen ISD choir directors include Joshua Watkins (Rowe High), Bo Shirah (McAllen High) and Omar Samaniego (Memorial High). McAllen ISD has been named a national Best Community for Music Education every year since 2013.