Alvarado High School choir and band students earning All-State honors is becoming as much of a sure thing as Texas having insufferable heat in July and August.
For the 15th year in a row and 22nd of the last 23 years AHS will be represented on either the All-State Choir or All-State Band. In some years, like 2021, it is represented on both.
In all, nine students earned all-state honors which is two more than Alvarado High School has ever had in a single year. Last year, AHS produced seven all-state students.
“Alvarado ISD’s history of excellence in music is once again demonstrated by a phenomenal showing at this year’s All-State auditions,” said Dr. Estelle Murr, Alvarado ISD Fine Arts Coordinator. “Great things are happening in our fine arts department, and it is unprecedented to have that many instrumentalists represent Alvarado High School at All-State in the same year.”
Junior Diana Velazquez earned all-state recognition for the third straight year, earning first chair alto in the Area for the first time.
“Diana has the ability to look at a piece of music and naturally pull more from the music than what is written,” AHS choir director Stephen Evans said. “She has the innate ability to see the entire beauty of the piece and allows that process to become her journey into true musicianship.”
A record number of band students earned all-state honors this year as eight students, including tuba player Tyler Rhodes and french horn player Jackson Pate both of which made the all-state band for a second time, were named all-state band members.
Those making the all-state band were Megan Cole and Kayla Sepeda on clarinet, Diego Sanchez on bass clarinet, Allison Garner on tenor saxophone, Jackson Pate on french horn, Hector Velazquez on trombone, Tyler Rhodes on tuba, and Josiah Ponce on drum set.
“This is the highest individual honor a band member can receive,” AHS band director Patrick Dietz said. “Most schools hope to have one, to have eight in one year is amazing. What an amazing group, I can’t wait for our UIL concert performance.”