Congratulations to our three Upper School musicians who participated in the TPSMEA (Texas Private Schools Music Educators Association) All-State program and concerts Thursday, January 26 – Saturday, January 28. It was the third All-State for junior Charlie Stein, who played the stand-up double bass in the 64-person orchestra, and the first for ninth grade tenor Nate Stephenson and sophomore bass Forrest Dunlap, who were part of the 160-voice choir.Making All-State is quite an accomplishment.
Hundreds of students all over Texas began the audition process last fall, with their singing and playing being judged against that of their peers from all over Texas. Among those who made it all the way to All-State were students from ISAS schools St. Mark’s, All Saints, Kinkaid, Fort Worth Country Day, Oakridge, John Cooper, Trinity Valley, ESD, Greenhill, Hockaday, St. John’s, Episcopal High School, and St. Stephen’s, as well as Trinity School of Midland, Regent’s, and St. Thomas Episcopal.
The rehearsals began on Thursday afternoon, January 26, and continued through the evening, all day Friday, and Saturday morning. The strings players had to audition for chairs at their first rehearsal. Congratulations to Charlie for making second chair out of six! On the Choir side, Nate is our first ninth grader to make All-State, and we’re pretty sure he was the only ninth grade tenor in the choir. Forrest Dunlap is one of a handful of our 10th graders to have made All-State.
The concerts were held in Evans Auditorium at Texas State University in San Marcos on Saturday evening, January 28. The All-State Orchestra performed works by Tchaikovsky and Canning, as well as the complete Third Brandenburg Concerto of J. S. Bach. Guest clinician was Stephen Heyde, who is the Mary Franks Thompson Professor of Orchestral Studies, Conductor-in-Residence, and Director of Orchestral Activities at the Baylor University School of Music. The Choir sang works by Dvorak, Gjeilo, Walker, and Dr. Randall Stroope, who was the guest clinician; and arrangements of traditional Southern and Scottish folk songs. Dr. Stroope is the Director of Vocal and Choral Studies at Oklahoma State University, and is also the composer of “The Pasture,” a favorite number of last year’s Select Choir. Both clinicians have conducted and extensively not only in the United States, but also internationally. Dr. Stroope is also internationally renowned as a composer.
Thanks to Warren Dickson, Fine Arts Dept. Chair and US Choir Director, and to Dr. Amy Harris, US Strings Director, for their work with our musicians. And a special thanks to the students' parents for all the support they have given their sons.