Percussionist Carter Torn: how does it feel to be one of the record 86 Mac band members to earn All-District honors at the Texas Music Educators Association Region Band Competition?

“It just feels nice to be recognized for playing well and playing well above other people in the same area as me,” Torn said. 

Region is an annual competition and concert where students all across Texas compete to perform in a musical concert. And this year was a record-breaking success for McCallum in terms of the Region competition. especially for percussion.

Out of the Mac participants, 15 students were awarded All Area Honors, while 46 earned All Region, and 86 All District.

Band director Carol Nelson said, “These results represent the highest number of honors in McCallum band history at a TMEA audition.”

Seventeen percussionists made it into the second phase of Region concert as a whole. And as of date, there are 12 percussionists who have made it into the final stage of the Region competition and concert.

“In my first year, I only had nine students audition, and four students advanced to phase two,” percussion teacher Matt Ehlers said. “But this year 20 students auditioned, and 17 made it to phase two.”

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Of those 17, two qualified for area, wind ensemble percussionists Robert Hall and Makena Miller.

Mr. Ehlers says that this success is a combination of dedication from students and support from the teachers to create an environment that supports the growth of students who want to audition. He added that there were many other separate factors that may have helped McCallum’s chances.

“I think that our students have worked incredibly hard,” Ehlers said. “And I think us as directors have organized ourselves in a fashion that kind of helps the students and encourage them to excel at this.” 

But overall, the heart of the operation is the students who audition in the first place. They work incredibly hard in order to make it into the concert and are very dedicated to their work.

“Region is hard to get into and I did it,” says Makena Mailer, a student who made it to Area, the final phase of the Region competition. “I am really glad that all of my hard work and dedication paid off.”

TMEA Band Region Band Auditions Results

Thursday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Dec. 1

Flute

Madelynn Niles, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Mati Currie, All-District, Symphonic Band, All-Region
Conlin Butterman, All-District
Taelisen Hutson, All-District
Elijah Anderson, All-District
Daniela Aranda, All-District

Oboe

Ziggy Shin-Peterson, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Gabriel Manzanares, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Scarlet Frese, All-District
Ava Carlson, All-District

Bassoon

Roan Alonzo, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Sam Sherrill, All-District

Clarinet

Ardis Warrenfells, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Chloe McDaniel, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Amanda Marquina Basanta, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Sammie Driggers, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Marlena Taylor-Adair, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Fiona Wyrtzen, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Kyle Davis, All-District
Julia Tompkins, All-District
Elyse Studer, All-District
Isobel Buffum-Robbins, All-District

Bass Clarinet

Marshall Haynes, All-District; Wind Ensemble; All-Region; All-Area

Alto Sax

Gavin Owens, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Robby Bauer, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region
Richard Giro, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Carolina Arellano, All-District
Stephen Shearer, All-District
Will Sharp, All-District

Tenor Sax

Jackson Bennett, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Marco Emami, All-District

Bari Sax

Dan Thomas, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Phoenix Bozeman, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region

Trumpet

Chance Green, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Clifton Pike, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Van Soisson, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Joe Roddy, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Scarlet Houser, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Paco Posey, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Jake Batson, All-District
Will Marceau, All-District
Zach King, All-District
Eva Musgrave, All-District
Omar Henry, All-District
Bobby Currie, All-District
Aristotle Powell, All-District

French Horn

Abigail Jones, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Michael Alverson, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region
Grant Shackelford, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Rex Kerwin, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Sarah Schneider, All-District

Trombone

Jacob Martinez, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Nick Reedy, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
William Critendon, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region
Dexter Canning, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region
Molly McCabe, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Sarah Derion, All-District

Bass Trombone

Jonathan Forbes, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Jonah Brown, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Henry Stanford, All-District

Euphonium

Beckett Randall, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region
Noam Kay, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Charlotte Odland, All-District
Aiden Stockton, All-District

Tuba

Leo Sheff, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Connor Kirby, All-District
Drew Smith, All-District
Liam Kressin, All-District
Devin Fisher, All-District

Percussion

Robert Hall, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Makena Mailer, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region; All-Area
Oscar Schaubert, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region
Julian Smith, All-District; Wind Ensemble, All-Region
Zeke Bennett, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Muriel Taylor-Adair, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Chloe Andrews, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Paulo Zambarano, All-District; Symphonic Band, All-Region
Carter Torn, All-District
Alejandro Serna, All-District
EJ Leach, All-District
Owen Linder, All-District
Evan Bookout, All-District
Max Hoff, All-District
Cora Green, All-District
Ronin Thomas, All-District
Jonah Holmes, All-District