The state of Texas is full of vibrant, young talent. Last weekend was a chance to hear students perform from various middle schools and high schools not only from Houston, but also Alvin, Austin, Freeport, Harlingen and Waller. We hope that students and directors alike enjoyed their experience and were able to gain some helpful information from the clinics of Mr. Noe Marmolejo and our panel of judges: Joel Fulgham, Bobby Guess and Dr. Woody Witt. If  you attended the free afternoon master class with trombone great Andy Martin, then you’ll understand why we put this event on each year. The joy and excitement of making music is something that we try and spread throughout the younger jazz community and it’s encouraging to see such a wonderful response from this audience to such a masterful artist as Mr. Martin.

Thanks to all the schools and directors for participating in this year’s festival. We cannot do this without you. We hope to see you all (and many more) next year!

Outstanding High School of the Festival
Katy High School Jazz Band

Outstanding Middle School of the Festival
Lake Olympia Middle School

Outstanding Soloist of the Festival
Paige Fenderson, Seven Lakes High School

Outstanding High School of Friday
Katy High School Jazz Band

Outstanding Middle School of Friday
Freeport Intermediate

Outstanding Soloist of Friday
Paige Fenderson, Seven Lakes High School

Outstanding High School of Saturday
Anderson High School, Austin, TX

Outstanding Middle School of Saturday
Memorial Middle School I, Harlingen, TX

Outstanding Soloist of Saturday
Willie Britten III, Kashmere High School

All-Star Awards

Alvin High School, dir. Ryan Demkovich
Matthew Mondragon
Wyatt Sustaita

Anderson High School, dir. Adam Wiencken
Patrick Brinkman
Rebecca Teng

Hastings High School, dir. Erich Sonnier & Paul Brodt
Jordan Addison
Hope Atina
Kevin Le
Jamill Montoya
Courtland Stewart

Hightower High School, dir. Eduardo Tito Hernandez
Davonte Jackson
Daniel Ward

HSPVA, dir. Warren Sneed
Jalon Archie
Paul Cornish
John Guttman
Jyron Walls

James E. Taylor High School, dir. Bruce Melville
Juan Perez
Daniel Silliman
Thomas Zak

Kashmere High School, dir. Claude Robinson
Willie Britton III
Joshua Stiegall
Justin Williams

Katy High School, dir. Terence Gorton & Andrew Lee
Blake Meynig
Mickey  Angel

Lake Olympia Middle School, dir. Ray Hundl
Erin Kier
Devin Monroe
Steven Taylor

Memorial Middle School, dir. James Keltner & Julissa Garcia
Miguel Aguilar
Stephen Flores
Myles Rosenbaum
Adrian Vitello
Cecilia Pena

Quail Valley Middle School, dir. Kenny Borak
Fabian Romo

Pasadena High School, dir. Jacob Faske
Fernando Zuniga

Seven Lakes High School, dir. Geroge Archer & Jonathan Yoo
Paige Fenderson
Karen Wylie

Spring High School, dir. Joe Clark
Jacob Cullen
Taji Henley
Jonathan Jones
Theo Meadough
Amber Orosco
Austin Weil

Spring Woods High School, dir. Jeffrey Munger
Kierra Dotson

Waltrip High School, dir. Charlie Stephens & Jesse Espinoza
Daniel Covarrubias
Mike Pyankovsky
Harold Sedano
Greg Vega