Mission, Texas- The Veterans Memorial High School (VMHS) Honor Band and Symphonic Band each earned top marks from judges at the recent UIL Concert and Sight Reading contest held at the UTRGV, earning each band Sweepstakes trophies.
The bands are evaluated by a group of three judges on three different musical selections that are prepared in class from a prescribed list of music set by the UIL. After that concert portion of the competition, the students are transferred to the sight reading room where the Symphonic Band is given seven minutes and the Honor Band is given ten minutes to study a piece of music they have never heard or seen before. During that time, the director is allowed to explain and describe the music, but the students are not allowed to make any audible sound. At the end of the explanation period, the ensembles have just one opportunity to perform the piece of music for the three judges.
Both bands received straight Division 1 ratings (best possible) in both the concert performance and sight reading performance, resulting in the Sweepstakes honors.
The members of the Symphonic Band are: Graciela Carlos, Nathalia Flores, Alexa Gonzalez, Alondra Leal, Marisa Leal, Dominique Uvalle, Juan Mercado, Melissa Aleman, Angel Rios, Orion Rains, Matthew Vasquez, Ryan Rivera, Aiden Tagle, Michael Zayas, Paul McCoy, Erick Garcia, Sofia Gonzalez, Brian Reyna, Mark Alanis, Brandon Arevalo, Gabriel Garcia, Christopher Gaytan, Vicente Trevino, Jose Cardiel, Jacob Cavazos, Emily Guerra, Anahi Moreno, Delilah Pena.
The members of the Honor Band are: Mia Sanchez, Alexandra Galvez, Evelyn Casiano, Abraham Cruz, Bethany Duke, Victoria Escamilla, Daisy Garza, Cassandra Gutierrez, Mariana Hernandez (Mission Collegiate High School), Kelly Lam, Serina Villarreal, Aaron De La Fuente, Fabian Gutierrez, Gavin Gomez (MCHS), Samuel Gonzalez, Rebecca Muniz, Jose Ramirez, Carlos Canelo, Kenya Hinojosa, Ashlynn Contreras, Adam Barrera, Jose Munoz, Rolando Ramirez, Brandon Salinas, Laura Salinas, Andrew Silva, Julio Villarreal, Rodrigo Barrera, Jesus Monsivais (MCHS), Jeremy Cardenas, Joseph Cardenas, Robert Garcia, Damian Gonzalez, JJ Rodriguez, Razziel Ayala, Ricardo Barsenas, Jaden De Leon, Daniella Guevara, Elleana Requenez, Judith Tijerina, Yadira Vallejo, Cheyenne Garza.
Pictured are the VMHS Symphonic Band and the VMHS Honor Band.
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