Thursday, June 21, 2007

Two McKinney ISD bands advance to TMEA Area competition

By Pegasus News wire

Two high school bands from the McKinney Independent School District were recently selected to the Area competition of the Texas Music Educators Associations (TMEA) Class 4A Honor Band. The McKinney North High School Band was selected first in the Regional competition and the McKinney High School Band was selected second in the competition, advancing both bands to the Area competition to be held on Friday, June 22.

It is the second consecutive year for the band from McKinney High School to advance to the Area Competition Level.

Every other year, all UIL (University Interscholastic League) class 4A band programs have the option of entering a statewide competition to become the state's 4A Honor Band for that particular year with the TMEA. The overall winner in the competition performs at the Texas Music Educators Association’s state convention the following school year. It is the highest honor awarded to any band program in the State of Texas.

“It is rare to have one band from the district advance to the Area competition. To have two bands advance is just incredible,” said Roy Renzenbrink, Director of Fine Arts for the McKinney Independent School District. “It is a huge tribute to those directors, students, and parents and their commitment to excellence in all areas of musicianship. The district is very proud of both bands and their accomplishments. We wish them the best of luck on their competition on June 22.”

The TMEA Honor Band competition starts at the region level. Bands from across the state can enter the competition by sending in a recording of their band taped from a live performance. The entries must include three pieces of music that the band performed throughout the school year. Officials from outside the band’s region judge each entry and then each region sends the entry tapes of the top two bands on to the Area competition.

All entries that make it to the Area round are judged again with the top two band tapes from that area advancing on to the State competition where one band is selected as the 4A Honor Band for that school year.

Source: McKinney ISD Office of Communications

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• McKinney ISD > McKinney ISD High Schools > McKinney High
• McKinney ISD > McKinney ISD High Schools > McKinney North