Alpine High School Band students delivered an impressive performance at the UIL Solo & Ensemble Contest on Saturday, Feb. 21, with all 22 participating musicians earning either Division I (Superior) or Division II (Excellent) ratings.
Several ensembles received top honors, including the clarinet trio of Juan Longion, Megan Struthers and Jake Vega; the saxophone trio of Andrea Johnson, John Paul Prieto and Dylan Wang; and the percussion ensemble featuring Rylen Driscol, Reyna Martinez, Abram Portillo, Alice Saunders, Abigail Scott, Leah Struthers, Gus Thompson and Cain Vidal. Each of those groups earned Superior ratings and qualified to advance to the State Solo & Ensemble Contest.
Other strong performances included an Excellent rating by the flute trio of Lauren Furr, Elisia Markin and Roxanna Rodriguez, as well as an Excellent rating by the brass ensemble of Colt Hale, Rose De Guia, Rose Haas, Ryanna Pineda and Raul Renteria. Colt Hale also earned a Superior rating for his trumpet solo.
To qualify for state, students must perform music at the highest difficulty level and earn a Superior rating, with soloists also required to perform from memory. This year, Alpine will send 14 students to the state contest — the school’s highest number of state qualifiers in the past five years.
Band directors said the results reflect the students’ dedication and preparation, with the program continuing to build momentum heading into the remainder of the school year.
