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Last week was a big week for Dripping Springs High School, with a total of ten students attaining state recognition at three extracurricular competitions.
State Congress Tournament, Austin
Dripping Springs High School senior Lizzie Galassini placed sixth at the two-day UIL 5A State Congress Tournament held Jan. 11–12 at the Texas State Capitol in Austin.
Galassini competed against 50 state qualifiers and was one of 18 students to advance to the finals. She captured the UIL Region 13 Congress Tournament title in November to qualify for the state tournament.
Area Choir Auditions, San Antonio
For the first time since 2011, Dripping Springs High School placed two students on the Texas All-State Choir this year with senior Brody Lane and sophomore Colin Tuohy earning the recognition.
Dripping Springs had a school record of nine students participate in the area auditions, the third and final round of the state audition process, on Saturday, Jan. 8, in San Antonio. In addition to Lane and Tuohy, Anika Chalak, Michelle Hinojosa, Jonathan Jensen, Kate Nolen, Sloane Ruley, Portia Schaeffer-Preston and Abby Wingrin were among the top four percent of high school singers in the state.
Lane placed first among the Bass 2 competitors to earn a spot on the All-State Mixed Choir for the second consecutive year. Tuohy placed fourth as a Tenor 1 to be named to the All-State Tenor-Bass Choir. Both are voice students of Tom Gabrielsen and sing under the direction of Courtney Aguilar at DSHS.
DSHS Area Choir Participants:
Anika Chalak, Soprano 2
Michelle Hinojosa, Alto
Jonathan Jensen, Tenor 2
*Brody Lane, Bass 2
Kate Nolen, Alto 2
Sloane Ruley, Alto 1
Portia Schaeffer-Preston, Soprano 1
*Colin Tuohy, Tenor 1
Abby Wingrin, Alto 1
*All-State Selection
Area Band Auditions, Austin
Seven Dripping Springs High School band students were named to the Texas Music Educators Association All-State Band, the most for the Tiger Band since the 2017–2018 school year.
A total of 15 DSHS students auditioned at the area level on Saturday, Jan. 8, at Westlake High School in Austin. Earning all-state recognition for DSHS were Jace Byrd (trombone), Wyland Diehl (tenor saxophone), Quentin Dollard (euphonium), Madelynn Glass (trumpet), James Lee (euphonium), Alana Sayger (horn) and Matthew Sheeler (bassoon). Lee was named to the 6A All-State Band.
Other area qualifiers were Nathan Crutchfield (bari saxophone), Madelyn Foster (flute), Hennah Hajari (bassoon), Graham Lord (trombone), Woody Mau (bass clarinet), Dylan Saculla (trumpet), Maddie Trussell (flute) and Harrison Weikert (horn).
All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can receive. A total of 1,875 students are selected through a process that begins with over 70,000 students from around the state competing to perform in one of 18 ensembles. Individual musicians perform selected music for judges who rank each instrument or voice part. The highest-ranking musicians judged at the TMEA Area competitions qualify to perform in a TMEA All-State music group. Only the top 2.6% of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians.
DSHS Area Band Participants:
*Jace Byrd - Trombone
Nathan Crutchfield - Bari Sax
*Wyland Diehl - Tenor Sax
*Quentin Dollard - Euphonium
Madelyn Foster - Flute
*Madelynn Glass - Trumpet
Hennah Hajari - Bassoon
*James Lee - Euphonium (6A)
Graham Lord - Trombone
Woody Mau - Bass Clarinet
Dylan Saculla - Trumpet
*Alana Sayger - Horn
*Matthew Sheeler - Bassoon
Maddie Trussell - Flute
Harrison Weikert - Horn
*All-State Band Selection
Both the Texas All-State Choirs and the Texas All-State Band will perform on Saturday, Feb. 12, in San Antonio as part of the TMEA Clinic and Convention.
