DHS musicians earn gold at state contest

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Dilley High School band students (L-R) Daniel Kelley, Billy Hernandez, Dhylan Moreno and Jacob Garcia performed in a tuba quartet for judges at the University Interscholastic League Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest last week at Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville and earned the coveted Division I rating of ‘Superior’ and gold medals for their recital. The students qualified for a place at the State finals by having earned the highest attainable rating at Region auditions, performing Class 1 pieces of music.
(Courtesy photo)

Dilley High School band students have earned medals and ratings of ‘Superior’ and ‘Excellent’ from judges at the University Interscholastic League State Solo & Ensemble Contest, which was held on Memorial Day.
The musicians advanced to the May 30 state contest by earning the highest attainable ratings at the UIL Region contest, held in February. Soloists and ensembles were required to perform Class 1 pieces of music – the most challenging for high schoolers – from a UIL-prescribed list in order to qualify for the State competition. Soloists then performed their rehearsed pieces from memory at the final event.

DHS flute choir Angela Ruiz, Mirabella Castaneda, Klaudya Garcia, Lillibeth Mullins, Alyssa Rios and Briana Gauna

The UIL State Solo & Ensemble Contest was held at Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville on Monday, May 30.
Bringing home not only a Division 1 rating of ‘Superior’ and additional gold medals from the State contest for Dilley were members of the tuba quartet, Jacob Garcia, Billy Hernandez, Daniel Kelley and Dhylan Moreno.
Garcia and Moreno were 8th graders during the academic year, Kelley a 10th grader, and Hernandez an 11th grader.

DHS snare drum soloist Sean Kelley

Earning a Division 2 rating of ‘Excellent’ and a silver medal was snare drum soloist Sean Kelley, 11th grader.
Likewise earning a Division 2 rating for Dilley at the State contest were members of the flute choir, Angela Ruiz, 12th grade; Mirabella Castaneda, 11th grade; Lillibeth Mullins, 10th grade; Klaudya Garcia, 9th grade; and Alyssa Rios and Briana Gauna, 8th graders.
“We are immensely proud of our students who represented Dilley at the state competition this year,” Dilley ISD Superintendent Dr. Emilio Castro said this week. “It is so encouraging to us all that the state contenders included students as young as eighth graders, performing alongside their elders from the high school. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to achieve advancement to the state level, and we are all very proud of our soloists and ensembles on their accomplishments. I believe they set a shining example of our music program, both in school and in the community, and will serve as role models for the many who aspire to success. I offer them congratulations and admiration on behalf of all administrators, faculty and staff.
“I also want to add a special thanks to Director Terri Robertson and her assistant, Calvin Goetsch,” the superintendent said, “for their patience, vision, and hundreds of hours of hard work in investing in our kids.”