Dueitt Symphonic Band Director Christopher Gonzales works with students during rehearsal.

HOUSTON – June 29, 2017 – The Dueitt Middle School Symphonic Band – after receiving outstanding marks at both the regional and area-level contests – now advances to the final round of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Honor Band Competition. At the state-level event, examples of the ensemble’s recent work will be judged against some of the best bands in the state to determine which groups will be invited to perform at the 2018 TMEA Annual Convention.

“This is a highly competitive program, and band teachers across Texas put a lot of thought into their performance selections and rehearsing their students,” said Spring ISD Director of Performing and Visual Arts Joe Clark. “For them to have gotten this far is definitely a testament to the band’s director, Christopher Gonzales, and to the quality of the music program there at Dueitt.”

In selecting the groups for the statewide honor, a panel of judges will gather during an official listening session held during the upcoming Texas Bandmasters Association Convention later this summer. During that listening session, a set of original and unedited recordings of the statewide finalist groups will be judged and ranked to determine this year’s Honor Band winners.

In all, only four groups from across the state will be chosen.

A Texas music education tradition since 1959, the TMEA Honor Band competition is designed to spotlight exemplary band programs across the state and to celebrate communities that continue to support strong music education in their local schools. The Honor Band performances and associated clinics – featuring presentations from the directors of the winning ensembles – are also designed to help music educators grow and develop in their own teaching.