Azle High School Band

What are All-Region Auditions?

Each year the Texas Music Educators Association organizes a set of auditions which is open to all Texas high school band students. These auditions begin at the local level, and culminate with the top students being selected to the Texas All-State Bands. Out of thousands and thousands of students, the TMEA invites the All-State winners to come to San Antonio in February, where the students rehearse together and present concerts during the TMEA annual convention. Here is a list of the All-State groups:

• All-State Symphonic & Philharmonic Orchestras (2)
• All-State 5A Symphonic & Concert Bands (2)
• All-State 4A Band (1) 

*All-State A-AA-AAA Symphonic & Concert Bands (2)

*These bands are administered by an organization called the Association of Texas Small School Bands (ATSSB)              

 There is also an All-State Jazz Ensemble, and several All-State Choirs.        

Auditions begin in the fall, at the All-Region level. Band students prepare 3 etudes, which are very challenging pieces, each usually about one page in length. In November or December (depending upon when each Region sets their dates) students from many schools meet together and play portions of the 3 pieces for a panel of 5 judges. The judges are usually band directors, and they sit behind a screen, so that they cannot see who the students are. The top students on each instrument are selected to the All-Region Band. On a weekend in January, these student winners meet together and present a concert.

Azle is in Region 2, and competes with schools from Springtown, Northwest ISD, Keller, Wichita Falls, Denton, Brewer, Mineral Wells, Boswell, and Saginaw. Region 2 has TWO ZONES for All-Region, and EACH ZONE has two All-Region Bands.

The “East Zone” includes 8 schools:

Springtown, Azle, Boswell, Saginaw, Wichita Falls, Rider, Mineral Wells and Brewer.

The “West Zone” includes 7 schools:

Keller, Fossil Ridge, Central (Keller), Northwest, Denton, Guyer (Denton), and Ryan (Denton).

Last year, Azle placed 60 students in the East Zone All-Region Bands. It is a great honor to make All-Region, and most students who do so have 3 things in common:

• They practice their instruments regularly.
• They take private lessons.
• They have a degree of talent.  

What is All-Area?

The very top students in the All-Region Bands from each Zone, advance to the “Pre-Area Level Audition”. They audition (on their three etudes) on a Monday evening immediately following the “Saturday All-Region Audition”.  The best students from each zone advance to the next level… All-Area.

In early January, these students once again perform portions of those three etudes for another panel of judges. This time, they are competing with the student winners from several other Regions, as well. Our AREA includes schools from the Amarillo/Lubbock area, the Midland/Odessa area, and the Lewisville/Frisco area. Needless to say, ALL students who are competing at this level are well-prepared and are fine musicians. The winners at the All-Area level are named as ALL-STATE WINNERS.         

What is All-State?

When these ALL-STATE students travel to San Antonio, upon arrival, they audition against the All-State winners from across the state, to determine their chair rank in the All-State Band. Making All-State in Texas is regarded as the highest honor in the nation for high school instrumental musicians.         

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