By ARABELLA SERRATA
Special to the PRESS
Three students at Port Isabel Early College High School [PIECHS] have made history in the district and achieved great feats within the Silver Tarpon Band.
Adrian Jimenez Murat won first place among 30 students in euphonium and qualified for the Pre-Area round on Dec. 10 at Brownsville Rivera. He is now a distinguished one-time Texas Music Educators Association [TMEA] All- State Musician and two-time Association of Texas Small School Bands [ATSSB] All-State Musician.
Sean Selvas won second place in tuba out of 27 students. He will advance to the Area round on Jan. 11 at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi. He also holds the title of First Chair in Tuba ATSSB All-State Musician.
Mark Mejorado won first place against 67 flute students and will advance to Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi.
Previously, Selvas and Mejorado won first place in tuba and flute respectively at the TMEA Area Round. According to PIECHS Band Director Alejandro Cavazos, TMEA offers an individual track where students learn music chosen by a committee and compete against other schools. Selvas and Mejorado took up the competition to challenge themselves and reach new heights, in which they have proven successful. The two have been competing in regional competitions since their middle school years.
Cavazos encouraged the students to push forward with their competitions. “It’s about [the] growth and the commitment to opportunity, regardless if they think they made the right choice,” said Cavazos. He hopes the students learn from these competitions, regardless of the results.
According to their official website, the ATSSB is dedicated to the promotion and participation of small school bands in Texas. TMEA is an organization that seeks to protect the fine arts within Texas schools and the “future of music education,” according to their website.
All three students will perform on Dec. 6 at the Harlingen Performing Arts Center, directed by Jerry Junkin from the University of Texas at Austin.
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