Four members of the Cleburne High School Golden Pride are among the Area qualifiers engaged in auditions Saturday for the Texas Music Educators Association All-State Band.

            Sophomore Lily Fojtasek, Junior George Alazar and Seniors Melissa Griffin and Dylan Branch were selected to advance to the final round of the All-State Band audition process following their performances at the All-Region contest held in early December. They will be competing against Area qualifiers from region contests conducted across the state.

A total of 32 Cleburne musicians participated in the All-Region auditions, with 12 named to the 5A All-Region Concert or Symphonic Honor Bands.

             Fojtasek enters Saturday’s final round of auditions as the fourth chair French Horn in the All-Region Symphonic Band. Griffin is third chair flute in the Symphonic Band; Branch is third chair trombone in the Symphonic Band. Alazar was awarded first chair bassoon in the All-Region Symphonic Band—and is advancing to Area--for the second consecutive year.

            “We are very pleased to be taking four students to All-State Band auditions,” Band Director Jason Jones said. “They have worked extremely hard to get to this level of the selection process, which is quite an achievement. Our hopes are high for these outstanding musicians.”

            The Texas Music Educators Association sponsors the All-State band, vocal and orchestra audition process to promote students’ dedication to their musical knowledge and skill and to encourage educators to support their students in this development. Beginning each fall, over 70,000 high school students across the state audition in their TMEA Region.