Frenship High School celebrates outstanding band and choir members
By Morgan Michalski, mmichals@ttu.edu
At its meeting on Feb. 17, the Frenship Independent School District took a moment to applaud the achievements of eight students selected as All-State Musicians – the top musical recognition for high school students in Texas.
Four of the students were band members and four were members of the Frenship High School Choir.
“Over 70, 000 students from around the state entered this audition process,” explained Ryan Smith, Frenship’s director of fine arts, to the board of directors. “And 1, 875 were selected to perform in 18 ensembles.”
The competitive process begins in 33 regions of the state with auditions hosted by the Texas Music Educators Association. Individual musicians perform selected music for a panel of judges. who rank each instrument or voice part.
“From this ranking, select musicians advance from the region to compete at the area level, and then at eight area competitions,” Smith said. “The highest ranking musicians judged at the area competitions qualify for the All State Music Group.
“Only 2. 6 percent of musicians who initially auditioned become All-State Musicians.”
The Frenship students selected for the All-State Concert Band include:
Conlan Fout – senior percussionist – He is the first percussionist from Frenship to perform in the Texas All-State Percussion Ensemble.
Reagan Horst – junior bass trombonist.
Kritika Gautam - senior flutist – She is a two-time All-State Musician.
Ryder Day. Ryder - senior piccolo player – He is a four-time Texas Allstate musician.
Ryder Day has made the Texas All-State band every year since his freshman year, said Scott Carter, the Frenship High School Band Director.
“From what we can find, Ryder is the first piccolo player, not just in the All State Band, but in the history of the Texas Music Educators Association to make All-State all four years on the piccolo.
“We are so proud of how our band students continue to work hard and achieve the honor of performing in these fantastic ensembles,” Carter told Watchdogs.
The Frenship All-State Choir members include:
Senior Drake Hagel -- Tenor I.
Sophomore Skye Sabal – Soprano 1.
Junior Ella Alderson – Soprano 2.
Sophomore Kyra Gerhardt – Soprano 1.
“Our students are tremendous musicians,” said Amy Moss, Frenship’s Choir director. “And I would also like to say they are tremendous humans. And it takes a lot of dedication beyond just the normal showing up and doing the thing.
“They have to dig deep to go beyond the notes and rhythms on the page. They have to find a level beyond to be memorable. It comes a lot from who they are as human beings..”
The Frenship High School Band celebrates star students
With hours of preparation and practice the students got to showcase their talent in a showcase in late January. A total of 21 students have earned spots in the All-Region Orchestra. Six students were selected for the All-Region Jazz band, according to Frenship TV.
The students performed in the All-Region competition it gave the students a chance to perform outside the classroom. They got the chance to perform with other talented students from across the region. As well as working with talented conductors from across TX, according to Frenship TV.
Scott Carter, the Frenship High School Band Director, expressed that the students represented FHS with pride during their performances.
“We are so proud of how our band students continue to work hard and achieve the honor of performing in these fantastic ensembles,” Carter said.
Following the concert the wind, string, and percussion students advanced to the All-Star audition process. Four FHS students were selected as All-Star musicians to showcase their talent and hard work, according to Frenship TV.
Each year around 70,000 students across TX to compete in the Texas Music Educators Assocation (TMEA) All-State process and only 1,875 were chosen this year. They had the Hornor to perform in one of the 18 groups. FHS was proud that four of their students were chosen, according to Friendship TV.
These selected students went through the rigorous selection process held at the state District, Region, and Area levels. The students were guided by Scott Carter, the Band Director and the Choir Director Amy Moss, according to Frenship TV.
Ryder Day made FHS history. He is one of the 3 students in the history of the Friendship Band to be a 4-year All-State Band member. Day is also the first student to become a 4-year All-State member on piccolo in TX, according to Frenship TV.
A piccolo is a small, high-pitched flute that plays an octave higher than a standard flute, according to the Dictionary website.
The FHS All-State students showcased their talent on Feb. 15, 2025. Around 30,000 people showed up from around TX, the showcase featured over 300 workshops and 100 performances and 600 exhibiting companies. It is the largest music educator's convention, according to Frenship TV.
The Frenship ISD board recognized outstanding student musicians for their All-State achievements, celebrating their dedication and hard work. Highlights included:
The board commended the students for their dedication to music and the arts, with standing ovations given in recognition of their accomplishments. Additionally, seniors from the Superintendent's Student Advisory Board were honored for their service and community contributions.
The Frenship Way is a set of values developed through the 2016 Frenship ISD Strategic Plan, reflecting the district's 80+ years of history, tradition, and commitment to excellence. It focuses on high expectations, community, leadership, and positive behaviors.
