On Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, the McNeil Orchestra participated in the Regional UIL Solo and Ensemble competition at Stony Point High School. The students prepared a solo and/or ensemble and performed it for a certified UIL judge and were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 (Rating of a 1 meaning a superior performance).
They sent 33 student solos and four ensembles to the competition and left with the most UIL medals from all participating high schools in the Region. The students left with 28 division 1 ratings on a solo with a UIL Medal. They also had 17 students (four ensembles) leave with a division 1 rating on an ensemble with a UIL Medal.
Out of all the students who performed, there were 20 solos that were eligible for the UIL Texas State Solo and Ensemble Competition which will take place in May and four of their ensembles were eligible for the State Competition as well.
Junior Jungyeon Won shares how in her contest she played the cello with three seniors who played the violin and viola.
“It was technically the last year we could play together as a group because they are all graduating,” Won said. “I think it was such a great memory to work together and like unite with the music so I think that was really nice for me and I think I will miss them after they go to college and I think this will remain as a core memory.”
Below are the students recognized for their superior performance:
Division 1 on a Solo Performance
- Arunkumar, Surya (9)
- Chu, Allyson (11)
- Cheng, Ethan (9)
- Pigera, Iroshi (9)
- Kim, Joshua (9)
- Matti, Priyanka (10)
- Patel, Rudra (9)
- Aswapathi, Sneha (9)
- Eun, Julia (11) – State
- Kim, Ana (9) – State
- Kim, Nicole (9) – State
- Kim, Yoobin (10) – State
- Lam, Joshua (9) – State
- Oak, Jin (10) – State
- Thakkar, Rasshessh (9) – State
- Yun, Soyun (9) – State
- Yun, Yeeyon (11) – State
- Li, Alexander (9) – State
- Sawada, Shota (11) – State
- Chun, Jayden (10) – State
- Eun, Austin (9) – State
- Lee, Sungjin (10) – State
- Li, Michael (12) – State
- Nam, Yuchan (9) – State
- Teo, Kim (11) – State
- Vyas, Hiya (11) – State
- Ahmann, Tate (12) – State
- Kung, Amelia (10) – State
Division 1 Ensemble 1 – State
- Chun, Jayden (10)
- Kim, Isaiah (10)
- Pancholi, Aesha (12)
- Thomas, Jenny (10)
Division 1 Ensemble 2 – State
- Eun, Austin (9)
- Kellams, Carson (9)
- Kim, Ana (9)
- Thakkar, Rasshessh (9)”
Division 1 Ensemble 3- State
- Pancholi, Aesha (12)
- Pathan, Sania (12)
- Won, Jungyeon (11)
- Yamada, Myka (12)
Division 1 Ensemble 4 – State
- Chu, Allyson (11)
- Eun, Julia (11)
- Kim, Teo (11)
- Sawada, Shota (11)
- Vyas, Hiya (11)
