HOUSTON — The Association of Texas Small School Bands is pleased to announce the selection of the 2022 ATSSB All-State Band. More than 10,000 high school band students from across Texas auditioned in twenty-two different regions for a place in their respective all-region bands. The top chairs in each region advanced to one of the five area auditions held this past weekend across the state and only 286 of these students were selected for all-state honors.
The ATSSB All-State Bands will meet in rehearsals in San Antonio, Texas, February 9-12, 2022, and will present a concert beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 12, 2022, in the Lila Cockrell Theatre of the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in downtown San Antonio.
Stefan Grigsby, a member of the Lytle High School Band, was selected as a member of this band. He was chosen for this honor in competitive auditions held this year across the state at region and area levels. Stefan is a student of Joshua Chessher and MJ Robles and plays the French Horn at school under the direction of Joshua Chessher, who is a member of the Association of Texas Small School Bands, a 1257-member group of band directors in class 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A high schools in Texas. This is their first time to perform as a member of the ATSSB All-State Band. His other interests at school include basketball, track, and honors courses. He is also active in church activities at home, and he enjoys volunteering as a referee for the Lytle Youth Program, photography, and playing the guitar, piano, and trumpet as well. His parents are David and Boryana Emery, in Lytle, Texas.
Dr. Caroline Beatty (Texas State University) will be the clinician-conductor of the All-State Concert Band which will premier Rising by Clifton Jones (commissioned by ATSSB). Dr. Emily Threinen (University of Minnesota) will be the clinician-conductor of the All-State Symphonic Band which will premier The Essence of Memory by BJ Brooks (commissioned by ATSSB in honor of Darin K. Johns). Russell Schmidt (Valley Jazz Cooperative, Phoenix, Arizona) will be the clinician-conductor of the All-State Jazz Ensemble which will perform at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 15, 2019, in the Convention Center Hemisfair Ballroom 1-2.