Three Royse City High School students earn chairs in TMEA All-State Choir Ensembles

Members of Royse City High School 2026 All-State Choir and All-State Band

Royse City, TX (February 11, 2026) – Royse City High School is celebrating a banner year for its fine arts programs with three members of the RCHS Choir — Aidon Harris, Elle Bond, and Zadyn Smith — qualifiying for the 2026 Texas All-State Choirs. These students are under the direction of Nathan White and Tracy Hall and are students of private instructor Paul Burnam.

● Zadyn Smith (Senior): Earned 1st Chair (Bass 2), performing with the TMEA All-State Mixed Choir. This is Smith’s second consecutive All-State selection.
● Aidon Harris (Junior): Earned 4th Chair (Bass 2), performing with the TMEA All-State Mixed Choir.
● Elle Bond (Junior): Earned 10th Chair (Soprano 2), performing with the TMEA All-State Treble Choir.

A Journey of Dedication
The path to the All-State stage is a challenging one. These students began their preparations in June 2025, dedicating their summer and fall to private lessons, intensive summer camps, and master classes. To secure their spots, they successfully advanced through four distinct rounds of competitive auditions against the best vocalists in the region and state.

Performance in San Antonio
All three student honorees will travel to San Antonio from February 11–14, 2026, for the annual TMEA Clinic/Convention. There, they will engage in three days of intensive rehearsals under the direction of world-renowned conductors and clinicians.

The experience will culminate in a grand performance on Valentine’s Day, February 14, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. They will perform before an audience of thousands of music educators, family members, and peers from across Texas.

Press release submitted by April Soderquist, Royse City ISD, edited for publication in Blue Ribbon News. Photos courtesy of Royse City ISD.

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