Nineteen orchestras and bands have been recognized for excellence by the Foundation for Music Education.
By Rachel McReynolds
The Foundation for Music Education has recognized 19 Frisco ISD middle and high school ensembles with the 2025 Mark of Excellence and Citation of Excellence awards.
National winners of the Mark of Excellence rank among the top 25% of participating bands, choirs or orchestras, placing these FISD groups in excellent company!
The Mark of Excellence seeks to recognize and award outstanding achievement in performance by high school and middle school bands, choirs and orchestras, while the Citation of Excellence recognizes achievement by Texas’ non-varsity high school and middle school bands, choirs and orchestras.
Continuing their run of recognitions, all four FISD ensembles named 2026 TMEA Honor groups or finalists were also part of the Foundation for Music Education awards: the Lawler Symphony Orchestra, Wakeland High School Wind Symphony, Fowler Middle School Legacy Orchestra, and Fowler Symphony Orchestra.
To qualify for the Foundation for Music Education awards, directors submitted recordings of their student ensemble performances to be evaluated along with hundreds of other schools from across the country. The submissions were adjudicated by a team of conductors from universities across the country who provided written and recorded feedback. Directors named below were leading their ensembles at the time of the recording, in spring 2025.
Congratulations!
Mark of Excellence
2025 National Wind Band Honors
National Winners
Maus MS Wind Ensemble (Class A) - Directors Katie Lewis and Thomas Brink
Independence HS Wind Symphony (Class AAAAA) - Director Daniel King
Lone Star HS Wind Symphony (Class AAAAA) - Director Mark Poole
Lone Star HS Wind Symphony (New Music Division High School) - Director Mark Poole
Wakeland HS Wind Symphony (Class AAAAA) - Director Rylon Guidry
Commended
Reedy HS Wind Ensemble (Class AAAAA) - Director Paul Heuer
Roach MS Wind Ensemble (Class AA) - Director Geoffrey Elsner
Scoggins MS Wind Ensemble (Class AA) - Director Adam Davis
Stafford MS Honor Winds (Class AA) - Director Laura Bell
2025 National Orchestra Honors
National Winners
Fowler MS Legacy Orchestra - Director Victoria Lien
Lawler MS Symphony Orchestra - Directors Christine LaLonde, Christian Holzer, Kevin Sluder and Jay McKellar
Lawler MS Chamber Orchestra - Directors Christine LaLonde and Kevin Sluder
Commended
Centennial HS Chamber Orchestra - Director Devan Bell
Fowler MS Symphony Orchestra - Directors Victoria Lien, Jenny Denis and Haeryun Kim
Roach MS Chamber Orchestra - Directors Sarah Hawley and Chassity Rauscher
Citation of Excellence
Citation Winner
Wakeland HS Symphonic Band (Class AAAAA) - Director Kyle Ayoub
National Winner
Centennial HS Virtuosi Orchestra - Director Jocelyn Ho
Commended
Pioneer Heritage MS Symphonic Band (Class AA) - Director Jennifer Teed
Stafford MS Wind Symphony (Class AA) - Director Andrew Fowler
Wilkinson MS Symphonic Band (Class A) - Director Kim Reed