The Foundation for Music Education has recognized 14 Frisco ISD middle and high school ensembles with the 2026 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, three FISD middle school ensembles named 2027 TMEA Honor finalists or semifinalists were also honored by the Foundation for Music Education: the Griffin Wind Symphony, Fowler Legacy Orchestra, and Maus Wind Ensemble.

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 2026.

Congratulations!

Mark of Excellence

2026 National Wind Band Honors

National Winners

Griffin MS Wind Symphony (Class A) - Director Carolyn Cansler

Liberty HS Wind Ensemble (Class AAAAA) - Director Ana Hinojosa Santi

Lone Star HS Wind Symphony (Class AAAAA and New Music Division High School) - Director Mark Poole

Wakeland HS Wind Symphony (Class AAAAA) - Director Rylon Guidry

Commended

Maus MS Wind Ensemble (Class A) - Directors Katie Lewis and Thomas Brink

Pioneer Heritage MS Wind Ensemble (Class AA) - Director Rachael Baldwin

Scoggins MS Wind Ensemble (Class AA) - Director Adam Davis

Reedy HS Wind Ensemble (Class AAAAA) - Director Logan Stalcup

2026 National Orchestra Honors

National Winner

Fowler MS Legacy Orchestra - Director Victoria Lien

Commended

Fowler MS Symphony Orchestra - Directors Victoria Lien, Jenny Denis and Haeryun Kim

Citation of Excellence

National Winners

Griffin MS Symphonic Band (Class A) - Director Cameron Wolfe

Lone Star HS Wind Ensemble (Class AAAAA) - Director Timothy Hickman

Wakeland HS Symphonic Band (Class AAAAA) - Director Kyle Ayoub

Commended

Maus MS Symphonic Band (Class A) - Directors Thomas Brink and Katie Lewis

- Rachel McReynolds