Johnson Claims UIL 6A State Title
With one final run of its 2020 show, “Know Who You Are,” the Claudia Taylor Johnson Marching Band won its first Texas UIL 6A State Marching Championship at the Alamodome.
From the first hit through the ballad and finale, the show — which included musical highlights from many of its marching competitions over the years —found favor with the field and music judges throughout the season.
The state title capped a successful four-year run by CTJ’s senior class, which was part of five consecutive Bands of America super regional or regional championships, and a BOA Grand National finalist berth in 2019, finishing sixth nationally.
The Texas UIL 6A finalists (total points in parentheses):
State Champion: Claudia Taylor Johnson (10)
Silver Medalist: Hebron (18)
Bronze Medalist: Flower Mound (18)
OTHER FINALIST PLACEMENTS
4th Place: Marcus (20)
5th Place: The Woodlands (22)
6th Place: Pearland (24)
7th Place: Waxahachie (35)
8th Place: Coppell (45)
9th Place: Seven Lakes (47)
10th Place: Cypress Woods (51)
There were 20 6A bands in the state competition.
Johnson’s state title run continued its run of success at the Alamodome. In addition to this year’s first place showing, CTJ has a 6A bronze medalist placement (2014), and Bands of America Super Regional championships in 2014 and 2017. Johnson finished in the top five in the BOA Super Regional there each year from 2012 through 2018.
Even though the pandemic limited competitions in 2020, Johnson was named the UIL Area D 6A Marching Champion following its performance at Jack C. Hays High School in Buda on December 5. That day, CTJ was ranked first in music and marching by each of the five Area D competition judges, with Jack C. Hays finishing second and Harker Heights third in the field of eight 6A schools.
Earlier this season, Johnson won its 13th consecutive “Sweepstakes” from judges at the UIL Region marching contest.
CTJ Places 15 for TMEA All-State
The Claudia Taylor Johnson Band had 15
members earn chairs in the Texas Music Educators Association All-State
Bands for 2021.
It was the third year in a row for Johnson
having all-state band members in double digits, and the most of any
school in NEISD. CTJ had 16 make the all-state band in 2019 and 11 in 2020.
Tommy Brennan (euphonium) was named to his fourth TMEA All-State Band, while Jake Glaser (Bb clarinet) and Preston Payne (trombone) were named to their third. It's the second appearance for Dylan Davidson, Kadence Koehl, and Brenna Mitchell.
The 15 making TMEA All-State Band for 2021 (the number of times making All-State is in parentheses):
Sebastian Becerra, junior — Baritone Saxophone
Matthew Blackwell, junior — Contrabassoon
Tommy Brennan, senior — Euphonium (4)
Catherine Chambers, senior — Horn
Dylan Davidson, senior — Bass Trombone (2)
Jake Glaser, junior — Bb Clarinet (3)
Kaitlyn Hawkins, junior — Piccolo
Kadence Koehl, senior — Trumpet (2)
Joshua Kraly, senior — Tuba
Brenna Mitchell, senior — Contrabassoon (2)
Robert Mullen, senior — Tuba
Preston Payne, senior — Trombone (3)
Bella Perez, junior — Bassoon
Alejandro San Miguel, senior — Baritone Saxophone
Aiden Souder, junior — Trumpet
Fifty-nine Johnson band members have earned 92 chairs in the TMEA All-State bands in the school’s 13-year history.
See CTJ band members and TMEA All-State bands, a history
