12/31/25 Fine Arts Department News

Last Call for 4th and 5th Grade Honor Choir Sign Up!

Join us as we celebrate artists chosen for the Dallas Young Artist Exhibit at the Blue Print Gallery. January 22nd from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Students honored are: Boone Bonfield, Hunter Harmon, Caspar Curry, Constance Olvera Irigoyen, Ava Danuser, Serena Liu, Emily Wang and Grace Kong.

On December 12th (National Gingerbread house day), architecture students competed to build the best gingerbread house. The winners were:

Hopefuls and returning Belles completed a rigorous week-long training process culminating in independently judged tryouts on Saturday, December 6th. The award-winning Highland Belles added 36 new team members to the 2026-2027 Highland Belle line totaling 99 members. The 44th line will be the largest ever in their history.

These new Highland Belles will begin their workout and off-season training in January alongside the current Belle team. Team managers will be confirmed next semester. Their first team performance will be featured at the Contest Showoffs on Wednesday, February 11 at 6:00 pm in the Competition Gym.

Camden Coale and Layton Braziel got to the elimination rounds at Glenbrooks, gaining another Tournament of Champions qualification bid. Pictured here with their "mascot" and support bear!

Visual arts students have been selected for publication in the upcoming Celebrating Arts Anthology (to be released this spring). Please join us in congratulating these talented, soon-to-be "published" artists. 9th Grade: Ava Gonzales, Vivian Haworth, Emme Istre, Mia Lakmanchuk, Sophia Latushko, Ashton Moody-Dahlberg, Lauren Reed, Margot Schendle, Annika Steffen, Emma-Grace Wiles, Sally Winters, Olivia Yeaman

10th Grade: Kate Bodwell, Landry Chu, Caspar Curry, Margeaux Galt, Lillian Guest, Warren Hallam, Finley Heckler, Catherine King, Tiffany Lindo, Madeline Marthens, Hudson Molnoskey, Constance Olvera Irigoyer, Bess Prather, Briana Rodriguez, Alexa Romano, Kate Swaldi, Lillian Zhu, Emily Wang

Sampling of accepted student artwork below!

Congratulations to the following HPHS Band Students for their placement in TMEA Region XX All Region Band!

Park Version Vocal Ensemble traveled throughout the Park Cities and the greater Dallas community spreading holiday cheer! The auditioned group of 16 singers keeps an active performing schedule throughout the year, especially during the holiday season. Members performed at the Snider Plaza and Armstrong Tree Lighting, Northpark Sounds of the Season, the La Fiesta De Las Seis Banderas Announcement Evening, as well as the HPISD schools. Students are seen below at Hyer, Boone, and Northpark!

All Orchestra students collaborated at the Winter Orchestra Concert that took place at HPHS on December 9th. For the first time in Orchestra history, all students came together to perform a multi-level piece titled Polar Vortex. After the concert, students were able to visit with their audience members at a reception hosted by the Orchestra Booster Club.

Please congratulate the following students for qualifying for Nationals at the Texas State Thespian Festival:

-Brooks Buis and Lexi Waugh-Duet Musical ("Ready Set Not Yet" from Beetlejuice)

-Ruthie Cave, Camille Huckaby, and Angelica Pace-Ensemble Musical ("When The Chips Are Down" from Hadestown)

-Gracie King, Blaine Lewis, Ria Patel, & Manahil Qureshi-Ensemble Acting (The Cover of Life)

-Faith Mazzucchi-Stage Management (Pippin)

-Esra Melech-Solo Musical ("At Long Last" from Bright Star)

-Lauren Parks- Contrasting Monologues (Little Murders and Love Child)

-Leya Qureshi-Contrasting Monologues (Ivanov and Fourteen)

-Sage Rockow-Solo Musical ("Me and the Sky" from Come From Away)

-Charlotte York-Solo Musical Theatre Dance ("Don't Let Me Go" from Shrek)

These students worked very hard on these performances and we are so proud of them, and the rest of our troupe!

Congratulations to the following band students for earning a chair in the All Region Band!

Raider Choir students presented their karaoke projects in class during their last week of school and had a blast! They are so creative and skilled! Classes celebrated the end of the semester with a white elephant gift exchange.

On December 12th and 13th, 27 students from the Raider Orchestra program participated in the Region 20 Honors Orchestra W.T. White High School in Dallas. Congratulations to our All Region Members!

The MIS 5th and 6th Graders presented their Winter production of Frozen Junior to the community over the first weekend of December! 4th Graders in HPISD were invited to attend the first production, which then opened to the community for three performances. For many 5th and 6th graders, this was their first opportunity to participate in a full scale musical production. Congratulations to the cast, crew, directors, and volunteers for a great show!

Armstrong Fourth Graders have been continuing their Recorder study at a frenzied pace! Emmett Nelms became our first Recorder Music Master, having learned all of the notes that one can play on the Recorder! Congratulations, Emmett, for being a Master Musician!

The Boone 4th graders put on a magical performance in their musical, "Winter Games in Wonderland"! They sang, acted, danced, and played instruments beautifully and we could not be more proud!

Boone 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders used holiday themes to apply the elements of art. Using imaginations and paint sticks, they created festive artwork for their homes.

SMU Music Education students taught Hyer's 2nd and 3rd grade students holiday music lessons with dancing and instruments! HPISD Fine Arts is proud of our continued partnership with students in the Meadows School of the Arts.

On December 10th, the UP Elementary 3rd Graders presented their Winter Performance, "The REAL Pirates of Pinataville". The students combined many skills they have been practicing in music class to produce this wonderful production for the Panther Community!