Fine Arts Insider
August 12, 2026
Zoey Hebert Selected for Prestigious 2026 Governor’s Gallery
The accolades keep coming for Hill Country College Preparatory High School’s own Zoey Hebert! Building on her success at the TAEA Youth Art Month Exhibition, Zoey earned an even higher state honor: selection for the 2026 Governor’s Gallery. She reached this tremendous milestone thanks to the sponsorship and support of HCCPHS Art Teacher Natalie Jones.
Out of student entries across Texas, Zoey’s artwork was chosen to hang in the Governor’s Business Office in Austin for an entire year. First Lady Cecilia Abbott and the TAEA invited Zoey to a special reception at the Texas Governor’s Mansion on June 29, 2026, celebrating this elite group of young Texas artists.
Zoey will be taking her exceptional talents to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) this fall. We couldn't be prouder of Zoey for representing Comal ISD at the highest level of state recognition, and we extend a huge thank you to Ms. Jones for sponsoring and inspiring our talented Falcons!
DMS & DHS Bands: A Chronicle of Success
In less than a decade, one of our newer secondary feeder patterns has forged one of the most formidable band pipelines in the state of Texas. Over the past eight years, Danville Middle School and Davenport High School have established a culture of sustained excellence—consistently setting new benchmarks for artistic brilliance, competitive dominance, and individual student achievement.
Danville Middle School: Building a Tradition of Consistency
The journey begins at DMS, where young musicians cultivate the foundational standard of excellence that powers the entire feeder pattern:
Unbroken UIL Streak: Since 2018, the DMS Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band have sustained an astonishing record, earning straight Division 1 superior ratings from every single judge at UIL competitions year after year.
Regional Hegemony: DMS grew from placing a single student in the All-Region Band in 2019 to commanding the region with 55 All-Region students in 2024 and 52 All-Region students in 2025. For four consecutive years, DMS has placed more students—and earned more 1st chair overall placements—in the All-Region Band than any other school.
State & National Renown: DMS bands have repeatedly earned 1st place in STATE in the ATSSB Outstanding Performance Series (OPS) across both Concert and March categories, alongside national recognition with the Citation of Excellence through the National Wind Band Honors.
Community & Performance Highlights: Beyond the contest stage, DMS musicians showcase remarkable versatility—performing at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts during the YOSA Invitational and delighting local audiences as the crowd-favorite DMS Polka Band at Wurstfest.
Davenport High School: A Meteoric Rise to State Dominance
Since opening its doors in 2020, the Davenport High School Band program has staged a rapid, unprecedented ascent to the very top tier of Texas high school music:
State Marching Powerhouse: Maintaining a flawless record of superior UIL marching ratings, DHS captured three consecutive Area E Championships (2023–2025). On the state stage, the marching band completed a relentless climb up the podium—taking 3rd Place (Bronze) in 2024 and 2nd Place (Silver) in 2025, backed by multiple 1st Place State Percussion honors.
The Ultimate Crown: The program achieved Texas music education's pinnacle honor in 2025–2026 when DHS was named the 1st Place TMEA 4A Texas Honor Band—the highest recognition a concert program can earn statewide. This came alongside Mark of Excellence National Winner status and sweeping 1st place ATSSB OPS State titles.
Color Guard & Individual Mastery: The DHS Color Guard established an immediate legacy with back-to-back State Championships. Individually, DHS musicians set records in 2025–2026 by sending 75 students to All-Region (most of any school), qualifying 77 students for State Solo & Ensemble (including 5 "Outstanding Performers"), and sending 6 All-State musicians to represent the school at the highest level.
A Unified Culture of Excellence
From middle schoolers playing their first notes at Danville to elite musicians commanding the field and stage at Davenport, the DMS and DHS band programs demonstrate what happens when student dedication, director vision, and community support unite. Together, they have written a true chronicle of success—one that will continue to inspire with every note played.
Teacher Spotlight: Catherine Deatherage
Across Comal ISD, our educators spend their breaks growing, giving back, and supporting our students. As we gear up for the new school year, we want to highlight one of many wonderful summer stories from our staff: CHS Art Teacher Catherine Deatherage.
🎨 AP Art Success: Preparing a college-level portfolio takes immense dedication. When scores came in, 10 out of 12 of Ms. Deatherage’s students earned passing scores on their AP exams! True to form, she praised her students' grit: "I know the students worked hard to get those passing scores."
🎭 Community Connection: Beyond the classroom, Ms. Deatherage served as an instructor for a summer art camp hosted by the Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre and sponsored by GVTC, giving local youth a fun platform to explore new creative mediums.
From guiding AP students to inspiring young artists in our community, Ms. Deatherage exemplifies the dedication found throughout our entire Comal ISD Fine Arts faculty. We appreciate her dedication and look forward to seeing all the incredible artwork to come this school year!
🎉 Celebrating Julia Eicholz’s Musical Milestone!
Please join us in giving a huge round of applause to Julia Eicholz from Arlon Seay ES!
Ms. Eicholz recently completed her Level 1 Orff Schulwerk certification at Trinity Orff. She dedicated two intensive weeks to immersive professional development—singing, dancing, playing, and mastering dynamic teaching strategies to bring even more rhythm and joy into her classroom.
The program concluded with a wonderful sharing performance at Laurie Auditorium, giving attendees a front-row look at the incredible creativity and hard work put in over the course of the workshop.
We applaud Ms. Eicholz for her unwavering dedication to our students and her commitment to lifelong learning!
CARMINA BURANA on October 2 -Lila Cockrell Auditorium San Antonio -STUDENT GROUP DISCOUNT FOR CARMINA!
Join us for an unforgettable evening led by Artistic Director Jeffrey Kahane featuring internationally acclaimed violinist Tessa Lark alongside an extraordinary cast of artists and community partners.
To receive a group discount for groups of 10 or more to CARMINA BURANA send an email to groupsales@harmoniumoftexas.org.
For student groups of 10 or more ordered in advance the student tickets are $17 and there's no other fees added.
There will be a discount for any accompanying adults on either a $50 or $70 ticket depending on where the group is seated!
Jeffrey Kahane, conductor
Tessa Lark, violin
Rachele Gilmore, soprano
Brian Giebler, tenor
Christopher Rodriguez, baritone
San Antonio Mastersingers
Children's Chorus of San Antonio
Youth Orchestras of San Antonio
UTSA Chamber Singers
Program
Gabriela Ortiz
Antrópolis (2019)
Michael Torke
Sky, Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (2019) *Texas Premiere
Carl Orff
Carmina Burana
performed side-by-side with the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio
This landmark concert celebrates the beginning of a new musical tradition for San Antonio, bringing together internationally acclaimed artists, remarkable local collaborators, and the next generation of musicians for one unforgettable evening.
Here is the ticket link for 1-9 tickets - https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/3A0064F28D4D5F86
Best Regards,
Karen Cramer
Group Sales Representative
Harmonium of Texas
210 802 9272