Texarkana ISD Student Selected As Texas All-State Musician

Texarkana Independent School District (TISD) student Ryker Meadows, a dedicated member of the Texas High School Band, has been selected to perform with the prestigious Texas All-State Band. His performance will occur on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio as part of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Clinic/Convention.

Ryker earned this distinguished honor through a rigorous, statewide competitive process involving District, Region, and Area level auditions. Approximately 70,000 students initially entered the TMEA All-State competition, with only 1,875 selected to perform in one of 18 elite All-State ensembles. Ryker’s dedication and exceptional talent secured his place among the top 2.6% of musicians who auditioned.

"Ryker is an extremely talented musician who's been working very hard all through high school. He's come close to making the All-State band the past three years, and this year was his year to make it! His dedication to perfecting his performance of the Texas TMEA All-State music to this level takes effort that only elite people can achieve," said Arnie Lawson, Texas High School Band Director.

Ryker plays the bassoon under Mr. Lawson’s direction and is the child of Cheryl Harris. This marks Ryker’s first time performing as a member of a TMEA All-State organization.

The TMEA Clinic/Convention, held February 12–15, 2025, is the nation’s largest music educators convention, attracting over 30,000 attendees from Texas and around the world. The event features more than 300 workshops, 10  performances, and exhibits from 600 companies and higher education institutions. All-State students will participate in four days of rehearsals with nationally recognized conductors, culminating in performances that showcase their extraordinary talent.

For more information, visit www.tmea.org/convention or contact Arnie Lawson at 903-277-1964.