Feb. 17, 2022 - During Comal ISD’s annual Jazz Night, showcasing talented high school musicians, four students were awarded inaugural music scholarships of $300 each.
The scholarship winners included Hailey Heitmeyer from Canyon High School, Lily Wilson from Canyon Lake High School, Audrey Callenius from Davenport High School and Jake Perez from Smithson Valley High School.
Each musician plans to further their education at the collegiate level. Heitmeyer will study theater education at Texas State University; Wilson plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin and study aerospace engineering; Callenius plans to study biology at Texas A&M University; and Perez will study music at the University of Texas at Austin.
These scholarships were a great addition to the annual night of jazz which features every high school jazz band in the district. This year, five bands performed including CHS, CLHS, DHS, Pieper High and SVHS.
This year’s evening was capped off with a special performance by the Comal ISD District Jazz Ensemble. These musicians were hand selected by the district’s band directors. Special guest conductor and clinician, Scott McDonald from Texas Lutheran University introduced them to new music which they performed for the crowd.
“These students worked very hard today,” said McDonald, who also made a note to tell the audience how excited he was to meet and work with Comal ISD students.
“Jazz is an art form that has diminished in the last few years, and I am impressed that Comal ISD continues to teach it.”
Congratulations!
-Four Comal ISD students were awarded inaugural music scholarships by the district during its annual jazz night. Pictured are the scholarship winners, top left to right is Lily Wilson from Canyon Lake High School and Audrey Callenius from Davenport High School, bottom left to right is Hailey Heitmeyer from Canyon High School and Jake Perez from Smithson Valley High School.
-Students from across the district were chosen to be a part of the Comal ISD Jazz Ensemble which performed under the direction of guest conductor and clinician Scott McDonald from Texas Lutheran University on Feb. 8, at the district’s Annual Jazz Night.
-Pictured from left is Davenport High School’s director of bands Jeffrey Keyes, scholarship recipient Audrey Callenius and associate band director Dean Ponsetti.
-Pictured from left is Canyon High School’s assistant band director Brad Arnold, scholarship recipient Hailey Heitmeyer and CHS director of bands Steve Vaden.
-Pictured from left is Smithson Valley High School’s assistant band director Lane Palmer, scholarship recipient Jake Perez and SVHS head band director Michael Childress.