Student accomplishments, organized by what matters most.
Since September 1993, Leota's students have won scholarships, seats in top college orchestras, All-Region and All-State placements, and consistent superior ratings at competition. Recent highlights are below — a selected record of results from the past three decades is one click further down.
What students are achieving right now.
The most current stories — the same ones featured on the homepage — before a selected record of past results below.
Named The Fifth Grade Orchestra Student of the Year by her director, Harper was promoted to Clark Intermediate's top orchestra after just one semester — and performed a solo after only three months of study.
Named "Most Outstanding Freshman Performer" in the Chamber Orchestra and Principal (First Chair) of the Viola Section all year — following a #1 ranking as a junior high violist in Region IX.
Principal (First Chair) Viola of the Conroe ISD Sixth Grade Honor Orchestra and of her school's Chamber Orchestra all year — Julia won her chair after just two weeks of lessons.
Earned a Superior Rating at Solo & Ensemble Contest performing the first movement of Seitz's Concerto No. 5, with a level of commitment rare for his age.
A violist in the Chamber Orchestra — the top orchestra at Irons Junior High — Nadia earned a Superior Rating performing Martini's "Gavotte" at Solo & Ensemble Contest.
A violist in Kleb Intermediate's Chamber Orchestra and a straight-A student, Lucas earned a Superior Rating performing Paganini's "Theme from Witches' Dance."
Colby Sheppard
Fiddle · Young Bob Wills, “A Ride with Bob” · 2010–2012
One of the highlights of my teaching career was working with young fiddler Colby Sheppard during an extraordinary period in his musical development. When Colby was given the opportunity to audition for Ray Benson, founder of Asleep at the Wheel, I personally coached and prepared him for that important audition. Colby won the role of young Bob Wills in Ray Benson and Anne Rapp's musical A Ride with Bob, celebrating the life and music of legendary Western Swing bandleader Bob Wills.
In July 2011, while still my student, Colby appeared with Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel in A Ride with Bob at The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston, Texas, performing the role of young Bob Wills during the July 8–10 engagement.
Colby's accomplishments during these years extended well beyond the theatrical stage. On December 21, 2010, he was featured as a special guest at Ray Price's Christmas concert at the historic Crighton Theatre in Conroe, Texas, where the legendary country singer performed with the Conroe Symphony Orchestra.
His talent also earned recognition within the Western Swing community. Colby was named a Top Five nominee for Young Artist of the Year by the Academy of Western Artists in both 2011 and 2012, and in 2012 he received the Cowtown Society of Western Music's Rising Star of the Year award.
Check out photos of Colby on IMDb and videos of his performances on YouTube.
Results from the past three decades.
A representative selection of scholarships, orchestra chairs, regional placements, and competition ratings since 1996 — organized by category, not by year. This is not a complete list of every student's every achievement.
Scholarships
- May 2022Audrey Weaver (The Woodlands HS, Class of 2022) was admitted to The Moores School of Music at the University of Houston to study viola performance.
- May 2020Nathaniel Elgin, a senior violist at The Woodlands High School, received a $26,000 viola scholarship to Houston Baptist University.
- May 2012Corban Taylor, a senior violist at Oak Ridge High School, received a $14,000 viola scholarship from Sam Houston State University. She went on to earn a master's degree in viola performance from Saint Thomas University in Houston, and is now an orchestra director in Conroe ISD.
- May 2011Joshua Hicks, a senior at Oak Ridge High School who played violin and cello, won a cello scholarship at Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi.
- 2006–2010Laura Callon (The Woodlands HS, Class of 2010) received a four-year violin scholarship from the University of Houston and the Mitchell Pavilion Partners, graduating With Honors in Violin Performance in 2014. She's now a sought-after performer and teacher in the Houston area, and a violin coach for the Houston Youth Symphony.
- 2010Caitlin Whittemore (The Woodlands HS) won a first violin chair in the Colgate University Orchestra and was accepted for violin study by Colgate's top violin professor.
- 2003–2007Nick DeWitt (Oak Ridge HS, Class of 2003) — Leota's very first violin student, in 1993 — received a four-year violin scholarship to Hofstra University. He now works in film production (HBO's "The Gilded Age," Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story") and plays violin with the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra.
- June 2001Music Camp Scholarships: Five students received violin scholarships to the Baylor University Summer String Camp.
- May 2001A senior from The Woodlands High School, Class of 2001, won a $6,000 violin scholarship to Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.
- May 1999Candace Maynard (The Woodlands HS, Class of 1999) won a $6,000 violin scholarship to William Jewell College.
- May 1999Catherine Misamore (Cy-Fair HS) won a $6,000 violin scholarship to Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
- May 1998A junior high student at The John Cooper School received a violin scholarship to the City of London Freemen's School in London, England—after earning the highest possible ranking in the United Kingdom Music System, The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), while still in junior high.
- May 1996A Lone Star College–North Harris student received a full violin scholarship to Sam Houston State University.
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