Woodlands Concert Band

The Woodlands Concert Band 2025 Soloist Competition Winners

3^rd Place Winner – $300

Ruyi Wang
The John Cooper School

Ruyi Wang is a high school junior at The John Cooper School. She began playing the saxophone at the age of 10 while growing up in Japan.

Over the years, Ruyi has earned First Chair in the TPSMEA All-State Band for three consecutive years on both alto and tenor saxophones. In addition to her performances in concert band, she enjoys playing in her school’s musical theater pit orchestras, where she explores a variety of musical styles. Through both solo and ensemble experiences, she looks forward to continuing her growth as a musician.

Ruyi is deeply grateful to her band directors, Mr. Tony Yarbrough and Mr. Jim Shaw, for their constant encouragement; to her pianist, Ms. Jennifer Franz, for sharing her time and musicianship so generously; to her private teacher, Mr. Tristan Smith, for his guidance and teaching; and most of all, to her family, whose unwavering support has been the foundation of her musical journey.

She is honored to share her music today and hopes you enjoy the performance!

Concerto for Alto Saxophone
by Paul Creston
Movement 2 – Meditative

2^nd Place Winner – $500

Patrick Umanzor
Klein Oak High School

Patrick Umanzor, 17, was born in San Salvador, El Salvador on July 21st, 2007. At the age of 1 he moved to San Mateo, California where he would live until the age of 10 when Patrick began playing the flute through his school’s music program. In 2018 he moved to Spring, Texas and joined the Krimmel Intermediate band where his passion for music truly began to flourish.

Patrick will be graduating from Klein Oak High School and will attend The University of Texas at Austin and later transfer to an out of state music school. He wants to pursue all types of music performance including freelancing, live orchestra, studio orchestra, chamber ensembles, soloing and more across the world. He will also be a professor, a composer and a modern music producer.

Patrick has been recognized for several accomplishments including being a 4-year TMEA All State Musician performing twice in the All-State Symphonic Band and twice in the All-State Symphony Orchestra. He was accepted into the 2023 National Honor Band of America, 2023 Symphony North of Houston concerto competition finalist, 2023 UIL State Solo and Ensemble Outstanding performer (Gold medalist), 2023 Interlochen Center of the Arts Advanced Flute Intensive, 2024 Overall winner Symphony North of Houston concerto competition (Performed with orchestra), 2024 2nd place winner Woodlands Concert Band concerto competition (Performed with band), 2024 1st place winner Houston Flute Club Young Artist competition (Senior Division), and 2022-2023 Houston Youth Symphony 75th season Principal Flutist.

Patrick is drawn by all cultures from around the world and is ready to take on the rigors of every aspect of music in the world.

Concerto for Flute
by Otar Gordeli trans. Kenneth Singleton

1^st Place Winner – $1000

Leah Wu
Tompkins High School

Leah has played bassoon since sixth grade. She studies with Dr. Brett van Gansbeke and Elise Wagner. She has been a part of the Houston Youth Symphony since 2021 and is a four-time TMEA Symphony Orchestra All-Stater, serving as principal in 2023 and 2025.

Leah has been accepted into programs from Carnegie Hall, Interlochen, Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

She has toured the Dominican Republic with NYO2, South America with NYO-USA, and looks forward to East Asia with NYO-USA this summer.

Leah was a senior at Tompkins High School this year and plans to attend Yale University.

Bassoon Concerto
by C.M. von Weber trans. Peter Schmalz
Movement 1 – Allegro ma non Troppo

The Woodlands Concert Band

We truly appreciate the generosity and support of all of our wonderful patrons. Together we make the Woodlands a great community! The band will be embarking in a different direction this year and would like to thank Christ Church Methodist for providing us a home for the past 22 years as part of their outreach ministry.

The band will be rehearsing at Lone Star College Montgomery for the 2024-25 season. We will be playing at different venues around the north Houston area, including a joint concert at Summer Creek High School. With the successful addition of a jazz band last year, the band continues to seek to play to even more audiences in and around the Woodlands area. If you are interested in having our band, jazz band, or even a small ensemble perform for your organization or church, please contact the Music Director Paul Worosello or the Board President, Craig M. Gardner.

The Woodlands Concert Band is an adult community organization that allows musicians from all walks of life an opportunity to play and perform with a quality group. Members come from all over South Montgomery and North Harris counties with a few even traveling from as far away as Huntsville , Katy, and Clear Lake.

While the band is fortunate to have members who are trained musicians and local band directors themselves, many within the band are simply amateurs who enjoy continuing to play their instruments. They spend their days in such varied professions as lawyers, accountants, scientists, computer specialists, teachers, and homemakers. This diversity among the band members creates a feeling of what a community group should be; friends and neighbors coming together to create beautiful music.

With current membership at around 95, the band is excited to be providing quality music to the community and hopes to continue for many years to come.

REHEARSALS
Thursday nights
7 PM to 9 PM
Lone Star College Montgomery, Building H
3200 College Park Dr. [directions]
Conroe, TX 77384

The band has experienced unprecedented growth in the past several years, so there are currently waiting lists for most sections. Membership in the band is currently closed for most sections. The only sections with no wait lists are oboe and bassoon. If you are interested please contact oboe section leader Ashley Yarbrough or bassoon section leader Mary Ureke. Otherwise, contact the section leader for your instrument using the contact form on our website and they will inform you of the current status for the section.

To view the performance dates, please visit our Performances page.