Bandera High School student Adan Sixtos has been selected for the 2026 Association of Texas Small School Bands All-State Jazz Ensemble, earning a spot among 20 high school musicians from across Texas.
Sixtos, a trumpet player, advanced through competitive region and area auditions before submitting a recorded performance that was judged in recent weeks as part of the statewide selection process.
This is Sixtos’ third time earning all-state recognition through ATSSB.
He studies privately with Joe Cortez III and also performs under Cortez’s direction in the Bandera High School Band. Sixtos is the third Bandera student to be named to an ATSSB All-State ensemble since Cortez joined the program in 2020.
Sixtos is involved in a range of school and community activities, including running, HOSA and the Bandera marching band.
He is active in church programs at Gateway Fellowship Church and enjoys playing frisbee, video games, disc golf and working on cars. His parents are Fabiola and Aaron Vargas of Bandera.
The ATSSB All-State Jazz Ensemble will rehearse in San Antonio from Feb. 11–14, 2026, before performing at 1 p.m. on Feb. 14 in Hemisfair Ballroom 1 at the Henry B. González Convention Center.
Tito Carrillo of Texas State University will serve as clinician-conductor and has been commissioned by ATSSB to compose a new jazz piece for the concert.
Other clinicians at the convention include Dr. Richard M. Heidel of the University of Iowa, who will lead the All-State Symphonic Band, and composer Randall D. Standridge, who will conduct the All-State Concert Band. Standridge has also been commissioned to write a new work for the concert band.
The Association of Texas Small School Bands represents about 1,400 band directors from 1A through 4A schools.
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