The Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Regional 20 Orchestras consists of a select group of talented musicians from across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex who perform as an ensemble later this year. There are three sections of orchestras: High School Honors, Philharmonic and Middle School Concert.

The Mukund brothers, students at Greenhill and passionate violinists, placed fifth and sixth chair in the TMEA Region 20 Orchestra Auditions. Instructed by their parents, they both began to learn violin at the tender age of three.

Though they had no choice at the age of three, senior Pranav Mukund, explained that he continued to play the violin as “[he] liked what [he] could accomplish and create with the violin.”

Freshman Varun Mukund also shared that even after 11 years of playing the violin, “[he] loves making music and learning more, so that is what motivates [him] to practice.”

For this year’s TMEA Region 20 Auditions, Pranav and Varun Mukund used this opportunity to practice and help each other prepare.

“At some point, I did feel like we are competing with each other…but we were able to help each other along the way, by providing criticism and feedback,” said Pranav Mukund.

Although both brothers are extremely gifted, neither Pranav nor Varun Mukund believes they will major in or study music in college. They both anticipate playing in a college orchestra or playing as a side gig, however.

Both have successfully auditioned for past TMEA opportunities, but this is their first time playing together in a TMEA orchestra.

“Since he is leaving for college next year, I am very happy that I am able to share this experience with him,” said Varun Mukund.

They will assemble with top-string musicians from other Dallas, Highland Park and Richardson schools for three days of rehearsal culminating in a performance at Booker T. Washington High School on Dec. 4. Along with Pranav and Varun Mukund, many other Greenhill Students were placed for these orchestras.

Congratulations to the following students:

HS Honors Orchestra – grades 9-12 eligible

Pranav Mukund – First Violin, 5^th chair (raw rank of 7)

Varun Mukund – First Violin, 6^th chair (raw rank of 8)

Charlotte Purcell – Second Violin, 15^th chair (raw rank of 35)

Jacob Liang – Second Violin, 18^th chair (raw rank of 38)

Vijay Agrawal – Second Violin, 20^th chair (raw rank of 40)

Aaron Johnson – Cello, 5^th chair

Henderson Zhang – Cello, 9^th chair

Jackson Zhang – Cello, 14^th chair

Philharmonic Orchestra – grades 8-10 eligible

Myra Puri – Concertmaster (raw rank of 1)

Amani Shetty – Principal Second Violin (raw rank of 5)

Ava Mao – Viola, 2^nd chair

Justin Wu – Viola, 7^th chair

Asha Blewett – String Bass, 3^rd chair

MS Concert Orchestra – grades 6-8 eligible

Smriti Siva – Second Violin, 2^nd chair (raw rank of 6)

Ian Wu – Second Violin, 8^th chair (raw rank of 28)

Ariyan Mishna – raw rank of 56

Aashna Saxena – Viola, 2nd chair

Benji Lachar – Cello, 5^th chair

Soraya Sachdeva – Cello, 16^th chair