For Immediately Release Contact:    Michael Coughlan    Hendrix Coughlan Media, Inc.    Email:  michael@hendrixcoughlan.com    Office:  512.420.0968    Cell:     512.413.1601 SWEEPSTAKES AGAIN FOR MAC FINE ARTS ACADEMY ORCHESTRAS Varsity and Non Varsity Orchestras Win UIL Sweepstakes AUSTIN, Texas - (April 22, 2008) - Austin I.S.D.'s McCallum Fine Arts Academy (MFAA) Varsity and Non-Varsity String Orchestras earned sweepstakes honors -- the highest ranking possible -- during the University Interscholastic League's (UIL) String Orchestra Concert and Sight Reading regional competition at Anderson High School on April 16-17. "Our students worked very hard on their programs this spring and it paid off with both orchestras earning perfect "Ones" across the board, said Ricky Pringle, Director of Orchestras at McCallum.  "These are two of the best orchestras we've taken to contest in years," he added. An orchestra must receive first-division ratings in both concert and sight-reading competitions to earn sweepstakes honors.  Orchestras compete against a standard  rather than each other in the UIL format, with a three-judge panel  scoring performances in each competition. The Non-Varsity Orchestra earned their sweepstakes with their concert program of: Contredanse, by Clark, Handel's Hornpipe from Water Music and Petite Overture by Del Borgo. The Varsity Orchestra earned its second sweepstake this year performing Concerto Grosso by Corelli, featuring senior violinists Gonzalo Hernando and Caris Longoria with Catherine Cotham on cello; Holst, St. Paul's Suite, Movement 3 featuring viola soloist, sophomore Caitlin Coughlan; and Psalm and Fugue, by Hovaness.  Senior Gonzalo Hernando exclaimed, "It is so exciting to make all "Ones" in our last concert of the year and my last year of high school. Mr. Pringle is a great teacher who inspires us to play our best, and we did today." Since its beginning in 1994, the MFAA Orchestra and its program has been a strong, growing organization in AISD.  Earning sweepstakes again adds to the outstanding list of accomplishments already earned this year including:    ● Sweepstakes honors in February's Full Orchestra UIL             competition,      ● 35 gold medals at UIL Solo/Ensemble contest,    ● 13 students qualifying for State UIL Solo and Ensemble        contest,      ● Placing the highest number of AISD students in Region Orchestra       ● An extensive double bass program placing two players in the TMEA State Orchestra McCallum Fine Arts Academy Orchestra's final concert of the season will be performed in Austin on May 21 at the McCallum Fine Arts Academy, 5700 Sunshine Drive, at 7 P.M. The McCallum Fine Arts Academy Orchestra is currently fundraising to participate in the Carnegie Hall MasterWorks Series next year. For additional information and how to donate, go to the McCallum Orchestra Performance Fund web site. For Region 18 Full Orchestra Contest results go to: UIL Results      Choose:                      Year: 2008                      Region: 26 (not 18)                      Select Event: orchestra                      Select Contest: HS String Orchestra Joint C/SR  - 4/16/2008 ### McCallum Chamber  (Varsity) Orchestra