About Us
Cy-Fair Senior High School opened in Cypress, TX in 1941 and is in Cypress Fairbanks ISD. Cy-Fair boasts a robust offering of the fine
and performing arts. Cy-Fair orchestra was established in 1975 and regularly performs well at UIL contests
and participates in string and full orchestra.
Mrs. Mancilla (formerly Ms. Thwing)
Originally from Morganton, NC, Mrs. Mancilla has studied violin since age 7 under the Suzuki method. After making the switch to viola at age 16, Mrs. Mancilla went on to earn her Bachelor’s in Music Performance from Lee University in Cleveland, TN. There she was honored as a soloist, as an academic student, and as a leader in her ensembles and organizations.
Throughout her studies, Mrs. Mancilla has studied viola with Xiaoqing Yu, the Fry Street Quartet, and Yizhak Schotten. She has studied conducting with John Gordon Ross, composer David Holsinger, Bob Bernhardt, Markand Thakar, and Benjamin Zander in NYC, London, Wales, Baltimore, and Aruba.
In May of 2020, Mrs. Mancilla completed her master’s degree in music education from Boston University. She joined the faculty at Cy-Fair High School in 2021 and is excited to continue her tenure!
Orchestra Offerings at Cy-Fair HS:
Camerata (Sub NV B) - 1st period
Chamber (Varsity) - 2nd period
Symphony (Non-Varsity) - 3rd period
Philharmonic (Sub NV A) - 6th period
Full Orchestra (Varsity) - After school, auditioned group