Roland Sandoval Email rolandsandoval@nisd.net
Director of Bands/Jazz Studies Sandra Day O’Connor HS

Roland Sandoval is a graduate of Thomas Edison High School & studied Music Education at Texas Lutheran University and the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is a recipient of a Masters Degree in Education from Our Lady of the Lake University with specialization in School Administration. He has been a Texas band director in the award winning programs in the Kingsville and Hondo ISD’s. He returned to San Antonio as a band director at John Jay HS. Roland is currently serving as the Director of Bands at Sandra Day O’Connor High School in the Northside School District. His duties include serving as Associate Conductor of all 3 Concert Bands, 2 Jazz Ensembles & Jazz Combo. He is also the music arranger and drill designer for the award winning 250 member O’Connor “Panther” Marching Band.

Roland has served on the summer faculty of the Alamo City Band Camp at St. Mary’s University, Drum Major and Leadership Camps at Texas A&M University at Kingsville / Northside ISD/ TECA, and the Southwest Texas State University Band Camps. His service includes the Texas Music Educators Association Region 11 5A Band Organizer, TMEA All State Concert Bands saxophone section teacher for over 4 years and from 2003-2009 he has served as the Organizer for the TMEA All State Jazz Ensemble. He has been the Vice President of the TMEA Region 11 and currently serves as both Jazz Division Chairman and President of Region 11. In 2003 Mr. Sandoval was elected Vice President of the Texas Chapter of the International Association for Jazz Education and now has transferred that office to the newly formed Texas Jazz Educators Association. In 2005 Mr. Sandoval Co-founded the San Antonio Youth Jazz Ensemble bringing together the best high school jazz musicians in the city of San Antonio. Roland continues to be active as a clinician and adjudicator throughout South Texas in the marching, jazz, and concert arenas. He has served as an All Region Conductor/Clinician in Region 14, 15, 22, 28, ATSSB Region 12, and for the SAISD ALL Region Jazz Ensemble between 2006 and 2009. He has served as a UIL Concert & Sight Reading Judge in Region 12, 14, 15, 27, and 28.

Concert Bands, Jazz Ensembles and Marching Bands that Mr. Sandoval has been associated with have consistently earned UIL “Sweepstakes” honors including superior ratings and Best In Class Honors at various festivals throughout Texas and Colorado. Significant honors include the 2007 OHS Jazz Ensemble I & Combo being invited and featured at the North Texas Jazz Festival in Addison Texas, the 2008 O’Connor Symphonic Winds being selected as the TMEA Region 11 Honor Band winner and Area Finalist and the 2008 O’Connor “Panther” Marching Band qualifying for the UIL 5A Texas State Marching Band Contest. Roland also continues to perform professionally throughout the San Antonio area. His professional affiliations include TMEA, TBA, TMAA, TJEA, PASIC, Who’s Who Among American Teachers, and Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity.

George Garza Email georgegarza@nisd.net
Associate Director

Mr. Garza received both his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Degrees from Southwest Texas State University(now Texas State). While working on his Masters Degree, Mr. Garza was a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the music/percussion department. During that time he taught applied lessons to undergraduate music majors, assisted and conducted with the university marching band, percussion ensembles, and Panorama Steel Band and was section leader of the university wind ensemble under the direction of John Stansberry. Mr. Garza was also an instructor for the University Drumline and made two appearances with the SWT Drumline at P.A.S.I.C. both as performer and an instructor.

George Garza is currently Associate Director of Bands and Percussion Instructor at Sandra Day O`Connor High School in Helotes, Texas. Mr. Garza works with and conducts all four concert bands, including the top varsity wind ensemble, the jazz bands, jazz combos, and the marching and concert percussion ensembles. All these ensembles have consistently earned Sweepstakes Honors and Superior ratings at UIL and festival events. Under his direction, the O`Connor Marching Percussion Ensemble has won many outstanding percussion/drumline awards at many marching festivals and finished third place nationally at the Percussive Arts Society`s Marching Percussion Festival in 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee, and finished in first place overall in the marching division in Columbus, Ohio in 2005.

Before coming to O`Connor, Mr. Garza was assistant band director and percussion coordinator for Hays CISD, where he was in charge of all aspects of percussion from 6th through 12th grades. While at Hays, the percussion section also won outstanding section and 1st place drumline awards, and earned Superior ratings at UIL and festival events. The Rebel marching band also competed in the State marching band contest in 1997(5th place) and 1999, and finished in 5th place in the State Honor band competition both in 1998 and 2000. In 2001 Mr. Garza was on part-time faculty at Texas State University in San Marcos, and has taught and continues to teach at their summer band and percussion camps.

Mr. Garza is also an active performer in the San Antonio/Austin area. Along with his own band that plays regularly, his professional playing experience includes performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, the World Percussion Festival at Berklee School of Music in Boston, Mass., EuroDisney in Paris, France, Fiesta Texas Theme Park in San Antonio, and various performances for musicals in the Austin and San Antonio area. Mr. Garza also played lead pan in the Panorama Steel Band which did tours in Europe and Mexico City. Mr. Garza continues to be an active judge, clinician and arranger for local schools. In 2006 Mr. Garza presented a timpani clinic at the Texas Bandmasters Annual Convention and has performed in ensembles at the Texas Music Educators Convention in San Antonio. Mr. Garza is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, TBA, TMEA and is an Endorser of Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets and Remo drumheads. Mr. Garza is married to his lovely wife Kim who is also a band director. They love to spend all their free time with their two wonderful boys, Ryan, 5yrs. and Jake, 2yrs.

Wesley Perkins Email wesleyperkins@nisd.net
Associate Director

Wesley Perkins is a graduate of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas with a Bachelors in Music with specialization in Education. While at Tech he was a member of the Goin’ Band from Raiderland, Concert Bands, Jazz Program, Varsity Band, and the Texas Tech Trumpet Choir. For two years Mr. Perkins was a Lead Soprano and Featured Soloist with the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps out of Denver Colorado. This outstanding DCI unit finished in the top ten of the DCI World Championships both years Mr. Perkins marched with them. He served as the Auditions Coordinator for the San Antonio and South Texas Region Brass camps for the Blue Knights. Mr. Perkins was serving as an assistant director with the Seguin ISD in Seguin, Texas before taking over as Associate Director at O’Connor High School. He taught at both Saegert MS and Seguin HS.

The bands Mr. Perkins has been associated with have earned UIL “Sweepstakes” and numerous Festival Honors including Best in Class selections. He has taught beginning brass at the MS level as well as conducting bands at Saegert MS. Mr. Perkins taught marching fundamentals (M&M) and was the Brass/Music Tech at Seguin HS. Since joining the Seguin staff the HS band earned consecutive 1st divisions at UIL, been named finalist at BOA San Antonio and Houston, Area finalists, and the Seguin Marching Band made the State Marching Contest for the first time in school history. He has taught marching clinics throughout South Texas and also taught private trumpet lessons at Seguin HS as well as brass sectionals during concert season. We are thrilled that he joined the O’Connor Band family. Some extra trivia on Mr. Perkins includes he was a 4 sport letterman in HS and raised PIGS as a member of FFA as well. His wife Alicia is also a band director and currently serves as the Band Director at Boerne MS North.

Eric Eaks Email eric.eaks@nisd.net
Associate Director

Eric Eaks is Associate Director. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University.

Alison Martinez Email thepantherguard@yahoo.com
Guard Director/Choreographer

Ali Martinez has been a part of the Color Guard community for ten years as a performer and instructor and is currently on her way to graduating with honors with a B.S. in Dance at Texas State University. Ali is well versed in all pieces of equipment, with her favorite being sabre.

Ali is a graduate of New Braunfels High School where she was captain 3 out of her 4 years, and earned many individual and team awards. In 2002, Ali became captain of the guard at Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps where she led the guard to a High Color Guard Award at the 2002 DCI Championships. Ali was also the guard captain for the WGI Open Class Finalist Revolution Independent Winter Guard during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

This year, Ali is excited to begin her role as Color Guard Director at O’Connor High School in San Antonio and at Texas State University – San Marcos. Ali has also taught numerous award winning programs such as Canyon HS (New Braunfels), Steele HS, Seguin HS and also consults and choreographs for Color Guards across the state of Texas. Ali is the movement supervisor and designer for Identity Independent Winter Guard. She also serves as the Texas Representative for the nationwide dance and color guard supplier, A Wish Come True.

Jaime Martinez
Visual Design Consultant

Jaime is a graduate of W.B. Ray High School in Corpus Christi. At Ray, Jaime was the Drum Major for the award winning Texan Band. Although Corpus Christi does not have a reputation for strong band programs, Jaime was fortunate to come to high school as Jim Vanlandingham was taking over the program. Over his time, Jaime was able to learn from Abel Ramirez formerly of Holmes HS (and former student of Vanlandingham), Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser, and drum major guru George N. Parks.

Upon graduation, Jaime moved to San Antonio to attend St. Mary’s University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2005. Jaime continued his passion for marching band by becoming the drum major for Revolution D&BC. Under his leadership, the corps won the 2002 DCI Div. 3 World Championship.

Jaime has consulted and has been a clinician for many programs in the San Antonio area. He has helped schools such as Central Catholic HS, Canyon HS, and W.H. Taft HS. Jaime has also served as a visual designer/ consultant for indoor guards since moving to the area.

Jaime was also the manager for Revolution Independent Winterguard and has been the manager for the Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps. During his time as manager of Revolution, Jaime handled all logistics and leadership training for the members. He also served on the visual staff of the corps during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. His leadership led to the corps being named the Silver Medalist at the 2006 DCI Championships as well as winning the High Brass and High Visual Awards and Outstanding Drum Major award. Most recently, Jaime was the assistant tour manager for the DCI World Finalist Blue Knights of Denver, Colorado.

In 2006, Jaime joined the staff as Visual Coordinator of the newly built Steele High School. At Steele, Jaime was to prepare the band for its first year as a varsity program. Jaime has been responsible for teaching the marching fundamental program, the visual program, managing daily rehearsals, football game show prep, and contest warm-up. Jaime began with the band from their first summer band practice through the end of the regular marching band season, attending all practices, football games, and marching contests.

Jaime has had the pleasure to lead the band program to first place finishes at the Roosevelt Rough Rider Marching Contest in ’06 and ’07 and achievement of the highest score regardless of classification at the 2007 USSBA Central Texas Regional. The band also earned a berth at their first Area marching contest, missing finals by one spot.

Jaime also served as the Administrative Assistant to Richard Lopez of Performer’s Academy. There he helped managed the educational staff, marketing for the company, represented the company at contests and functions, and served as a visual consultant to marching bands and color guards. Jaime is also director of Identity Creative Arts Network and Identity Independent Winter Guard.