Welcome to Northside ISD’s and San Antonio’s largest 6A band program. The Panther Band offers a comprehensive music education in marching, concert, jazz, indoor percussion, indoor guard, full orchestra and musical theater.

 

In just 20 years the O’Connor Panther Band has established a reputation of high musical standards in individual and group performance.

As individuals, our students have had various opportunities to perform for the TMEA All Region, All Area, & All State Bands & Jazz Ensemble as well as perform solos and ensembles at Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest.

 

The Panther Marching Band has earned 20 consecutive FIRST DIVISION ratings at Texas UIL Marching Contest, advanced to Texas UIL Area Marching Contest, and UIL State Marching Contest.

 

Our 4 concert band programs perform music from Bach to Sousa, and have earned 20 CONSECUTIVE UIL SWEEPSTAKES HONORS by earning first divisions at UIL Concert & Sight Reading Competition. They were the 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 ,2015, & 2017 TMEA Region 11 HONOR BAND winner—selected to advance to Area.

 

Our jazz ensembles represent the best in the state of Texas. Our jazz classes offer a challenging curriculum in all styles of jazz and improvisation. They have been selected as the OUTSTANDING 5A & 6A Jazz Ensemble at various festivals throughout South Texas and our students have earned many chairs in the TMEA All Region Jazz Ensemble as well as have numerous students in the TMEA ALL STATE JAZZ ENSEMBLE.

 

Our percussion ensemble has done a fantastic job,actively participating and placing in many area drumline festivals, performing and placing at the  International Percussive Arts Society Convention (PASIC), where in 2005 & 2011, they were named the PASIC NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. In 2016, OC Percussion won the Black Swamp Percussion Ensemble Showcase National Championship. Most recently, the OC Indoor Percussion Ensemble was a gold medalist in Scholastic A for Texas Colorguard Circuit.

The Panther Colorguard adds visual interpretation to our music in the fall and has an extensive Spring competition schedule called Winterguard. This is a wonderful art form that uses a combination of dance, flags, rifles, sabers, & gymnastics They travel across the state to compete. They have brought home many honors at many marching contests in our area. They have competed at various WGI Regionals and were Regional Finalist. Our winterguard has medaled in 2010, 2011, 2013 & 2015, 2017, where in 2015, they were crowned TCGC STATE CHAMPIONS!

 

Our students also excel in individual events. Our band students have earned the largest amount of students earning chairs in the TMEA All Region Band. We have placed students in the TMEA ALL STATE BAND & JAZZ ENSEMBLE. Also, our band members competed and have earned many superior ratings at UIL Solo & Ensemble. Many students also have advanced and performed with great success at the Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest held annually at the University of Texas at Austin.

 

he Panther Band is very involved in our community, performing at football games, pep rallies, Christmas & Spring concerts, Battle of Flowers Parade, Fiesta Battle of Bands, Helotes Cornyval Parade, and the Elf Louise Christmas Parade. We also take trips to Walt Disney World as well as New York City.

 

We are proud of our band family environment and the fact that our students are active throughout the school. We have band members involved in Athletics (including Varsity), AG, Honor Society, Academic Decathlon, Class Offices, Journalism, Dance Team, Pep Squad, and every club on campus. You name the organization and our students are involved! Our students excel in the classroom with many of them finishing in the top ten of their class and a huge % of the National Honor Society. We are proud of all of our band students!

 

Director of Bands is Alfonso Alvarado. Associate Band Directors are Gabriel Valdez, Jose Marin, and Michael Bradford. Amanda King is the Color Guard Director and Choreographer. They bring many years of teaching experience and dedication to the O’Connor Panther Band.