Anahuac High School Band
"The Pride of Anahuac"
All-Region band auditions are Saturday, November 21 at Orangefield. Bus will leave the HS band hall at 6:45am and hopefully return by 5:00pm that evening.
Congratulations to Dylan Drake for being named to the ATSSB 2010 All-State Jazz Band. Dylan is only one of three students in the history of the Anahuac Band Program to earn individual state honors. The audition process began at the region level where he advanced to the area round of competition and received 3rd chair at the state level on trumpet. He will be attending rehearsals in San Antonio, TX in conjunction with the Texas Music Educator’s Association Convention on February 10-13. The ATSSB All-State Jazz Band will be performing at the Grand Hyatt Texas Ballroom on Saturday, February 13 at 9:00am.
Congrats, Band! UIL State Marching Contest 2009--2nd in prelims, 4th in finals!
What a welcome! Thanks to all of you who had a hand in the band's homecoming and to all of you who made the journey to San Antonio to cheer on the hometown team. The band represented us well placing 2nd in prelims and 4th in finals of the UIL state marching contest out of the top 18 bands in the state. We are very proud of our students and just as proud to have such wonderful support. Check out this list of Anahuac Band backers who were there in the Alamodome:
- Bertha Mae Casey
- Patty Casey (teacher)
- Jackie Seidensticker (retired teacher)
- Eddie Seidensticker
- Louise Herrington (teacher)
- Allen Herrington (board member)
- Debbie McGraw (ex-band parent)
- Ken McGraw (ex-band parent, school board)
- Eric Humphrey (principal)
- Lakeisha Humphrey (teacher)
- Dr. Barnhart (superintendent)
- Mr. Barnhart (tech. director)
- Dr. Ben Beaoui (school board, parent)
- Hyatt Beaoui (parent)
- James Hardy (grandparent)
- Glenda Hardy (grandparent)
- Winnie Abshier (grandparent)
- Martha Sparks (aunt)
- Will Abshier (ex-band member, sibling)
- Kaitlin McGraw (ex-band member)
- Cody Lancon (ex-band member)
- Sara Lancon (ex-band member)
- Chris Lancon (ex-band parent)
- Michelle Pingry (ex-band member)
- Gary Hillyard (parent)
- Cindy Hillyard (parent)
- Tanya Yeromenko (assistant principal, sibling)
- Cindy Torres (parent)
- Victor Torres (parent)
- Victoria Torres (sibling)
- Jada Hilton (parent)
- Dee Prague (parent)
- Jay Prague (parent)
- Kelly Drake (parent)
- Grant Smith (parent)
- Rosemary Smith (retired teacher, grandparent)
- Johnny Smith (grandparent)
- Teeya Thornton (parent)
- Cliff Thornton (parent)
- Kristi Abshier (parent)
- Cody Abshier (parent)
- Maria Hightower (parent)
- Tammy McDonald (parent)
- Tammy’s family……
- Larinda Dobbs (teacher)
- Michelle Heckaman (parent)
- Sarah Brown (Band fan)
- Laura Waldrop (Band fan)
- Nellie Lunsford (parent)
- John Lunsford (parent)
- Megan Shumate (sibling)
- Debbie Henry (parent)
- Debbie Henry people?
- Belinda Richard (parent)
- Barbara Smith (grandmother)
- Steve Guyewski (cousin, former band member)
- Tina Cormier (parent)
- Cormier (grandmother)
- Gavin Cormier (parent)
- Keith Cormier (parent)
- Traci Cormier (parent)
- Lori Combs (aunt)
- Maverick Combs (cousin)
- Mary Coward (parent)
- Dena Arnold (parent)
- Mike Arnold (parent)
- John Arnold’s grandmother
- Michelle France (parent)
- James France (parent)
- Bernadette Ashley (parent)
- Larry Ashley (parent)
- Candus Morgan (aunt)
- Monica Morgan (aunt)
- Mr. Larry Ashley (Grandparent)
- Mrs. Larry Ashley (Grand parent)
- Rhonda Sims (parent)
- Amber Grumbles (former band member)
- Adam Grumbles (husband)
- Donna Drake (parent)
- Guy Robert Jackson (mayor and cousin)
- Mike Smith (parent)
- Carey Glass (parent)
- Pat Williamson (grandparent)
- Kristal Glass (step parent)
- Corky Privette (grandparent)
- Tommy Privette (grandparent)
- Madie Speights (aunt)
- Ida Boykin (parent)
- Ollie Mayes (grandparent)
- Don Mayes (parent)
- Gina King (parent)
- Jerome Bennett (parent)
- Kristyn Bennett (sibling)
- Dustin Johnson (sibling)
Please let us know if we left anyone off of the list. Thanks to Kristi Abshier for your work with this!
We are truly blessed to have so much support, and I cannot thank enough everyone who made this trip possible. Special thanks to our band boosters for their time and energy in making this journey so memorable for us and our students.
Band Achievements
Anahuac HS Band
TMEA Class 2A Honor Band Finalist 2009
UIL State Marching Band Finalist 2007 AND 2009
ATSSB OPS State Finalist--1st Runner-up, March Category 2009
ATSSB OPS State Finalist--2008
UIL Sweepstakes--'06, '07, '08, '09
Anahuac MS Band
TMEA Class C State Honor Band
1st Runner-up for State Champion
2006 and 2008
ATSSB Outstanding Performance Series
2008—1st Runner-up for State Champion--March Category
1st Runner-up State Champion—Concert Category
Band Director - Kevin Heckaman
Kevin Heckaman has been a band director for 14 years and has served as Director of Bands for the Anahuac ISD since 2003. He is a 1991 graduate Hamshire-Fannett HS where he was a member of the TMEA All-State Band (’89) and All-State Orchestra (’90, ’91) on trombone. Mr. Heckaman received his Bachelor of Music Degree from Lamar University in 1996.
Prior to Anahuac, Mr. Heckaman served as director of bands at Forest Park MS in Longview ISD, East Chambers ISD, Graham ISD, and Alvarado ISD. His bands have won numerous UIL Sweepstakes awards and competitions at the state level including four bands in the UIL State Marching Contest Finals (East Chambers HS ’97, Graham HS ’00, and Anahuac HS ’07, '09), five bands in the TMEA State Honor Band Contest (Graham HS ’01, Alvarado HS, ’03, Anahuac MS ’06, ’08, Anahuac HS '09) as well as having 17 performances advance to the state finals of the ATSSB Outstanding Performance Series since 1998. In 2002, the Alvarado HS Band won a state championship in class 3A by winning 1st place in the march category and 2nd place in concert category in ATSSB’s OPS State Contest. Also, the Anahuac MS Band was named 1st runner-up in the 2006 and 2008 TMEA Class “C” State Honor Band Contest as well as 1st runner-up in both march and concert categories in the 2008 OPS state finals. The Anahuac HS band was named 1st-runner up in the march category of ATSSB's OPS state finals in 2009.
Mr. Heckaman actively serves as a clinician and adjudicator across the state. His professional affiliations include: Texas Music Adjudicator’s Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Association of Texas Small School Bands (Region 10 Coordinator).
Mr. Heckaman met his wife Michelle of 14 years while attending Lamar University where she served as flute section leader. They have twin sons, Aaron and Andrew, who play tuba and trombone in the Anahuac HS Band.
Cliff Brown
Cliff Brown has been a music educator for 5 years and has served as Assistant Director of Bands for the Anahuac ISD since 2006. He is a 2002 graduate of West Orange-Stark HS and later went on to graduate with his bachelors in Music Education from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA.
During his time at McNeese, Mr. Brown performed in many different ensembles such as the Concert Chorale, Pit Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, and “The Pride of McNeese” Marching Band.
Before his time in Anahuac, Mr. Brown has served as percussion instructor for the Westlake HS “Ram Band” and the Alfred M. Barbe HS “Band of Blue” band programs. He also served several other programs in the Calcasieu Parish school umbrella such as Sulphur HS, Sam Houston HS, W.W. Lewis MS, and S.J. Welsh MS as a private lessons/ clinician periodically during his education at McNeese State University. After his formal education was finished he moved on to become the assistant band director for Anahuac ISD, where he assisted with the 2007 UIL State Finalist Marching Band, as well as the 2008 1st runner-up TMEA Class “C” State Honor Band directed by Kevin Heckaman.
Mr. Brown actively serves as a clinician across the state. His professional affiliations include: Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Association of Texas Small School Bands. Mr. Brown also has spent time performing professionally as a member of the Baytown Symphony Orchestra as well as Lake Charles Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Brown met his wife Sarah while teaching at Anahuac and recently got married in the summer of 2008. She is currently pursuing her nursing degree at Lee College in Baytown, TX.
Assistand Director of Bands - Jack Waldrop,
Jack Waldrop, assistant director of bands, is a 1971 graduate of Brenham High School where he earned a position in the All-State Symphony Orchestra on Tuba. In 1976, he received his Bachelor of Music degree from Howard Payne University and is a 1996 graduate of Lamar University where he received a degree in Master of Education as well as certifications in Mid-Management and School Superintendency.
Mr. Waldrop began his teaching career with 3 years at Bellville Junior High in Bellville, Texas, assisting with 1977 TMEA AA Honor Band directed by Robert McElroy. He moved to Anahuac in 1979 as Middle School band director and AHS assistant. In 1996, Mr. Waldrop became Assistant Principal at AMS and Assistant Principal at Anahuac High School in 1999. He then became Principal of Anahuac High School from 2001 until his retirement in 2004. Since August 2006, he has enjoyed working as a part-time assistant with the AISD band program.
Mr. Waldrop is married to Laura Waldrop for 34 years with 2 children, Joel and Amber, who both graduated from Anahuac High School. Both excelled in numerous programs, most notably the band program where Amber qualified for Area on snare drum and Joel was a 3-year All-State member on the tuba.
Mr. Waldrop currently plays tuba with the Bay Brass Quintet, which was formerly the faculty quintet at Lee College and now a free lance music group. He currently serves as President of the Chambers County Men’s Golf Association and as 2007-2008 chairman of the Anahuac Area Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the FQHC advisory board for Bayside Community Hospital. His free time is spent working in his yard and golfing.
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