Meet the All-State Conductors

Active educator, clinician, adjudicator, arranger, and composer, John Herndon is the Director of Bands at Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross, GA. In this capacity, Mr. Herndon leads the 5th–12th grade students of the band classes, jazz band, percussion ensemble, and marching band in their mission to have fun making music with their friends in order to grow as individuals and musicians, give to their community through performance, and glorify God in all they do.

Prior to his appointment at Greater Atlanta Christian School, Mr. Herndon received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Georgia; taught for five years at Woodland High School in Stockbridge, GA; six years at Milton High School in Milton, GA; and four years at West Forsyth High School in Cumming, GA.

His teaching career has been punctuated with appearances in Bands of America Super Regional Finals, Winter Guard International World Championship Finals, featured performances at the Georgia Music Educators In-Service Conference, as well as numerous superior ratings at Large Group Performance Evaluations and awards at marching band competitions—most recently with the bands at GAC.

Patricia Islas is an accomplished percussionist, composer, educator, clinician, and adjudicator based in Plano, Texas. A versatile and dedicated performer, she has collaborated with renowned artists such as Gregg Bissonette and Imogen Heap, and has performed alongside Grammy-nominated musicians Ignacio Berroa, Horacio Hernández, and Poovalur Sriji.

As a composer, Patricia has written an array of solo and ensemble works, as well as the widely used keyboard method book Momentum and the beginner percussion method book Player’s Guide. Her original compositions have been commissioned and featured at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) Invited Percussion Ensemble Concert and the Midwest Clinic Invited Percussion Ensemble Concert.

In partnership with her husband Doug Bush as the collaborative duo Team Islas, Patricia has arranged, composed, and instructed for numerous award-winning high school band programs. Their students and ensembles have earned championships at the HEB, Plano, North Texas, Lewisville, Thunder in the Hills, and Lone Star Drumline contests, as well as recognition at the PASIC Drumline Contest and as medalists in Texas State UIL and BOA marching band competitions. Team Islas has also served as percussion arrangers and educators for both World Class and Open Class Drum and Bugle Corps.

Patricia recently added “podcaster” to her list of creative pursuits and can be heard on the Team Islas Podcast.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in music performance from the University of North Texas, where she studied with Mark Ford, Dr. Robert Schietroma, Christopher Deane, Paul and Sandi Rennick, She-e Wu, and Leigh Howard Stevens. During her time at UNT, she performed in the Indoor Drumline, South Indian, Gamelan, Contemporary, and Classical percussion ensembles, reflecting her passion for a wide range of musical styles. Her achievements include being named Best Individual Keyboard Soloist at PASIC in 2002 and winning the UNT Concerto Competition in 2004.

Patricia Islas proudly endorses Mapex/Majestic Percussion, Pro-Mark Sticks and Mallets, Remo Drumheads, Sabian Cymbals, Beetle Percussion, and Lot Riot Apparel.

Composer and keyboard percussionist Nathan Daughtrey is driven by curiosity, relentlessly seeking ways to meld his lifelong passions. As a performing artist & clinician for Yamaha percussion and Salyers Percussion mallets, his varied career has taken him all over the world, appearing as a keyboard soloist in Australia, Asia, Eastern Europe, and throughout North America. Nathan has released two solo marimba albums – Spiral Passages and The Yuletide Marimba – the latter featuring his original arrangements of popular Christmas carols for the instrument. Additionally, he has appeared on many other albums, including Emma Lou Diemer’s Pacific Ridge, performing as soloist on her Concerto in One Movement for Marimba & Orchestra with the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Nathan first discovered and cultivated his compositional voice through works involving percussion, including solos, duets, and ensembles. After one too many experiences being a bored, young “drummer” in the back of a band room, he made it his mission to compose wind band music across all difficulty levels with engaging, independent percussion parts that add color and drive, making those players indispensable. Perhaps best known for his percussion ensemble pieces, like Mercury Rising and Firefly, Nathan has also amassed an impressive catalog of chamber works combining percussion with woodwinds, brass, strings, and voice. Being a collaborative chamber musician on his own pieces has been the most rewarding means of combining his passions for performing and composing. This is best illustrated on the album Praxis with euphoniumist Brian Meixner, which includes recordings of Nathan’s duet Spitfire and his award-winning Coming Home for solo euphonium & percussion quintet. He maintains a healthy commission schedule, composing works across genres for performers, ensembles, and directors worldwide.

In January 2020, Nathan took over as owner and president of C. Alan Publications after wearing many hats for the company since 1998. To this new role, he brings with him the same curiosity and zeal to curate a catalog of music that is genuine, forward-looking, educational, and inspiring. Nathan lives a charmed life full of running, traveling, cooking, and concert-hopping with his wife Katie and daughter Penelope in Greensboro, NC.

www.NathanDaughtrey.com