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Manny Maldonado PDF Print E-mail

Manny_Maldonado_-_Percussion_Director_--_Cedar_Park_Middle_SchoolManuel James “Manny” Maldonado is the current Director of Percussion and Assistant Director of Bands at Johnson High School, a title he had previously held at Cedar Park High School and Cedar Park Middle School.  Over the past six years, Manny has helped the Cedar Park bands win numerous awards, including the 2006 Sudler Shield from the John Philip Sousa Foundation for marching excellence, a 7th place state finals standing in the 2005 Texas Music Educators Association Honor Band Competition, and a 2nd place finish in the 2004 State Marching Band Competition.

Through-out the last two years, Mr. Maldonado has held the record for the highest number of percussionists placed into All Region Band at both the high school and middle school level in our District. In addition, under his direction, the Johnson High School Drumline was named “Grand Champion” of the South Texas Classic in November of 2009.

In the winter of 2007, Manny’s middle school percussion students were featured at the Midwest Clinic and Convention in Chicago, Illinois, as the Cedar Park Middle School Band was one of only two middle school bands in the nation invited to perform at this year’s international publishing event.  He has helped Cedar Park place in finals competition 16 out of the past 18 contests, including all but one Bands of America competitions.  Cedar Park also won the Westlake Marching festival in 2004 and 2005.

Before attending Cedar Park, Manny worked on staff with Leander High School in 1999 and 2000 under Amanda Drinkwater, current director of bands at Marcus High School, and Keith Witt, director of bands at Wagner High.  While at Leander, Manny helped the band make the Bands of America Grand Nationals finals competition in 1999 and a sixth-place finish at the U.I.L State Marching Band Contest in 2000.

Manny graduated with honors from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor in Music Studies in 2001.  While at the university, he performed in the Wind Ensemble under Jerry Junkin, the Longhorn Band and Symphonic Band under Paula Crider, as well as multiple percussion, jazz, new music, and musical groups.  Manny also was a member of Drum Corps International’s “The Cavaliers of Rosemont Illinois,” where he studied under Bret Kuhn and Erik Johnson, president and founder of Innovative Percussion Inc.. That year, the percussion came in first place while the corps placed third in world finals competition.

Manny is also the owner and editor of MJM Works, a marching band design company.  He has written numerous wind and percussion shows throughout Texas, and is now expanding his skills to other areas across the nation.  Manny has nine years of writing experience under his belt and brings to the design table extensive knowledge of Texas marching bands and their expectations with design.  Manny has either studied arrangements by or worked with arrangements from writers such as Michael Klesch, Key Poulan, Mark Higginbothom, Bret Kuhn, Erik Johnson.  Manny has also the high school-level drill design of Michael Gaines and Leon May, both of which are prominent drill writers for DCI and numerous successful high school programs across the country. Manny resides in Floresville, Texas with his wife, Candace, and their son, Jameson.
 
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