Solomon Banda Jr:  

rector, Joe Bellamah, presided as the Band Director. On the last day of his stint, Dr. Joe asked if anybody wanted to share any issues to get some advice. Solomon said that his issue was that he was looking for a band job and if anybody knew of a position that was in the area, he would like to check it out. As soon as the meeting was over, Solomon was approached by Charles Musch who had tossed a coin with another Band Director on who would get the first choice of talking to him for the position, all thanks to Dr. Joe. Dr. Joe told the group that he had taught him in high school and that he would indeed make a good band director if given the opportunity. That was the beginning of Solomon's band career at Falfurrias, TX as a junior high school Band Director. The junior high had never received a first division in UIL music contests. The very first year as the Band Director, the junior high school received its First Division Special award. After three successful years at the junior high school earning first divisions, Solomon was promoted as Head Director. The school had also never received a first division in concert or sight-reading, but that first year as the high school Band Director, they received the first 1st division in UIL concert band history. Two years later, they received their first sweepstakes, and for four consecutive years after that before he left. When Solomon took over in Woodsboro, the band had never received a first division in concert, sight-reading, or marching. The very first year the band earned a first division in concert and every year until his third year when the first sweepstakes was achieved. The very first project that he fulfilled was put carpet in the band hall, which was acoustically not outfitted as a bare, concrete floor. A few other acoustical and aesthetical improvements include: 1) he got rid of the old metal folding chairs, 2) he painted the room white with green trim, 3) he plowed, disk and planted grass for a practice field for the band, 4) he irrigated and fertilized the grass, 5) he eventually marked the field in yard lines and had a band parent built a tower to put by the field, and 6) he started the traditional turkey dinner that is still held today. After Woodsboro, he was called to come rebuild the band program at Pleasanton that had fallen on hard times after being a perennial sweepstakes winner (under Doug Williamson) and had not made any first divisions in twenty (20) years. When approached for the job for the second time, Solomon accepted and was able to bring the band up from getting 5's the year before and eventually making sweepstakes, even though he still had to work with an 80-yard practice field that had to be marked and irrigated every weekend during football season by himself and also had a tower made for him so as to work with on drill design. Solomon's proudest accomplishments and greatest pride are his former students and his former student teachers and assistant band directors that have gone on to be successful in their own careers. Assistant band director Joe Menchaca recently retired and was inducted to the Region XV Hall of Fame. Student teachers from A&I, Robert Garza, Rio Hondo; Roel Elizondo, Rio Grande City; and Darrel Gan, Madison High School, San Antonio are just some who have been very successful at their schools with their bands. Some of his Falfurrias high school former students, Yolanda Moreno, Laredo, Oscar Herrera, La Joya, Jose Lopez, San Diego, Manuel Romo, Jourdanton, Roel Saenz, Falfurrias are just a few who have used their musical abilities to further their education by setting goals to better themselves and using their academic abilities and talents to pursue their authentic talents just like Solomon did in seeking a higher education. Some of his students from Falfurrias, Woodsboro and Pleasanton have become lawyers, professors, Dean of Law School, teachers, medical doctors, and so on. Solomon believes that the reason for this success stems from the notion that band is not a requirement class to graduate; it is an elective and when a group of students collaborate to perform for excellent results, they do so using their GOD given talents. Solomon learned from his band directors, especially Sturchio, Bellamah, Kole, and his teachers that if you want something bad enough, and were willing to work hard for it, any goal could be reached no matter what your race or ethnicity. Solomon has attributed his own personal success is a result of working with students of all levels and watching them flourish with their own talents. Also he was a member of TBA, TMEA, and TMAA. Now retired Solomon and his wife, Pat, live in San Antonio, Texas. His children, Trey and Bercela both work and live in Florida