DIRECTORS
Director of Bands
Art Avila Jr II,
Percussion Director
Arthur Avila Jr. is currently the Assistant Band Director/Director of Percussion at Eastwood High School in his hometown of El Paso, Texas. Mr. Avila also serves as part time faculty for El Paso Community College as an applied lessons instructor. Art graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 2001 where he studied percussion with Larry White. Mr. Avila is the former Co-Caption/Snare/Cymbal Tech for the indoor WGI Independent Open ensemble, Innovative Marching Percussion. Art is the founder and host of the EHS/YISD Sun City Throwdown Drumline Competition event, held annually in El Paso, Texas. Under his tutelage since 2004, Eastwood has won numerous top awards at competitions, and in 2019, his snareline won 1st place in the Small Marching Ensemble category at PASIC. Mr. Avila has been awarded the Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction award from The National Society of High School Scholars in 2006.
Mr. Avila is also an active, international percussionist in the El Paso Southwest/Mexico region. In the summer of 2016, Mr. Avila toured with the El Paso Youth Symphony Orchestra to New York and Washington D.C, boasting performances at Carnegie Hall, Coney Island, and also at our nations' Capital for Congress. He has performed with the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Pops Orchestra, Zarzuela, Pro-Musica, Juarez Symphony Orchestra, El Paso Opera, Star City Percussion Ensemble, The Eklectic Jazz Band, The Abundant Living Faith Center Orchestra, The Edge of Texas Community Wind Symphony, the El Paso Wind Symphony, and the Music Theater of El Paso. He has shared the stage with Tito Puente, Jr., Sam Pilafian, Jeff Berlin, Rosanna Eckerd, Kimberly Locke, Dr. Willie Hill, Tia Fuller, Wycliff Gordon, J.D.Guzman, Lalo Davila, Greg Adams, Sean Jones, Fred Wesley, N'Dugu Chancelor, Brad Leali, Marty Olivas, Billy Townes, The Canadian Brass, Taylor Hicks, Karmin, and Eric Johnson.
Art is currently a studio percussionist with Shade Records in El Paso, TX., and performs drum set/timbales in Latin/Salsa band, Azucar. Art Avila is an active clinician/adjudicator and currently endorses by Pearl Drums/Adams and Innovative Percussion.
