-12%20(1).jpg)
All-State Festival Conductors
The Nevada Music Educators Association (NMEA) is hosting the All-State Festival, which features guest conductors from diverse professional backgrounds. These conductors bring a wealth of experience in music education, encompassing both elementary and secondary schools as well as university, military, and professional levels. Our goal is to provide our students and teachers with a unique musical, motivational, and educational experience.
2026 Nevada All-State High School
Band Conductor
High School Band Conductor
Dr. T. Andre Feagin
Director of Bands
Central Washington University Award Winner ​
Dr. T. André Feagin serves as Director of Bands and Associate Professor in the Department of Music at Central Washington University, where he guides the educational and artistic vision of a comprehensive band program. He leads the graduate wind band conducting area and conducts both the Symphonic Band and the Wind Ensemble, the university’s premier wind band. Under his direction, the CWU Wind Ensemble has been recognized for its artistic and musical excellence with featured performances at the 2022 College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Western/Northwestern Division Conference, the 20th World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) International Conference in Gwangju, South Korea (2024); and the 2026 CBDNA Western/Northwestern Division Conference.
Dr. Feagin has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to teaching, service, and building a supportive learning environment at Central Washington University. In 2024, he received the Outstanding Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Teaching Award from the College of Arts and Humanities. In 2023, he was honored with two President’s Diversity Awards in both the "Faculty" and "Community" categories for his efforts to foster meaningful relationships and broaden access to opportunity within the university and the wider community. He also serves as Dean Fellow of Student Success in the College of Arts and Humanities, where his work focuses on student achievement, recruitment, community engagement, and cultivating a model learning environment grounded in connection, access, and opportunity.
Prior to his appointment at CWU, Dr. Feagin held faculty positions at Colorado State University, Coastal Carolina University (SC), and the University of Texas at El Paso. His secondary teaching experience includes serving as Director of Bands at Watkins Overton High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (TN).
Dr. Feagin has appeared as a guest conductor with numerous all-state and honor bands, as well as professional ensembles throughout the United States, Canada, Central and Southwest Europe, and Southeast Asia. As a clinician and presenter, he has been invited to speak on topics including conducting, educational leadership, and broadening participation in music education at conferences and institutions across the U.S. and internationally. In 2022, he was a featured presenter at the 19th WASBE International Conference in Prague, Czech Republic.
In 2004, Dr. Feagin was one of three conductors nationally selected to perform with the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America as part of the inaugural Young Composer/Conductor Mentor Project, sponsored by the National Band Association. In 2012, he was again one of three conductors chosen nationally to perform with the United States Military Academy Band at West Point during the Association of Concert Bands National Convention. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including recognition by the Mayor and City Council of El Paso, Texas, with an official proclamation of “Professor T. André Feagin Day.” He is also a contributing author to multiple volumes of Teaching Music Through Performance in Band (GIA Publications).
Dr. Feagin holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in wind conducting from the University of Arizona School of Music, where he studied with Gregg I. Hanson. His doctoral research focused on Spanish wind composer Bernardo Adam Ferrero and his work Homenaje a Joaquín Sorolla. He also holds a Master of Music degree in instrumental wind conducting from the University of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music. Dr. Feagin is deeply grateful to the many mentors and teachers who have shaped his passion for conducting and music education. Among them are Gregg I. Hanson, Eugene Migliaro Corporon, Kraig Alan Williams, Thomas Cockrell, Bruce Chamberlain, Pat Morrow, Darry Pilkington, and Sallie Vines White.
Dr. Feagin holds professional memberships in the National Association for Music Education, the College Band Directors National Association, and the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles. He is a Patron of Mu Phi Epsilon and holds honorary memberships in both Tau Beta Sigma and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He currently serves on the Diversity and Research Committees of CBDNA and is a member of the advisory board for Emergence: Research & Performance Topics in Black Music, the scholarly publication of the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc.
​
2026 Nevada All-State Middle School band Conductor
Middle School Band Conductor
David Puckett
Retired Director of Bands
Keller Middle School, Texas​
Mr. Puckett recently retired as director of bands from public education, and is currently a highly sought after mentor, clinician, conductor and consultant in the band world. He began teaching as a Texas music educator in 1997 at Judson High School in San Antonio, Texas. Through his career he was fortunate to have taught at both the middle and high school levels, all beginner classes, as well as many levels of concert bands, jazz band, color guard and percussion ensembles. David Puckett opened Indian Springs Middle School in 2001. Under his leadership, the Indian Springs Band was a feature performance group at The Midwest Clinic; made it to the state level of the Honor Band process four times, and won the Class CCC Texas Music Educators Association Honor Band competition, allowing them the honor to perform at the TMEA convention. Music for All also selected their group to travel to Indianapolis to perform at the National Concert Band Festival. Mr. Puckett moved across the district in 2021 and in his four years repeated the process to lead the Keller Middle School band to perform at The Midwest Clinic, the Texas Music Educators Convention and Music for All National Festival.
Mr. Puckett was named the recipient of the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Cup. The National Band Association awarded Mr. Puckett a Citation of Excellence for his contribution to bands and band music. Mr. Puckett was a national finalist in Music and Arts National Educator of the year, is a PTA Honorary Lifetime member for service to the school, and has been campus Teacher of the Year. Choice Music’s Mark of Excellence has recognized his ensemble eighteen times in the National Wind Band Honors contest, twice in the Citation of Excellence and once in National Jazz Honors. Mr. Puckett’s ensembles have won the G.I.F.T.S. Medal of Distinction middle school concert band division twice. Mr. Puckett’s bands have received consistent Superior ratings at Texas UIL Concert and Sight-reading contests as well as many Best in Class or outstanding bands of the day recognition at local festivals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Mr. Puckett is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association; the Texas Bandmasters Association; Phi Beta Mu – Alpha Chapter, an International Bandmasters fraternity where he served on the public relations committee and TMEA area representative. Mr. Puckett served as chairman of the Texas Band UIL PML Music Selection Committee, has served in several offices in the TMEA region level, and served as lead teacher of the seven Keller ISD middle school band programs for many years. He has presented clinics at Texas Music Educators Association convention, Texas Bandmasters Association convention, Texas Christian University, Southern Methodist University, Sam Houston State University, and many independent school districts across Texas and Oklahoma. Mr. Puckett was honored to be the Georgia and Kentucky Music Educators All-State MS Honor band conductor and looks forward to his upcoming musical engagements in and out of state! He thoroughly enjoys spending time around the nation as a band consultant, clinician, conductor, adjudicator, mentor, recording engineer, and trombone performer. His most precious moments are spending time in his Keller, Texas home with his loving wife Becky, beautiful daughter Rachel, and surrounded by millions of fibers of joy from his two golden retrievers and calico cat.
​
2026 Nevada All-State High School
Orchestra Conductor
High School Orchestra Conductor
Dr. Michael Stanley
Conductor of the Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra​​​
DR. MICHAEL STANLEY is a multi-talented conductor, instrumentalist and music educator based in Southern California, who has performed in such world-renowned venues as Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and UCLA’s Royce Hall. As a conductor, his performances have garnered outstanding reviews, with the Los Angeles Times proclaiming that “…[his] ensemble performed beautifully.” He is currently the Music Director and Conductor of the Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra and the Westlake Village Symphony.
​
Dr. Stanley has conducted both nationally and internationally, appearing as a guest conductor with orchestras ranging from the West Valley Symphony in Surprise, AZ to the Beach Cities Symphony in Southern California. He also directed the orchestra at the finals of the most recent Christopher Parkening International Guitar Competition. Dr. Stanley’s versatility has led him to conduct numerous pit orchestras for shows ranging from Sweeney Todd to Jesus Christ Superstar.
An advocate for new music, he has commissioned, conducted and premiered many compositions in a variety of genres by well-known composers, including Americans Peter Boyer and Eric Ewazen. As a concerto conductor, he has collaborated with such notables as David Singer, Principal Clarinet Emeritus of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and world-famous saxophonist Harvey Pittel, as well as numerous talented young soloists through his work with the Burbank Philharmonic’s Hennings-Fischer Young Artist Competition.
​
Dr. Stanley is a devoted music educator who provides musical opportunities to young people from diverse communities. In his role as a conductor with the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) program, an El Sistema-based music education program, he provides music instruction to underserved youth in the Los Angeles area. He is also proud to be the director of the Burbank Philharmonic’s “Discovery Conductor Project,” a unique program for high school conductors which provides mentoring and performance experience with a professional orchestra.
​
During his more than 20 years of music teaching experience, he has served on the faculties of College of the Canyons and Los Angeles Valley College and been honored as “Teacher of the Year” for his outstanding teaching and dedication to his students. He is also a sought-after festival adjudicator and clinician throughout Southern California.​
​
Dr. Stanley holds a DMA in Conducting from Claremont Graduate University, where he studied with Dr. David Rentz. He received his MM in Orchestral Conducting from California State University, Long Beach, under the tutelage of the late Dr. Richard Rintoul. Among his many additional conducting teachers and mentors are Kenneth Kiesler, Jeffrey Schindler, Neil Thomson, Scott Weiss and Gary Pratt. Dr. Stanley earned his BA in Music summa cum laude from UCLA, majoring in French horn with Richard Todd. He continues to play horn regularly in regional orchestras throughout Southern California.
2026 Nevada All-State Middle School
Orchestra Conductor
.jpg)
Middle School Orchestra Conductor
Dr. LaSaundra J. Belcher
Chair of NAfME’s Council for Orchestral Education
Shenandoah University
​​
Dr. LaSaundra Belcher is a respected conductor, music educator, and arts leader with over 20 years of experience in public schools, higher education, and community music programs. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra in North Carolina, where she leads initiatives that expand access to high-quality music instruction for students from rural and under-resourced communities. Dr. Belcher is chair of NAfME’s Council for Orchestral Education and serves on the Conducting Committee for the American String Teacher’s Association (ASTA).
​
Dr. Belcher is a sought-after guest conductor and clinician for All-State and Honors Orchestras across the country, with recent engagements in Montana, Georgia, California, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, and Florida. She is also a featured speaker at major music education conferences, including the Texas Music Educators Association, Michigan Music Conference, Florida Music Educators Association’s Emerging Leaders Program, and NAfME’s Pacific Northwest Conference. In February, Dr. Belcher will serve as an adjudicator for the American String Teachers Association’s prestigious National Orchestra Festival.
​
In addition to her national presentations, she provides professional development for music educators, equipping teachers with practical strategies to foster student success, increase engagement, and strengthen music programs. Dr. Belcher teaches at Shenandoah University, where she equips aspiring arts entrepreneurs with the tools to build successful, sustainable businesses. Her work reflects a deep commitment to inspiring joy through music, fostering student growth, and empowering educators to create uplifting, engaging learning experiences for all students.
​
2026 Nevada High School All-State Choral Conductors
​TTB High School Choir Conductor
Dr Robert Sinclair
Director of Choral Activites
VanderCook College
Dean of Graduate Studies Dr. Robert L. Sinclair has served VanderCook College of Music as Director of Choral Activities since 2001. His educational background includes three years at Luther College, where he sang in the Nordic Choir under the direction of Weston Noble. After transferring to Sam Houston State University, he completed his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Music degrees with B.R. Henson. In December of 2000, Dr. Sinclair completed a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction (music education) at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he worked with Drs. David Rayl and Wendy Sims.
Dr. Sinclair has 10 years of public school teaching experience and has presented sessions to the Music Educators Associations of Illinois, Ohio, Missouri and Texas, the Illinois Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), as well as the Southwestern and Southern Divisions of ACDA. He continues to work as an active choral clinician and adjudicator for junior high and high school students from across the nation and abroad, including honor choirs in Australia, The Bahamas, Canada, and Japan in addition to all-state choirs in Illinois and Wisconsin. Dr. Sinclair is an active member of ACDA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity, Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honors Fraternity, and the National Association for Music Education.
​SSA High School All-State Choir Conductor
Cindy Ellis
Choral Director, Miami Arts Studio
A native of Holguín, Cuba, Cindy Ellis immigrated to the United States in 2005. She earned her Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education and Jazz Voice from Florida International University and her Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri. Mrs. Ellis is a full time choral director at Miami Arts Studio, a 6th-12th grade public performing arts magnet school in Miami, FL. Her middle school and high school ensembles have been featured at numerous venues throughout the country. These include Carnegie Hall (2018 and 2024), and the Florida, Southern, and National Conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. In 2022, Mrs. Ellis’ students performed in Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas, a meeting hosted by President Joe Biden that brought together 40 Presidents and leaders from the Americas and Caribbean. Additionally, in the last 7 years, the students have recorded and performed background vocals for Gloria and Emilio Estefan and several music award shows including the AMAs, Latin American Music Awards and the Latin GRAMMY Awards. In 2024 Mrs. Ellis conducted her students at the Miami show of Jacob Collier’s DJESSE Volume 4 World Tour. Beyond her school responsibilities, she frequently performs, conducts honor choirs and teaches masterclasses for music directors and students from elementary to college throughout North America. As a jazz vocal soloist and alto with the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers, she collaborated with Jacob Collier for performances at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and recording projects including a performance alongside Coldplay for NBC’s Saturday Night Live and the 2024 BBC Proms Music Festival in London, UK.
In 2020, Mrs. Ellis was published by GIA Publications as a contributing author on “Teaching with Heart,” and in 2022, she served as instructional design editor and contributing author of “Teaching Beyond the Music,” the second edition in the series. Ellis is Miami Arts Studio’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, a 2025 Grammy Music Educator Semi-Finalist, and currently serves as the World Musics & Cultures Coordinator for the American Choral Directors Association Southern Region.
2026 Nevada All-State Vocal Jazz Conductors
​Vocal Jazz All-State Choir Conductor
Ryan Holder Franke
Associate Director of Choral Studies
Northern Arizona University
Ryan W. Holder is the Associate Director of Choral Studies at Northern Arizona University, where he directs the Women’s Chorale, Northern Voices and High Altitude vocal jazz ensembles, teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting and choral methods, supervises choral student teachers, and serves as the adviser for the NAU student chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. Ryan received his doctoral degree in the Fall 2007, from the University of Miami in addition to bachelors and masters degrees from Southern Oregon University and University of Northern Colorado, respectively.
A native Oregonian, Ryan graduated from South Medford High School and served as the Director of Choirs at Grants Pass High School from 1997-2001. During his tenure in Grants Pass his choirs won awards and accolades in both vocal jazz and traditional choral music, and his Melodairs women’s choir took first prize in the women’s choir division at the Vienna Youth and Music Festival in 2001.
​
Dr. Holder has given lectures and presentations at local, state, and regional American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the National Music Educators Association conventions, and recently gave a lecture on “Male Choir Directors: Working with and Relating to Beginning Women’s Choirs” at the 2009 ACDA National Convention in Oklahoma City. He has conducted honor choirs in Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Montana, and Hawaii. His ensembles have been invited to perform throughout the Southwest, including performances at state and regional ACDA conferences. Dr. Holder serves as the Arizona State ACDA President as well as the ACDA National Committee on Technology.
Ryan also serves as the Director of Music at The Church of the Red Rocks in Sedona and is proud to serve as the Artistic Director of The Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers.
2026 Nevada All-State Middle School Choral Conductor
Middle School Choir Conductor
Laura Farnell
Composer, Conductor and Educator
Laura Farnell has a passion for making music with singers, working with educators, and creating accessible and artistic choral compositions. After receiving her BME in Choral Music (piano emphasis) from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, Laura taught elementary music for two years in Mansfield ISD, followed by eight years of junior high choir in Arlington ISD. She was honored by her schools with Teacher of the Year awards in 2000 and 2003, and she received an Excellence in Education Award in 2004 as Arlington ISD's outstanding junior high teacher of the year.
Laura presently lives in Arlington, Texas, and serves as a choral adjudicator and an invited music conference presenter/clinician for district, region, and state honor choirs across the country. As a composer, she especially enjoys writing and arranging music for developing choirs and has more than one hundred choral compositions in publication, including many commissioned pieces and a co-authored choral sightreading method book. She currently edits the E2A Choral series through Alliance Music Publications.
She and her husband, Russell, and their two sons (all singers), attend First Presbyterian Church of Arlington where Russell serves as Minister of Music and Laura directs the youth and children's choirs.
2026 Nevada All-State High School Jazz Conductor
High School Jazz Conductor
Dave Clark
Director of the Jazz Studies
University of Louisville
Dave began playing violin in sixth grade and saxophone in seventh grade. Having played both throughout public school, he studied saxophone performance at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas, received a BM in music education and a MM in jazz performance from the University of Louisville in Kentucky. While at Ouachita, he was introduced to jazz and cites Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, and Branford Marsalis as major influences. As a student at U of L, Dave won the school’s Concerto Competetion where he performed the Glazounov Saxophone Concerto and received a Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Performance at the 2006 Notre Dame Jazz Festival. Dave has had the good fortune to study with Harry Pickens, Don Braden, Wessell Anderson, Sim Flora, and Branford Marsalis.
Dave has performed with such diverse artists as Benny Golson, Clark Terry, Randy Brecker, Stanley Turrentine, James Moody, Christian McBride, Kevin Mahogany, Harry Pickens, Nancy Wilson, Jack Harlow, Miles Griffith, Tammy McCann, Marcus Johnson, the Louisville Orchestra, the Dells, and Delfeayo Marsalis. Dave has performed at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, and the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Montreaux, Switzerland. He has also performed as part of a good will tour and educational exchange program in Barbados. Additionally, Dave has performed as a special guest with the Juggernaught Jug Band for a Ted Talk themed Keep It Simple at TedX Indianapolis, as well as for Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla. While still in Arkansas, he also opened concerts for Herb Ellis and Dave Brubeck.
Dave also played in the sax section with the Louisville Orchestra featuring pianist Yuja Wang on the Grammy-winning work, The American Project.
Dave makes his home in Louisville, KY, where he serves as Director of the Jazz Studies program and Associate Professor of Saxophone at the University of Louisville. Dave has also served on the faculty of Jamey Aebersold's Summer Jazz Camps. In addition, Dave serves as the Executive Director and Education Director of the Louisville Jazz Initiative (LJI), a non-profit inter-generational coalition of musicians and educators committed to the authentic teaching and performing of jazz; that is, in a way that preserves the connection between the art form and its cultural and historical context, highlights the inherent value of each individual’s experience and expression, and empowers its participants to advocate for social and racial justice. Dave is currently an ABD, PhD doctoral candidate in Higher Education Leadership at Bellarmine University's Annsley Frazier Thornton's School of Education. His doctoral studies center on utilizing music education to teach social justice issues.
2026 Nevada All-State Guitar Conductor
High School Guitar Conductor
Dr. Sungmin Shin
Associate Professor of Guitar
University at Buffalo, State University of New York
Korean-born American musician Sungmin Shin maintains a vigorous schedule seamlessly navigating the unpredictable musical landscape of the 21st century. Dr. Shin is an artist-teacher, arts leadership advocate, composer, consultant, engineer-producer, ensemble director, entrepreneur, improviser, multi-instrumentalist, music theorist, and scholar. Redefining what it means to be genre-bending, Sungmin balances his serious classical training with his deep roots in diverse musical cultures to seek new modes of expression through performance, improvisation, and composition. He is frequently invited to adjudicate, compose, perform, speak, and teach at major international competitions, events, and festivals including the Guitar Foundation of America International Convention & Competition, Iserlohn International Guitar Festival (Germany), Rochester International Jazz Festival, and many more. Known for his artistic and professional collaborative work in music and with interdisciplinary projects, Sungmin is a member of the internationally acclaimed guitar ensemble Tantalus Quartet and 8-piece rock band Lauren & the Good Souls.
​
Dr. Shin is a devoted educator that believes high quality music education should be available and accessible to all students and shares his passion for music with students of all ages and levels. He is Associate Professor of Practice at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York where he directs the guitar program and guitar ensembles. He has presented concerts and masterclasses at top level university music programs including at the Eastman School of Music, Seoul National University of Education (South Korea), Shenandoah Conservatory, University of Louisville, University of South Carolina, and more. Former students of Dr. Shin are currently working as professional musicians in Western NY and beyond and have gained admission to top music schools such as Belmont, Berklee, Eastman, Northwestern, North Texas and many more at the undergraduate and graduate levels with scholarships. Dr. Shin is the Artistic Director of the Buffalo International Guitar Festival and the founder/co-director of the UB International Guitar Research Conference. Also, he is a long time guitar faculty member of Guitar Workshop Plus and has taught and served as the assistant director at the various campuses of the workshop including Fort Lauderdale, Nashville, San Diego, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver. Dr. Shin is the founder and former director of the Penfield Guitar School. Sungmin plays and endorses D’Addario String.
​
​
​
2026 Nevada All-State High School
Mariachi Conductor
High School Mariachi Conductor
Mario Ferrer Jr.
Musician and Director
Mario Ferrer Jr. was born in Weslaco, TX. His musical journey began at a young age, playing for his school's orchestra in middle school. While attending Weslaco High School, he began his Mariachi career, playing with his high school's mariachi and a professional ensemble outside of school named Mariachi Mundial.
​
Mario attended The University of Texas Pan American and received his bachelor's degree in 2006. While at the university, Mario was awarded a scholarship with the University Mariachi at Pan American, and went on to perform at many venues across the country as well as win many awards at numerous mariachi competitions.
​
In 2000, Mario began playing with world-renowned Mariachi Los Arrieros del Valle. He continues being an integral part of Los Arrieros as a violin player and main vocalist. Throughout his 25 year career with Mariachi Los Arrieros, Mario has played all over the United States and in Mexico. He has also earned many awards, which include 2 American Grammy nominations and 1 Latin Grammy nomination along with the rest of the members of Mariachi Los Arrieros.
​
Mario Ferrer is going on his 20th year of teaching in South Texas and has attended and taught at many mariachi festivals and workshops throughout the country. He spent 10 years teaching at Edcouch-Elsa, where he was part of 3 state championships as well as 1 national championship for The Edcouch-Elsa Mariachi Juvenil Azteca. He has most recently taken on a role of "Mariachi Senior Advisor" for Weslaco ISD, where he oversees the district's 6 school's mariachi programs.
High School Mariachi Conductor
Michael Sital
Musician and Director
A native of Victoria, Texas, Michael Sital is a dedicated mariachi educator, performer, and mentor with over 30 years of experience in the world of mariachi music. His journey has taken him from the vibrant mariachi scene in Las Vegas, Nevada—where he served as a mariachi director in the Clark County School District—to the Rio Grande Valley, where he played a pivotal role in the award-winning mariachi program at Edcouch-Elsa ISD.
Currently, Sital is the Mariachi District Advisor at Weslaco ISD, where he continues to shape the next generation of mariachi musicians. In addition to his work in public education, he serves as the Vice President of the National Mariachi Education Consultants, LLC, an organization dedicated to training music educators in mariachi pedagogy at all levels.
As a performer, Sital is a proud member of the Grammy-nominated Mariachi Los Arrieros Del Valle. His extensive musical career has allowed him to share the stage with renowned mariachi groups and learn from some of the most respected musicians and
educators in the field.
Sital holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). Beyond teaching and performing, he is also an accomplished arranger and composer, specializing in mariachi music. He frequently leads clinics in violin, voice, and mariachi studies, sharing his expertise with students and educators alike.
With a passion for preserving and advancing the tradition of mariachi, Michael Sital continues to inspire musicians across the country through his dedication, leadership, and
artistry.
2026 Nevada All-State Middle School
Mariachi Conductor
Middle School Mariachi Conductor
Antonio Delgadillo
Professional Musician and Educator
Jose Antonio "Toño" Delgadillo Cruz, a dedicated mariachi musician and educator, was raised in Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, and later moved to El Paso, Texas. He discovered his passion for music in high school, joining mariachi and singing for the first time. Delgadillo earned a music education degree from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). As a student he was able to represent mariachi music across the globe in St. Petersburg, Russia as an invitation from Herzen University.
As a professional musician, Antonio Delgadillo has had the privilege of performing and collaborating with legendary artists such as Ramon Ayala, Cristian Castro, Mana, La Mafia, and Jose Alfredo Jimenez Medel to name a few with Mariachi 7 Leguas. In a career highlight, Delgadillo shared the stage with multi-Grammy winner Luis Miguel, accompanying him alongside the world-renowned Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, widely regarded as the best mariachi in the world. In recognition of Mariachi 7 Leguas' 15th anniversary, Delgadillo traveled to Tecalitlan, Jalisco - the birthplace of mariachi music - to receive the keys to the city in October 2019. As Musical Director of Mariachi 7 Leguas, Delgadillo put the final touches on the group's debut album, "20 Aniversario", marking a major milestone in their 20 year history that is to be soon released on all major platforms.
Currently, Antonio debuts with his own group “Mariachi Del Sol” where he gives high school graduates an opportunity to develop their skills and passion for mariachi music and showcase it for the local community.
Delgadillo began his teaching career as a middle school orchestra director for Harlingen CISD and later joined Roma ISD under Mr. Eloy Garza's mentorship. As director of Ramiro Barrera Middle School's Mariachi Juvenil Santander, Delgadillo has led the group to numerous awards and national titles, solidifying its reputation for excellence. He cherishes time with his wife and two children in Rio Grande City, TX. He hopes to inspire new generations of musicians with his commitment to excellence and passion for mariachi music.
​