Biography
Amanda Drinkwater is in her eleventh year as Director of Bands and thirteenth year overall at Marcus High School. Her responsibilities include the direction of the Marcus Wind Symphony and the Marcus Marching Band. A pianist and brass specialist, Ms. Drinkwater is a native of Thibodaux, Louisiana.
Ms. Drinkwater received her academic training at Louisiana State University and at the University of Kansas in Music Education and Instrumental Conducting, respectively. She is in her twentieth year as a Texas music educator, with previous teaching opportunities served at Leander High School (TX) from 1996-2001, and The Colony High School (TX) from 2001-2003.
Ms. Drinkwater’s concert ensembles have received exclusively superior division ratings at the University Interscholastic League Concert & Sightreading contests. In 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014 the Marcus Wind Symphony was named a TMEA 5A Honor Band Finalist. The Wind Symphony was a featured ensemble at the Midwest Band and Orchestra clinic in 2007 and 2012 and has been recognized five times as a National Wind Band Honors finalist. Ms. Drinkwater’s marching ensembles have earned ten consecutive trips to the 5A/6A Texas State UIL Marching Contest and have been consistent Bands of America finalists and recipients of various caption honors.. In 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 (5A), and 2014 (6A) the Marcus Marching Band earned the UIL Texas State Marching Championship. The Marcus band program was awarded the John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Shield for excellence in marching band performance in 2008 and the Sudler Flag for excellence in concert band performance in 2014 respectively.
Ms. Drinkwater has been named five times to "Who's Who Among America's Teachers", and is a member of Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, and the American Bandmasters Association. She was selected as Marcus High School Teacher of the Year in 2007 and was named a lifetime member of the PTA in 2008. In 2009, she was the recipient of the Music Educators National Conference "Excellence in Teaching Music" Award, and in 2011, she was the recipient of the prestigious Bayard H. Friedman “Hero” Award for her contributions to Music Education in the state of Texas. A resident of Highland Village with husband Rob, she is an active clinician and adjudicator.