SAN ANTONIO, TX – Last month, two bandmasters with ties to Howard County were inducted into the 2025 Bandmasters Hall of Fame during an event that was held in San Antonio, TX.
Alphonse J. Mendez is a retired Director of Fine Arts for the El Paso Independent School District. He graduated from Big Spring High School at the age of 16, received his Bachelor of Music and Administrative Certificate from the University of Texas at El Paso and his master’s from Long Island University. He was also a member of the U.S. Military Academy Band at West Point, and studied saxophone at the Julliard School.
He began teaching with EPISD in 1975 as an assistant band director. Mendez has received multiple awards including Lifetime Administrator Achievement presented by the Texas Bandmasters Association, and Texas Bandmaster of the Year. He is an active performer, adjudicator, clinician, and conductor throughout the U.S. Currently he and his wife teach weekly master classes at schools throughout the El Paso area.
James Wayne Rhodes, Jr. earned his Bachelor of Music in 1975 from Sul Ross State University and started his first teaching job as an assistant band director at Alpine High School. After working at Grandfalls-Royalty, Texas, the band eventually became consistent UIL Sweepstakes winners. In 1984 the band hall was named after him “Jim Rhodes Band Hall”. He would later go on to serve as band director at Forsan ISD from 1997 to 2019, when he retired after 44 years of teaching.
During his time with FISD, he resurrected the band program from a non-UIL participant to full time UIL status. Beginning with Rhode’s second year at Forsan ISD, the band earned a Sweepstakes and went on to win 21 in a row. They participated in 11 State Marching Contests and made the finals 8 times, taking silver medals in 2005, 2009, 2013, and finally earning the gold medal and becoming the Class 1A State Marching Band Champion in 2007. That same year, they also won the TMEA Class A State Honor Band.
Rhodes has also earned multiple awards including the UIL Sponsor of Excellence Award in Music, and the Meritorious Achievement Award from TBA for Outstanding Contribution to Music Education. Plus, he’s also conducted many clinics at TMEA and TBA Conventions.
(courtesy photos)
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