Panther Band Staff
Martin R. Filip - Director of Fine Arts & Bands
Mr. Filip's passion for music came about at a very young age, as he played the piano, church handbells and sang in the church choir all before starting 6th Grade Band. He started his band career in 6th Grade learning how to play the clarinet that started the path to become the director he is today.
Mr. Filip has been the Director of Bands for Quinlan ISD since Fall 2005. While under the direction of Mr. Filip, the Quinlan Bands have reached sweepstakes at contest and increased the band enrollment significantly. Mr. Filip holds memberships in several professional organizations including the Texas Music Educators Association, Association of Texas Small School Bands and the Texas Bandmasters Association. Mr. Filip has been on faculty for the Stephen F. Austin State University Middle School and High School Band Camps in June of every summer teaching Clarinet and Bass Clarinet Masterclasses.
Mr. Filip currently serves as an officer for the Association of Small School Bands Region 3 holding the position as Assistant Region Coordinator/Webmaster. Previously Mr. Filip served as Region Jazz Coordinator. He previously served as the ATSSB All-State Jazz Band Organizer every year during the Texas Music Educators Association Clinic and Convention.
Mr. Filip studied Clarinet under Dr. Christopher Ayer at Stephen F. Austin State University where he earned his Bachelor's in Music Education with a concentration in Instrumental Music graduating Cum Laude. While at Stephen F. Austin State University he studied conducting privately with Mr. Fred J. Allen, Director of Bands. Mr. Filip was a member in the SFA Wind Ensemble, Lumberjack Marching Band, SFA Chamber Winds, Woodwind Ensembles and soloed in several recital settings.
In May 2015, Mr. Filip graduated with his Masters in Educational Leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Mr. Filip has a background in Pro Audio Technologies. While at SFA, Marty was part of the Sound Engineer Team that was in charge of all music events at the university. He provided anything from recording, live sound, video and special lighting services for these events. He was also part of the team that rewired the music building two concert halls to be run from the same location, a old storage closet that the team converted into the new sound recording lab.
Marty was married to his wife, Sarah, in Nacogdoches, TX on June 4, 2005. He and his family currently reside in Fate, TX. Marty and his wife have two sons, Noah who was born in August of 2009 and Caleb who was born in September of 2015. When he's not teaching or playing music, he enjoys relaxing with his family, spending time outdoors on the lake or beach, working on small projects, watching movies and traveling.
Stephanie Evans - Associate Director of Bands / Color Guard Director
Stephanie Evans is Associate Director of Bands and the Color Guard Director in Quinlan, TX. Stephanie is a graduate of McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She studied clarinet under Janet Scott and was privileged to study music under Dr. Jeffrey Lemke and Keith Gates. While studying music education at MSU, Mrs. Evans frequently performed with numerous ensembles such as the MSU Wind Symphony, various MSU Clarinet ensembles, the MSU Color Guard, the Lake Charles Community Band, and the Lake Charles Community Dedication project for the 200th Anniversary of Mozart. She also performed with many artists including The Boston Brass, The Marcus Roberts Trio, and Sion é Companhia. Mrs. Evans started her music career path by teaching color guard in Louisiana. She assisted her former director at Sam Houston High School in Moss Bluff, Louisiana for several years. She also became co-captain of the McNeese State University Color Guard. After two years of being co-captain, she was named as co-director of the Color Guard program until she graduated. Upon graduation, Mrs. Evans moved to Texas where she worked for Victoria Memorial High School, Mabank High School, and previously at Kaufman Junior High School.
Stephanie is a current member of Texas Music Educator’s Association, the Association of Texas Small School Bands, and Texas Bandmasters’ Association. She is also an alumnus of the professional music fraternity of Sigma Alpha Iota, the professional music sorority Tau Beta Sigma, and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Stephanie and her husband, Christopher, currently reside in Terrell with their children, James, Lily, Blake, and Maddie. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her family, read or craft.
Allison Gordner - TMS Head Band Director
Allison Gordner is a native of Pennsylvania and received her Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Slippery Rock University in the Spring of 2016. There she studied trumpet under Dr. Stephen Hawk and Mr. Chad Winkler, and performed with the Marching Pride, Concert Band, and Brass Ensemble. Outside of trumpet, she also played French Horn in the Wind Ensemble, piano in the Jazz Lab Band, and was a vocalist with the elite Chamber Singers while at SRU.
Upon graduation, Miss Gordner relocated to San Antonio, TX and began her teaching career as the Assistant Band Director at Medina Valley Middle School. In April of 2017, she had the great honor of receiving the Teacher of the Month award dedicated to a first-year teacher in the district. She also recently directed the first Non-Varsity Band from MVMS to receive sweepstakes at the UIL Concert & Sight-Reading Evaluation.
Along with her middle school duties, she also served as the UIL Music Memory coach for grades 6-8 and as the visual caption head with the MVHS Marching Band. A few of her marching band performance credentials include: 1st Trumpet with the 2012 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band, 2nd Trumpet with the 2014 DCA World Champion Reading Buccaneers, and 2nd Trumpet with the 2015 DCI bronze-medalist Canton Bluecoats. Miss Gordner also played trumpet for the South Texas Symphonic Orchestra from 2017-2022.
Seth Edmonds - Director of Percussion
Mr. Edmonds is a percussionist that recently graduated from Texas A&M University - Commerce with his Bachelors in Music Education. As well, he was a transfer student from Navarro College in Corsicana, Tx. During his time at A&M Commerce, he spent multiple semesters in percussion ensembles, concert ensembles and was the lead drum set player for the jazz band. He studied under Dr. Brian Zator, Mr. Tanner Leonardo, Lauren Teel, Sandi Rennick and Kent Hillman. During his time at Navarro College, he was the drum captain for the two years he was there, and was principal percussionist of the Wind Ensemble. He also had the chance to play in the jazz band, and opportunities to play with the Dallas Winds, and the Fort Worth Community band. He studied under Timothy Nutting, and Joshua Buckrucker.
Mr. Edmonds teaching experience consists of Private lessons, served many years at high schools as a drumline technician, and has been teaching Drumset lessons most recently. During his student teaching experience at North Forney High School, he helped lead the North Forney HS indoor percussion section to win at WGI finals for the Indoor Percussion Concert Division. Mr. Edmonds is an avid drumset player, and he plays drums at his church on Sunday mornings.
He currently resides with his family in Forney, Tx. He likes to spend his free time with his girlfriend Caroline.