History of the Gunter Tiger Orchestra and Band

What makes a marching band great? Pride!

In order to understand the history of the Gunter High School Band, first we must look back to before the band, to the age of the orchestra.

The Gunter High School Orchestra was only around for a short period of time. It was started in 1998 by Ms. Brummit, but the orchestra only lasted six years and breathed its last breath in 2004.

By the middle of the 2000’s, band fever was in the air. After constant pleas from the town’s residents, the GISD school board decided to set a fund aside to start a Band program. Their first step: find a man to lead the band.

Mr. Rhotar was chosen as this first man by the school to start a Band program. Mr. Rhotar only worked part time, as he was also a band director of Tioga Middle School, but he played a vital part in getting Gunter their first instruments, as well as being our student’s first music educator.

Two years later, the first full time band director was hired, Pat Autry. Mr. Autry said that after he was hired in the spring of 2005, his first concern “was increasing the size of the current band.”

Through a series of school assemblies, followed by private interviews, Mr. Autry doubled the size of the band. The following year, Mr. Autry began teaching the Band how to play songs for the Friday night football games. It was in this time that the school first put music to their school song. More exciting though, the fight song was played by an ACTUAL Band! Not just a recording! This new element created an excitement every Friday night that has continued to this day.

After Mr. Autry voluntarily left to be the Gunter Middle School’s Principal, Mr. Justin Wallis took his place as the new Band Director.

Mr. Wallis was now thrust into the leading role in the Fall of 2009. Mr. Wallis is still the band director today, and has experienced immense success for GHS.

Within five years of Gunter first obtaining a marching band, Gunter was already placing in the Area finals Marching Contest, and within 10 years, Gunter’s concert piece “Barbarossa” placed 1st in the entire state 2A Outstanding Performance Series.

Individually, the band students of GHS have also performed extremely well. Five high school students have managed to compete so well in the ATSSB All-Region contest, that they have advanced all the way to the State competition and represented GHS in San Antonio, Texas.

Overall, the GHS Tiger Band has experienced unprecedented success considering its recent start. With a fiery passion that still burns strong, you can expect the GHS Band to continue to win awards and approval for years to come.

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