VISUAL STAFF
DAKOTA LANCASTER
Dakota Lancaster is in his third year of teaching and is currently the assistant band director at Panhandle High School. He graduated from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, TX where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education & Composition, studying tuba with Dr. Jeremy Lewis and composition with Dr. B.J. Brooks.
During his two years at Panhandle, the marching band has begun to make consecutive state finalist appearances where they were recently named the Bronze Medalist in 2023. Outside of working with the Panhandle bands, Dakota is an active designer, arranger, composer, drill writer, and choreographer for many bands in the Panhandle, Permian Basin, and El Paso area.
During his time in college, Dakota was also member of the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps from 2016 to 2018, and the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corp from 2019-2021.
Dakota resides in Amarillo, TX with his wife Meghan and 3 black cats, Edgar, Ellie, and Ebenezer.
VISUAL CAPTION HEAD
JESSE HERNANDEZ
ASSISTANT VISUAL
CAPTION HEAD
Jesse is a native of El Paso, Texas, and moved as a teenager to Albuquerque, where they currently resides. They graduated from Cibola High school, and attended the University of New Mexico, where they studied Tuba with Dr. Richard Antoine White. While at UNM, Jesse performed with the Spirit Marching Band, the Symphonic Band, Wind Symphony, Brass Choir, and other chamber ensembles. Outside of these academic ensembles, Jesse was privileged to be cast as a member of the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps and the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, where they completed their drum corps tenure with a third-place finish.
Outside of Jesse’s performance experience, they have had the opportunity to work and clinic with several middle school bands, high school bands, and color guards in the Albuquerque/Rio Rancho area. Currently, Jesse is the visual caption and brass clinician of the three time concert band state champion, La Cueva High School in Albuquerque.
In their spare time, Jesse enjoys traveling, going on hikes throughout the New Mexico-Colorado region, and being a part of the hot air ballooning community in Albuquerque.
ANNIE AGUILAR
Annie Aguilar is an El Paso native and is in her 4th year as a music educator. Currently she is the assistant band director at Capt. Walter E Clarke Middle School in El Paso, TX. At Clarke she is responsible for teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade band. Annie’s passion for music started at an early age, but truly developed when she started band. The decision to continue music and pursue a degree in music education occurred to her while attending Riverside High School. After choosing this career path she continued her education at The University of Texas at El Paso. Throughout her time at UTEP she taught marching arts at Riverside High School, El Paso High School, and Pebble Hills High School. While attending UTEP she took trumpet lessons with Dr. Nancy Taylor, and participated in multiple ensembles. These ensembles include the Marching Miners, UTEP pep band, Mariachi Los Mineros, the Symphonic band, Jazz band, brass choirs, and trumpet ensembles. 2023 will be Annie's 2nd Season with Arsenal.
VISUAL TECHNICIAN
IGNACIO PEREZ
Ignacio (Nacho) Pérez is a senior trumpet and bass guitar player at Eastern New Mexico University. He is currently pursuing degrees in music education and trumpet performance.
Nacho performs in a variety of ensembles at ENMU on trumpet, bass guitar, and percussion and sings with the university choir. He marched with Arsenal Drum and Bugle Corps in 2019.
Last fall, he arranged and performed a bass guitar solo in the opener for ENMU's marching show, which was the winner of the Division II category of Metallica's "For Whom the Band Tolls" Competition.
Outside of school, he spends time assisting local bands by directing rehearsals and facilitating trumpet/mellophone sectionals. He plays bass guitar at local gigs and has performed with the Roswell Symphony Orchestra on multiple occasions.
VISUAL TECHNICIAN