Patricia Islas is a performer, composer, arranger, adjudicator and educator in the Dallas area. Mrs. Islas is a graduate of the University of North Texas and holds a bachelor’s degree in music performance. While at North Texas, Mrs. Islas studied percussion under Mark Ford, Dr. Robert Schietroma, Christopher Deane, Paul and Sandi Rennick among others. She has also studied marimba with She-e Wu and Leigh Howard Stevens.
In 2002 Mrs. Islas received the award for the Best Individual Keyboard Soloist at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Mrs. Islas was a winner of the UNT Concerto Competition in 2004, which led to performing with the Richardson Symphony Orchestra. Mrs. Islas has performed at several music conventions including Marimba 2010 Festival and Conference, PASIC and SEMUS, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States.
Mrs. Islas has been an educator in the Dallas area for several years. She has arranged and taught drumlines who have won numerous Outstanding Front Ensemble, Best Arrangement, and First Place awards. In addition to her work with many Dallas area schools, Mrs. Islas spent the summers of 2004, 2005, and 2006 arranging music and serving as frontline technician for the Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps. Mrs. Islas also taught the 2007 Blue Knights front ensemble. In 2017 Mrs. Islas served as front ensemble arranger for the Guardians Drum Corps.
Recently Mrs. Islas has performed clinics for many DFW area high schools along with Lone Star Percussion, A&M University Commerce, the Minnesota Day of Percussion and the Iowa Day of Percussion. Mrs. Islas has also been an adjudicator for several drumline and concert percussion contests including The Sun City Throwdown in El Paso. In 2011 and 2014 Patricia traveled to London to meet with Grammy winner Imogen Heap after contributing to a song titled “Lifeline” off of Imogen’s latest album. Currently Mrs. Islas is performing and composing music for her contemporary musical duo Team Islas who has performed several times with Grammy nominated and Grammy winning musicians. Patricia Islas proudly represents Lot Riot, Pro-Mark Sticks and Mallets, and Majestic Percussion.
