Director of Bands

Armand Navarro is the Director of Bands at Escambia High School where he is entering his 2nd year as Head Director. Overall he is entering his 14th year serving in the capacity of Head Band Director and 16th year as a professional educator. In his short time at Escambia High School he has positively impacted the musical output and performance level of the bands which has been mirrored in growth and retention of participants. In just one year Mr. Navarro increased Concert Music Performance Assessment grades from Goods to Superior which is a 2 grade increase. The band has not reached that grade level since 2020. Under his direction, both the top concert and jazz bands qualified and participated in State Level Concert MPA.

Prior to his appointment at Escambia, Mr. Navarro was the Director of Bands at Ridge Community High School in Polk County FL where he also dramatically increased the performance level of the bands and recruiting level. At Ridge, Mr. Navarro also improved the Concert Band by earning Superior ratings at the District Level while qualifying and participating at the State Level. They previously had not earned Superior Ratings in 9 years.

Mr. Navarro was also The Head Band Director at Pensacola High School Band from 2013 until 2023 where the music department grew and thrived under his direction. The PHS concert bands earned superior ratings at both District and State Festival. He brought the Pensacola Symphonic Band to State Concert Festival for the first time in 20 years and was at PHS where he took the band from goods to superiors the first time (total of 3 times at 3 different schools). Upon his arrival, the band saw immediate and sustained growth both in numbers and artistry. Over the course of 10 years he established a comprehensive range of beginning music classes which included band, guitar, and piano which were available to all of the campus students. While at PHS he hosted Concert Band, Jazz Band, Orchestra MPA’s, and the Legendary Tiger Invitational. An advocate for auxiliary ensembles, Mr. Navarro started indoor groups at both Pensacola HS and Ridge Community. For 4 years Mr. Navarro was the Athletic Band Director at UWF where the ensemble performed at Basketball and Volleyball matches as well as other campus special events.

He received his Masters Degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas and Bachelors of Music Education from the University of West Florida. In 2020 he was a recipient of the FBA Tom Bishop Award.  He has received conducting lessons from Robert Carnochan, Travis Cross, David Itkin, Scott Lubaroff, Allan McMurry, Jerry Junkin, and Donald McKinney to name a few. Mr. Navarro has presented and coordinated clinics at both The Florida Bandmasters Association and the Florida Music Education Association. Since 2024, Mr. Navarro has served as the 9 Star Honor Band Coordinator for the FBA Summer Conference. He is also a FBA sanctioned adjudicator for FBA Solo and Ensemble.

Aside from Band Directing, Mr. Navarro enjoys spending time with his wife Angela and children Leila, Hailey, and Lorelai (all girls!). He enjoys camping, kayaking, and as an amateur enthusiast of pickleball, he claims to have won several matches.

Armand Navarro

Assistant Director of Bands

Skyler McLeod is the assistant band director at Escambia High School. She directs the Beginning band and Jazz B, co-teaches the Concert Band and Marching Band, and teaches a Music Technology and Sound Engineering course. 

Ms. McLeod is an Escambia alumna, having graduated in 2018. As a student she played flute, piccolo, and bassoon, and was a member of the Diamonds indoor drumline in 2017. Ms. McLeod attended the University of West Florida, earning two bachelor degrees in Music Education and in Flute Performance. She participated in the UWF Symphonic Band as principal flute, various chamber ensembles, and flute choir. She was also a dedicated member of the Argo Athletic Band, joining in its inaugural year. She served as flute section leader and as head drum major for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. 

Ms. McLeod began her teaching career at Warrington Preparatory Academy in 2023. There she served as band director for beginning and advanced middle school students. Ms. McLeod is proud to be back as assistant director at her alma mater.

Co-Director of Colorguard

Brittney Britt

Co-Director of Colorguard

Whittney Britt

Battery

Tyler Martin is currently a percussion instructor and arranger at Escambia High School, where he has been since 2022. His previous marching experience includes four years playing bass drum and tenors for the Pride and Diamonds Indoor Percussion Ensemble, with whom he earned 4 GCGPC gold medals, 4 top three finishes at the WGI Mid-South Power Regional, and an appearance in WGI Finals in 2015.

Previously, he had the opportunity to return to Escambia after graduation as an upper battery tech under Terry Sanders from 2015-2017.

Mr. Martin received his degrees in English and Philosophy from the University of West Florida in 2019. He is currently employed as an English teacher in Escambia County School District.

Front Ensemble

Holly Phillips is currently the Front Ensemble Instructor at Escambia High School in Pensacola, Fl. She graduated from J. M. Tate Senior High School and is currently double majoring at UWF for her Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering. She currently teaches the Front Ensemble for Marching Band along with doing Indoor Drumline for the GCGPC circuit.

Ms. Holly has been involved in many different groups starting with being in Tate's Jazz1 and Wind Ensemble all four years playing String Bass and Bass guitar. When marching season came around she was Center Marimba in Front Ensemble along with being Section leader for two years. Ever since graduating she has been playing Bass with the UWF Jazz band along with doing performances downtown with small groups. She plans on auditing for either WGI or DCI here in the upcoming future. 

Holly, her family, and pets Scooter and Atlas reside in Pensacola, Florida.

Visual and Cymbals

Erik Mitra currently serves as the visual and hornline technician for the Escambia High School Band and cymbal technician for the Diamonds Indoor Drumline in Pensacola, FL. Since graduating from Escambia High School in 2019, Erik is currently working towards his Bachelors of Arts in Music Education at The University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL. 

Erik was a 4 year member of the Escambia High School Band playing trumpet, french horn, and cymbals for the Diamonds Indoor Drumline. After graduation, he has been a part of several ensembles in the Gulf Coast! He played trumpet for the Pensacola State College Symphonic Orchestra and jazz band. In 2019, Erik was selected to play for the Florida Southern College WInd Ensemble where he also played trumpet. He also marched with Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps in 2018 on cymbals. Erik is an active performer with multiple groups around the Panhandle. 

Erik is a member of the Naval Air Station Morale Welfare and Recreation, National Association of Realtors, Pensacola Association of Realtors, and Emerald Coast Association of Realtors

Erik and his Yorkie Seavine currently reside in Pensacola, FL