Plano Drumline Competition 2026
Participants: REGISTER HERE
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PDLC 2026 Information
Every Fall, Plano Percussion hosts the Plano Drumline Competition (PDLC), one of the largest fundraisers for the Plano Band. Drumlines, soloists, and ensembles compete and showcase their talent to receive awards given in various levels (listed in detail below). 2026 is the 35th Anniversary of PDLC!
WHEN:
Saturday, November 7th, 2026; doors open at 9:30 am, event begins at 10:00 am, first band plays at 10:15 am
WHERE:
John Clark Stadium
6600 Stadium Dr, Plano, TX 75023
See more details regarding the PISD Stadium bag policy
Download the map of Clark Stadium
Concessions are available inside the venue from the concessions booth.
WHO IS PERFORMING:
Plano Senior High School, Clark High School, and Vines High School perform and host an exciting roster of local schools. A full list of participants is printed on our shirts each year and listed on our schedule.
SCHEDULE:
A full schedule will be available here approximately 2 weeks before the event and after participant registration is closed.
TICKETS:
Tickets can be pre-purchased online for a discount prior to the event or the day-of on your device on our ticket page. You can also use credit cards/tap to pay at the ticket booth. PDLC is now cashless.
$10 per Adult ($12 at the event)
$8 per student with ID ($10 at the event)
Free ticket:
- Children 5 and under
- PISD Employees (with ID)
- PISD Middle School band students wearing their Middle School Band t-shirt
- Bus and truck drivers for participating schools' drumlines
- PDLC Staff & Volunteers
PDLC is a fundraiser for the Plano Percussion program with Plano Band. Thank you for supporting our program and students!
RAFFLE BASKETS, SHIRTS AND SHOUT-OUTS:
VISIT OUR NEW PDLC SHOP TO PRE-ORDER YOUR PDLC RAFFLE TICKETS, SHIRTS AND SHOUT OUTS!
Each year we have a robust collection of raffle baskets as a part of our fundraiser. Each basket is full of gear and items including percussion swag, sporting and movie tickets, gift cards to local restaurants and retailers, and a variety of other goodies. You can purchase raffle tickets 2 for $5 in person and online. Grand Prize basket tickets are $5 each.
We also have shirts for pre-sale at our PDLC Shop for $20 and Shout Outs for $5 each. It's a great way to support our program and have some fun along the way!
SPONSORS:
We have the best sponsors! Our sponsors fund and provide items for our raffle baskets, donate directly to the program and support Plano Percussion in a variety of ways. If you'd like to be a sponsor or vendor for PDLC, please see our sponsorship information and contact our coordinators. There are plenty of ways to become a sponsor.
We like to give our sponsors a lot of love - logos on the Jumbotron at the event, logos featured on the Plano.Band website and other prominent places based on the level of donation. Thank you for supporting our program!
JUDGING AND AWARDS:
Drumlines, solos and ensembles are judged by professional percussionists. Judges' comments are available through Competition Suite.
Some of the awards given are:
A Standstill: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
AA Standstill: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
AAA Standstill: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Drumline Show: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
A Standstill: Outstanding Snare Line, Tenor Line, Bass Line, Cymbal Line, Front Ensemble
AA Standstill: Outstanding Snare Line, Tenor Line, Bass Line, Cymbal Line, Front Ensemble
AAA Standstill: Outstanding Snare Line, Tenor Line, Bass Line, Cymbal Line, Front Ensemble
Drumline Show: Outstanding Snare Line, Tenor Line, Bass Line, Cymbal Line, Front Ensemble
Solo Marimba: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Solo Snare: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Solo Tenors: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
PDLC 2026 Judges
Chris Nadeau
Percussionist and educator Chris Nadeau is Adjunct Assistant Professor of Percussion at the University of Texas at Arlington and on percussion staff for the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps.
Working as an active performing percussionist and clinician around the country, Chris has played numerous groups such as the Lone Star Wind Orchestra and Percussion Ensemble, the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra, the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra and the Shreveport Opera. His award-winning percussion duo CAn-Duo Percussion has performed as guest artists for the Southern California International Marimba Competition, the North Texas Percussion Festival, and the North Texas Keyboard Symposium. As an educator, Chris has previously served as a marching percussion instructor/arranger for the Colorado State University Marching Band, Front Ensemble instructor for Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps, Adjunct Professor of Percussion at Front Range Community College, and Percussion Coordinator/Arranger for the Plano West School Cluster in Plano, TX. Chris holds a Master's Degree in Percussion Performance from Colorado State University under the direction of Dr. Eric Hollenbeck, as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Percussion Performance from Texas A&M University-Commerce under the direction of Dr. Brian Zator.
Matt Quinlan
Mr. Quinlan serves as a Percussion Educator at Worthington & Tidwell Middle Schools. His responsibilities include directing percussion studies in daily Beginner Percussion classes as well as percussion section instruction in the Varsity & NonVarsity Bands on both the Worthington and Tidwell Middle School campuses. Mr. Quinlan's previous experience includes serving as the Director of Percussion and Associate Director of Bands at Flower Mound High School in Lewisville ISD, where he taught beginning percussion classes and percussion ensembles at Forestwood, Shadowridge, and McKamy middle schools, and directed the Flower Mound H.S. Drumline as well as numerous high school percussion ensembles. Under his direction, Mr. Quinlan's bands and percussionists have consistently earned Superior ratings at UIL contests and All-State honors. Mr. Quinlan also has prior experience as Associate Director of Bands at Mansfield High School, Clear Lake High School, and as Director of Percussion at Saydel High School. Matt graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor's degree in Percussion Performance. He also earned a Master of Music degree from The University of North Texas. Mr. Quinlan serves as an active clinician and adjudicator throughout the Midwest and the state of Texas. Mr. Quinlan's professional affiliations include: Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), the National Association for Music Education, Percussive Arts Society, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Pi Kappa Psi (Academic honors music fraternity), College Music Society, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Innovative Percussion. Matt is author of "Motion Mechanics: Building Fundamental Motions for the Modern Percussionist," published by Ensemble Block publications.
Nick Werth
Nick Werth is a performing artist and composer residing in the Portland, OR area. Some of his projects include Ghost-Note, Yak Attack, and Galaxe. He holds an undergraduate degree in Percussion Performance from the University of North Texas. His works are published through Tapspace and One Constellation. Nick graduated from the University of North Texas in the spring of 2003. He has been fortunate enough to study with Paul Rennick, Sriji Poovalur-Vasan, Ed Smith, Christopher Deane, and Mark Ford. Currently, Nick is a percussion specialist, composer, arranger, author, and private teacher in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.Nick's accolades include two first place finishes with the UNT drum line (00, 02), three first place finishes in the PASIC Multi-Tenor Solo Competition (00,01,02), and third place in the 2002 DCI Multi-Tenor Solo Competition with Carolina Crown.
Dr. Jim Yakas
James Yakas is currently the Director of Percussion Studies at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, IL. He also holds a B.M. in Music Education from the University of North Texas, a M.M. in Percussion Performance and Pedagogy from Northern Illinois University as well as a Doctoral of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance degree from the University of North Texas.
Dr. Yakas’ diversity in percussion education and performance has
led him to many unique opportunities. He spent a total of twelve summers in the drum corps activity spanning from performing as a snare drummer with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps to eventually becoming their Percussion Coordinator and Arranger in 2003. Dr. Yakas has also studied and performed the music of many world cultures including performances with Northern Illinois University’s Steel Band at the World Steelband Festival in Trinidad/Tobago and the Seoul Drum Festival in Seoul, South Korea; Studying Afro-Cuban Drumming with Orlando Cotto and Studying abroad in Ghana with Ethnomusicologist Dr. Steven Friedson, specifically the Ewe Culture of the Volta region.
Dr. Yakas is an endorser of Yamaha Percussion, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Remo Drumheads and World Percussion Instruments and Sabian Cymbals.
