New Dublin High band director bringing energy to halftime show

Antonio Williams is no stranger to Dublin.

The new Dublin High School band director, who attended Southwest-Macon before graduating from Savannah State University in 2025, had friends from here and also made trips to the Emerald City to participate in some of the parades.

“I know the parade route like the back of my hand,” said Williams, who primarily plays the saxophone. “When I drove through downtown I knew I had been here before.” 

He taught one year at Porter Elementary in Macon before hearing about the job opening when Marcus Rayner left at the end of the previous school year.

“I was surprised when I noticed the job was open,” Williams said. “I was loving my job, but honestly, I wouldn’t feel true to myself if I didn’t go for what I really wanted to do and that was to be a high school band director. I knew the area and I always saw a the passion from the kids every time I came here.” 

The Fighting Irish band will have approximately 70 students this year. Williams wants the crowd to see energy from the band. 

“Our goal is to mainly support the school and the football team at the games,” he said. “We want to hype up the crowd and the team. What we do and they do coincide together.”

Williams got to know his students through a two-week band camp that went from July 13-24.

“We aren’t too big and not too small,” he said. “These two weeks are my introduction to who I am and how I operate. The quality is there. The kids want to learn and they want to be good. Band camp has been good, but hot. Overall, the kids have been learning the music.”

The band will be bringing back some old classics, Williams said. 

“We’re thinking about doing some Michael Jackson songs,” he said. “He has always been in style.” 

The Southwest Marching Band is known for its dancing halftime shows. At Dublin, Williams wants to open it up.

“I’m all about energy,” he said. “Energy comes through music, but it is also about movement. I want the kids to enjoy themselves. When you are performing, whether it is music or dancing, the crowd feels it. That’s the route I’m going. I want to keep the crowd entertained. I don’t just want them to enjoy the band, I want them to feel what’s going on.”

As for this year, there will be no drum major on the field. Williams is using this year as a new introduction.

“I feel like this is going to be a new Dublin Fighting Irish Band,” he said. “It would have been too much trying to add in a drum major with all that we have going on. Maybe next year.”