Music for All National Convention 2023 - LD Bell & Central Junior High
L.D. Bell High School WIND SYMPHONY
Suzanne Dell Director
Chris Harmon Associate Director
Ben Maughmer Associate Director
Molly Neal Associate Director
Central Junior High SYMPHONIC BAND & PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
Christine Cumberledge Director
Elayna Youngson Assistant Director
Manny Flores Assistant Director
HURST-EULESS-BEDFORD INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
MUSIC FOR ALL NATIONAL FESTIVAL
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA MARCH 31 - APRIL 2, 2023
L.D. Bell Wind Symphony
6:00pm, March 31st at Clowes Memorial Hall
Central Junior High Percussion
10:00am, April 1st at Warren Performing Arts Center
Central Junior High Symphonic Band
10:45 am, April 2nd at Schrott Center for the Arts
About Us
HEB ISD ADMINISTRATION
Joe Harrington, Ed.D - Superintendent
Conrad Streeter - Deputy Superintendent of Educational Operations
Brandon Johnson - Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Administration
Darla Clark - Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Administration
Dobie Williams - Deputy Superintendent of Business Operations
Cicely Tuttle - Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources
Deanne Hullender - Chief Public Relations & Marketing Officer
Mark Chandler - Director of Visual and Performing Arts
Selane Bollinger - Visual and Performing Arts Secretary
L.D. BELL HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION
Randy Belcher - Principal
Mike Lawton - Associate Principal
Matt Vick - Assistant Principal
Julie Watson - Assistant Principal
Stephon Weatherspoon - Assistant Principal
CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH ADMINISTRATION
Katina Rhodes - Principal
Cynthia Morgan - Assistant Principal
Benjamin Kirton - Assistant Principal
Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District is located just west of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport where it serves nearly 23,000 students who attend elementary (K-6,) junior high (grades 7-9,) and high school (grades 10-12.) It has been named a Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation for more than 12 years. In addition, the district has a 99.5% graduation rate, and has been called the “best kept secret” in DallasFort Worth.
L.D. BELL HIGH SCHOOL
About HURST-EULESS-BEDFORD ISD About
L.D. Bell High School was established in 1957 and is one of two high schools in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District. It is named after the founder of Bell Helicopter, Larry Don Bell. The school is made up of approximately 2100 students in grades 10, 11, and 12. L.D. Bell offers a robust academic curriculum of AP and Dual Credit courses and is also an International Baccalaureate World School. The Fine Arts offerings at L.D. Bell include Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theatre, and Visual Arts.
About
CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH
Central was named the #1 Most Diverse Public Middle School in Texas based on demographic data from the U.S. Department of Education. More than 40 languages are spoken at the school. Central is unique among HEB ISD junior highs in that students zoned for both L.D. Bell High School and Trinity High School attend the school. More than 60% of the school participates in band, orchestra, or choir. In addition to the robust fine arts programs, Central offers several world languages and Robotics and Engineering through its STEM program.
Central Junior High SYMPHONIC BAND Program
AMPARITO ROCA Jamie Texidor
STRUCK BY THE REE (A Hero’s Tale) William Owens ON A HYMNSONG OF PHILIP BLISS David R. Holsinger THROUGH THE STORM JaRod Hall
SWAY Michael Brown TO HORIZONS UNSEEN Randall Standridge
Central Junior High PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
A WORLD OF OUR CREATION Louis Raymond-Kolker YUMEMIRU Maxwell Gardner SECOND THOUGHTS Evan Chapman THE HIGHWAY Daniel Montoya Jr.
L.D. Bell High School WIND SYMPHONY
NITRO Frank Tichell HANDEL IN THE STRAND Percy Granger/ed. Golman HYMN TO A BLUE HOUR John Mackey
MOTH Viet Cuong IN STORM & SUNSHINE JC Heed/ed. Bourgeois
Central Junior High SYMPHONIC BAND
Brendon Gleim
FLUTE
Sedona Gall
Marissa Harris
Alysa Hodge
Christina Kankonde
Camryn Pome’e
Kamili Riley
Jessey Shehata
Adriana Soto
Meeka Taylor
OBOE
Alan Carlos
BASSOON
Safia Mian
Muna Tadesse
CLARINET
Alima Bangura
Madison Branum
Skylar Clark
Kyleigh Clements
Kimberly Escobedo
Merceddes Fahnbulleh
David Garcia
Karma Kamel
Vealani Moimoi
Hayden Rodriguez
Garrett Tuell
BASS CLARINET
Kennedy Drake
Haven Hefta
Temaleti Matafahi
SAXOPHONE
Micaiah Canady
Jason Kiss
Christiana Tshimanga
TENOR SAXOPHONE
Noah Luttrell
BARI SAXOPHONE
Gianna Bell
TRUMPET
Augusto Chadbourn
German Escobar
Elijah Hurst
Nikolas Ireland
Emilio Izquierdo
Caleb Poole
Kyle Poole
Jaggar Rutschman
Camen Woodberry
FRENCH HORN
Makayla Alonzo
Caidyn Cumberledge
Pragyan Dhakal
Jaxon Everly
Micah Hardy
Tyson Jordan
Serena Leffel
Faith Luna
TROMBONE
Awab Badawi
Eliseo Carlos
Trevor Cowden
Cecilia Espinoza
Dan Fabila
Cheyenne James-Ly
Amiyah Knight
Jordan Makasini
EUPHONIUM
Carmah Hayes
Shyann Keza
Paulette Ntoti
TUBA
Pragyan Dahal
David Kirkland
Hudson Merriott
Taysen Rutschman
PERCUSSION
David Anderson
Isaiah Arnaud
Penelope Bush
Sophia Kaminski
Sidney Kocen
John Neal
River Sypert
Program Notes
AMPARITO ROCA • Jamie Texidor
Amparito Roca by Jamie Texidor (1925) origin has been subject to debate. Sources claim that it was composed by Reginald Ridewood, a British military musician, and Texidor merely claimed the copyright on the piece after Ridewood failed to do so. Others claim that Texidor wrote the piece for one of his piano students, 12-year-old Amparito Roca. The march is one of the most characteristic and popular examples of the Spanish pasodoble, which are fast-paced, bullfighting-inspired marches closely associated with Spain. The intro and first strain are akin to a bullfighter’s music, while the lighter trio section is emblematic of a couple’s dance. The rich brass and tutti texture of the maestoso section bring the piece to a lively conclusion.
STRUCK BY THE REE (A Hero’s Tale) • William Owens
Struck by the Ree (A Hero’s Tale) by William Owens (2023) is inspired by the story of famous Yankton Sioux Chief Palaneapape whose name was Struck By The Ree. This chief is known for his tireless struggle to promote peace between white settlers and his fellow natives. During the Dakota War of 1862, he dispatched his own warriors to protect peaceful white settlers from resentful Dakota natives. Despite all of this, he and his tribe were ordered to leave their homeland of Minnesota and settle in South Dakota. Later, Struck By The Ree was recognized by Presidents Ulysses Grant and James Garfield for his efforts to foster peace. This musical work reflects the violent struggle to create peace through thunderous percussion and strong melodic statements which later resolve into a gentle and serene section before finishing boldly and dramatically.
ON A HYMNSONG OF PHILIP BLISS • David R. Holsinger
On A Hymnsong of Philip Bliss by David R. Holsinger (1989) is based on the famous hymn “It is Well with My Soul.” This hymn, composed by Phillip Paul Bliss, was written to accompany the lyrics by Horatio Spafford as Spafford traversed the Atlantic Ocean to meet his wife following the tragic deaths of his four daughters in a shipwreck. These lyrics, inspired by Spafford’s tremendous grief, focus not on life’s sorrows and trials, but rather on hope and redemption. This composition features gentle, restful melodies and harmonies that deeply move the listener to contemplate not just sorrow and grief, but also joy and hope.
THROUGH THE STORM • JaRod Hall
Through the Storm by JaRod Hall (2022) is the winner of the Barbara Buehlman prize in composition hosted by the Midwest Clinic. This piece is inspired by the Texas “deep freeze” in February of 2021 and encompasses the dually breathtaking and volatile nature of this winter storm and its aftermath. Tension rises and falls throughout this piece. Percussion instruments crash and clang, melodies whip from one section to another, and the listener is brought right up to the dangerous and enveloping center of the storm. This piece finishes with gentle whispers of melodies as the storm subsides.
SWAY (Quien Sera) • Michael Brown
Sway (Quien Será) arranged by Michael Brown (2010) was originally written by Mexican composers Luis Demitrio and Pablo Beltrán Ruiz. Norman Gimbel replaced the Spanish lyrics with new English lyrics but left its infectious Latin groove. The new lyrics tell the tale of a man admiring his partner’s dancing ability who enamored him with the way they “sway” to the music. This new song reached great success in the United States when recorded by the popular singer Dean Martin. Michael Bublé brought this standard back into the limelight with his hit 2003 recording.
TO HORIZONS UNSEEN • Randall Standridge
To Horizons Unseen by Randall Standridge (2020) is an epic journey filled with surprises, just like life. Despite well laid plans for the future, we must always continue to expect the unexpected. Keep your eye on the horizon and move forward- even through the trials and struggles of everyday life. The emotional and lyrical opening section of this piece features a flute soloist that is followed by a lively jig in 6/8 meter. Unexpectedly, the piece then shifts to energetic 4/4 with spirited technical passages in the woodwinds who are later joined by the trumpets. Finally, the piece returns to a 6/8 meter and builds in volume and tempo to a reprise of the second theme and the big finish.
Central Junior High PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
David Anderson
Isaiah Arnaud
Penelope Bush
Sophia Kaminski
Sidney Kocen
John Neal
River Sypert
Program Notes
A WORLD OF OUR CREATION • Louis Raymond-Kolker
A World of Our Creation is the dual world that we’re moving towards: we’ve made wonderful, creative instruments and sounds, but there may be a point at which we will only have what we’ve created, and nothing else.
As dire as that may sound, A World of Our Creation is a call for creative solutions. In presenting some of my favorite creative sounds (bowed vibes, steel pans, desk bells), I hope to encourage a sense of continued activism, constantly searching for creative solutions to those issues that we know about, and those that are to come.
YUMEMIRU • Maxwell Gardner
“Yumemiru”, Japanese for “to day dream”, is a piece written to reflect one’s wandering thoughts. Taking inspiration from Steve Reich, Benjamin Finley, Luis Rivera, and others, “Yumemiru” uses overlapping rhythms to create a sound as if one is drifting off but then finds moments of clarity in unison ensemble moments, as is the ebb and flow of one’s mind. The piece uses odd time signatures to create a moment of uncertainty but allows itself to anchor in the grooves hidden between the instruments, which also emulates the feeling of unsureness when one doesn’t quite remember being awake or asleep. The composer hopes the audience finds themselves in a trance-like state and enjoys the ease of drifting off the piece provides.
THE HIGHWAY • Daniel Montoya Jr.
The Highway is a powerful piece for six percussion players and string bass. The piece is built around a running D minor motive that is echoed around the keyboards and augmented throughout the piece. The composition takes the listener through a series of forward-moving twists and turns. Sometimes the music is smooth and reflective; sometimes it is tense and turbulent. The colors are well blended, and the transitions are seamless. The bass part offers grumbling ostinati and sections of pedal eighth notes that help sustain the momentum and intrigue. Truly epic!
SECOND THOUGHTS • Evan Chapman
Second Thoughts was a commission by Marriotts Ridge, for an original show which used to take place annually called Jukebox Time Machine. Jukebox was a combination of a Broadway musical and a rock concert, taking the audience on a time machine through the many eras of pop music. In the middle of every show, there was always a percussion feature inspired by groups such as the Blue Man Groups, Stomp, Blast, etc.
When asked to compose a piece for this portion of the musical, I knew it had to be loud, fun, and entertaining to both musicians and non-musicians. The piece emerges from a melody played on Boomwhackers, or tuned PVC pipes, that slowly evolves into a rocking quartet in which the performers pound thunderous rhythms on floor toms and saw horses. ‘Second thoughts’ takes influence from a style of heavily groove oriented music called Maracatu, from Brazil.
L.D. Bell High School WIND SYMPHONY
Sanad
FLUTE
Grace
BASS
OBOE
Camila
BASSOON
Natalie
CLARINET
Dawson Bauman-Herl
Kilisitina Fiefia
TENOR SAX
Veronica
TROMBONE Jacob
TUBA
Daniel
EUPHONIUM Kellen
Jacob
Alanise
Program Notes Program Notes
NITRO • Frank Tichell
Nitro, an energy-charged three-minute fanfare for band, was commissioned by the Northshore Concert Band, Mallory Thompson, music director, in celebration of their 50th anniversary season, and received its premiere performance by them on April 9th, 2006. Nitrogen is the most abundant component of the Earth’s atmosphere (78 percent by volume), and is present in the tissues of every living thing. It is the fifth most abundant element in the universe, created by the fusion deep within stars; it has recently been detected in interstellar space. The sheer prevalence of nitrogen in all of nature, and the infinite range of compounds it is part of — life-giving, energizing, healing, cleansing, explosive — served as the inspiration for this music.
HANDEL IN THE STRAND • Percy Granger/ed. Golman
Percy Grainger was an Australian-born pianist, composer, and arranger, active during the early 1900’s. Although performance and teaching of the piano were Grainger’s primary sources of income, he preferred writing musical arrangements of folk music from the British Isles. Originally entitled Clog Dance, the existing title was suggested by a Grainger friend who felt the music reflected Handel and the light whimsy of English musical comedy. The work, then, is meant to reflect “jovial old Handel ... careening down the Strand [the street that is the home of London musical comedy] to the strains of modern English popular music.”
HYMN TO A BLUE HOUR • John Mackey
Hhe blue hour is an oft-poeticized moment of the day -- a lingering twilight that halos the sky after sundown but before complete darkness sets in. It is a time of day known for its romantic, spiritual, and ethereal connotations, and this magical moment has frequently inspired artists to attempt to capture its remarkable essence. This is the same essence that inhabits the sonic world of John Mackey’s Hymn to a Blue Hour.
The title itself contains two strongly suggestive implications -- first, the notion of hymnody, which implies a transcendent and perhaps even sacred tone; and second, the color blue, which has an inexorable tie to American music. Certainly Hymn to a Blue Hour is not directly influenced by the blues, per se, but there is frequently throughout the piece a sense of nostalgic remorse and longing -- an overwhelming sadness that is the same as the typically morose jazz form. Blue also has a strong affiliation with nobility, authority, and calmness. All of these notions are woven into the fabric of the piece.
MOTH • Viet Cuong
The “moth to the flame” narrative is a familiar one. We have all seen moths in the glow of flames or stadium lights. Scientists call this phenomenon “phototaxis,” but I prefer to think of this attraction in much more romantic terms. The dusty moth, though destined to live in shadow, has an insatiable craving for the brightness of day. Drab, but elegant; nervous, but swift; his taste for the glow of the flame or the filament is dire. Perhaps he dances in the light because it holds the promise that he might be as beautiful as his favored kin, the butterfly. For only there, in its ecstatic warmth, may he spend the last of his fleeting life, and believe himself to be.
Moth seeks inspiration from the dualities between light and dark, beautiful and grotesque, reality and fantasy, and the ultimate decision to sacrifice sensibility for grace.
IN STORM & SUNSHINE • JC Heed/ed. Bourgeois
In Storm and Sunshine was one of John Clifford Heed’s first marches and remains his most well-known. Heed was an exceptional cornetist and bandmaster from New Jersey. Written in 6/8, the opening unison passage thunders into a chaotic first strain which features both extreme low and high registers. Presumably, the title refers to minor and major modes, hence the “storms” and the “sunshine.”
suzanne dell Director of Bands
suzanne dell has been Director of Bands at L.D. Bell High School since 2021, where her responsibilities include conducting the Wind Symphony, directing the marching band, and overseeing the band program at L.D. Bell. Previously, she was an Associate Director at Bell from 2014-2021 and at Bedford Junior High from 2009-2014.
During her tenure with the L.D. Bell Blue Raider Band, the band has been a UIL State Marching Contest participant, Bands of America DFW Regional Finalist, Atlanta Super Regional Class Champion, San Antonio & Atlanta Super Regional Finalist, and 2016 UIL 6A State Marching Contest finalist. Concert groups under the direction of Mrs. Dell have been awarded numerous Texas UIL Sweepstakes Awards and have received top honors at participating festivals and competitions. In 2023, the L.D. Bell Wind Symphony was invited as a Featured Performing Group to the Music for All National Concert Band Festival. Since 2016, Mrs. Dell has served on the brass staff for the 20-time world champion Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps from Concord, CA.
Originally from Illinois, Mrs. Dell received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas, where her primary teachers were Bill Scharnberg Nicholas Williams, Brad Genevro, Brian Bowman, and Dennis Fisher. She has a Master’s Degree from Messiah College, where she studied with Dr. Brad Genevro. Mrs. Dell lives in Bedford with her husband, Nick. They are the proud parents of two sons, Jacob (21), a percussionist, and Jonathan (14), a horn player, and two adorable dachshunds.
L.D. Bell Directors
chris harmon Associate Band Director
chris harmon joined the staff of L.D. Bell High School as Associate Director of Bands in the summer of 2016. Prior to moving to Texas, Mr. Harmon was the Director of Bands at Lake Central High School in St. John, Indiana from 19982016, and was the Director of Bands at Lowell High School in Lowell, Indiana from 1994-1997. Bands under his direction have consistently earned superior ratings at all contests and festivals. Mr. Harmon received a Bachelor of Music Education from Wichita State University, a Master of Science in Music Education from the University of Illinois, and a Master of Music in Wind Conducting from Northwestern University.
Mr. Harmon has been extensively involved in Drum Corps International as a performing member with the Sky Ryders (1980-1985), and the Madison Scouts (1986-1988). He was also a staff member for the Madison Scouts from 1989-2002, returning in 2016 as a visual consultant. Mr. Harmon’s professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, Indiana Music Educators Association, Indiana Bandmasters Association, International Association for Jazz Education, College Band Directors National Association, and the International Trumpet Guild. He also served several terms on the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) State Board, as well as the ISSMA Marching Band Committee. Mr. Harmon was recently inducted into the Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Mu (international school bandmaster fraternity). He lives in Arlington, Texas with his wife Anne, daughter Chloe, and dog Miles.
ben maughmer
ben maughmer is in his thirteenth year as associate director of bands at L.D. Bell high school. His duties include teaching percussion and wind band at the high school and teaching beginner classes on both Bedford, and Hurst junior high campuses.
Ben worked for seventeen years teaching in the Birdville Independent School District, the last 11 years of which were Associate Director of Bands at Haltom High School, located in the Dallas – Fort Worth area. Under his direction the Haltom High School Percussion Ensemble won the 2004 Percussive Arts Society International call for tapes contest and performed a showcase concert at the 2004 PASIC convention in Nashville Tennessee. In 2019 the L.D Bell chamber percussion ensemble won 1st place in the PAS chamber ensemble contest held at PASIC.
As a performer and instructor Ben has accumulated thirty-five years of drum corps experience, ten DCI world championships, and four Fred Sanford high percussion titles. Ben is in his sixteenth year teaching the Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps, where he coordinates the music ensemble for the corps and assists with the instruction of the percussion section. He earned his Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of North Texas where he performed with the world champion UNT drumline for three years and served on the instructional staff for three years.
Ben is endorsed by System Blue, ProMark drumsticks, Evans drumheads, and Zildjian Cymbals. His professional affiliations include, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Band Masters, and the Percussive Arts Society. He is an active clinician, judge and arranger in the United States, Japan and China for marching band and Drum Corps. He has served as a judge in the indoor percussion circuits NTCA, TCGC, MEPA, IPA, RMPA, MIA, NWAPA, and WGPO.
Ben lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with his wife Maya and their four children, Bianca (22), Benjamin (19), Phoebe (17), and Theodore (15).
molly neal is a graduate from Texas Christian University where she received her Bachelor of Music Education and studied horn with Heather Test. At TCU, Ms. Neal was a member of the Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, and the TCU Horn Ensemble, performing at venues such as TMEA and ABA. During her last two years at TCU, Ms. Neal served as the Drum Major for the TCU Horned Frog Marching Band.
Prior to LD Bell, Ms. Neal taught at J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson, TX from 2019-2021. Her responsibilities included teaching beginner brass classes, working with the marching band, and leading the High School Symphonic Band. During her time at Pearce, the bands received Sweepstakes at UIL and was a Bands of America (BOA) Regional Finalist.
Outside of TCU, Ms. Neal spent three summers performing in Drum Corps International. In 2016 she marched with Carolina Crown, winning both the Jim Ott, Best Brass Performance, and the John Brazale, Best Visual Performance, awards. In both 2017 and 2018, Ms. Neal was a featured soloist for The Blue Devils and won the DCI World Championships in 2017. She is currently on the brass staff for the Blue Devils. Ms. Neal’s professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association and Kappa Kappa Psi.
Director of Percussion
molly neal Associate Band Director
Central Directors
christine cumberledge Director of Bands
Christine Cumberledge is in her twentieth year as Director of Bands at Central Junior High and twenty-fifth year of teaching. Her bands performed at TMEA twice, as the 2020 Texas Music Educator Invited Performing Band and the 2006 Texas Music Educators Association BBB Honor Band. In 2019, the Central Band performed at The Midwest Band and Orchestra Convention as an Invited Ensemble. This year, the Central Band is an invited ensemble to 2023 Music For All National Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana. Under her direction, Central Junior High has also been named The Foundation for Music Education Mark of Excellence National Winner and awarded the John Philip Sousa Sudler Silver Cup, which recognizes outstanding middle school band programs in the nation.
Mrs. Cumberledge was named a national semi-finalist for the Music Educator Grammy in 2022 and 2023. In 2017 she was named Music & Arts National Educator of the Year. She has been named Teacher of the Year for her school and district. Mrs. Cumberledge serves as the fine arts chair at Central and is a 2017-2018 Continuous Improvement Demonstration Classroom Teacher for Hurst-EulessBedford ISD.
Prior to teaching at Central Junior High, she was the assistant director of bands at Bedford Junior High with Mr. Steve Madsen where they were named the TMEA 2000 Honor Band. She was a part of the L.D Bell High School Band cluster with Joseph Grzybowski at their 1999 Midwest Clinic performance.
Mrs. Cumberledge received her Bachelor of Music Education Degree from the University of North Texas, graduating cum laude. While at the University of North Texas, she studied clarinet with Dr. John Scott. She recently completed her Master’s Degree at Lamar University in Educational Administration. Mrs. Cumberledge is a member of Phi Beta Mu, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and Sigma Alpha Iota. She is an active clinician and adjudicator around the state. She resides in the DFW area with her husband and daughter, who plays french horn in the Central Band.
elayna youngson Assistant Band Director
elayna youngson is completing her third year of teaching as the Assistant Band Director at Central Junior High School. Her responsibilities include instruction of the Non-Varsity band and beginner brass classes. The Non-Varsity ensemble has received consistent first division ratings at the North Texas Festival of Distinction and UIL performances.
Ms. Youngson received her Bachelor of Instrumental Music Education Degree at Florida State University on her primary instrument French horn. While at Florida State, she performed in top ensembles under the direction of Patrick Dunnigan and Richard Clary. She is a member of the National Honorary Band Fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi, Texas Music Education Association, and Texas Bandmasters Association.
Ms. Youngson was a member of the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps in 2017 and 2018. In 2017, the corps received the Jim Ott High Brass Award. She has been a Brass Instructor with the Legends Drum and Bugle Corps in 2019, Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps 20202021, and currently a Brass Instructor with the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps since 2022.
manny flores Director of Percussion
manny flores serves in his third year as Assistant Band Director and Director of Percussion at Trinity High School in Euless, TX. Mr. Flores is responsible for the Trinity High School percussion cluster, which includes Central, Harwood and Euless Junior Highs. He previously served as percussion director at Southwest High School in Fort Worth, TX from 2014-2020. During this time, his students performed at the UIL Texas State Marching Contest, The Midwest Clinic, TMEA All-State Band, The Texas Bandmasters Convention and featured as 2nd Place winner for the Black Swamp Percussion Ensemble Showcase Large Division in 2017.
During his short tenure at Trinity HS, Mr. Flores has had recent success with the percussion programs in the Trinity HS Cluster. As a first-time participant at the 2022 North Texas Percussion Festival, the Central JH Symphonic Percussion Ensemble finished in 3rd Place. The Central Percussion Studio has also received several chairs for both the Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD Honor Band and the TMEA Region 31 9th grade All-Region Band. Mr. Flores had the privilege to assist the Harwood Junior High Percussion Ensemble as an invited percussion ensemble for the 2021 Midwest Clinic. Recently, Trinity High School was awarded a showcase concert at the 2022 Percussive Arts Society International Convention as a winner of the International Percussion Ensemble Competition.
Manny Flores is originally from Cedar Hill, TX, where he had the privilege of being under the direction of Rusty Wells. Mr. Flores holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Texas at Arlington. He studied under Dr. Michael Varner, Dr. James Yakas and Dr. Clifton Evans.
As a performer, Mr. Flores was a member of the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps, Surround Sound Percussion, Dallas Cowboys Drumline, Dallas Mavericks Drumline, FC Dallas Drumline and Dynamic Rhythm Entertainment. Manny Flores is an active member of the Percussive Arts Society, Texas Music Educators Association and Texas Bandmasters Association. He also serves as a member of the Vic Firth Education Team.
Private Lesson Staff
L.D. Bell High School
Flute - Kaitlin Jones
Oboe - Susanna HIlliard
Clarinet - Nick Quatrocchi
Saxophone - Jason Ellison
Trumpet - Christopher Stubblefield
Horn - Jean Bryant
Trombone - Darrell Fife
Tuba/Euphonium - Jonathan Watkins
Percussion - Jaime Esposito
Central Junior High
Flute - Susan Coad
Oboe - William Sprinkle
Bassoon - Dorian Holley
Clarinet - Nick Quattrocchi
Saxophone - Nicholas Galanos
Horn - Jean Bryant
Trumpet - Christopher Stubblefield
Trombone - Darrell Fife
Tuba/Euphonium - Jonathan Watkins
Percussion - Jaime Esposito
Percussion - JR Alberto
student teachers
Aleck Olmedo - TCU
Anna Rutherford - TCU
Special Thanks
The drectors, staff and students of the L.D. Bell High School and Central Junior High Bands would like to thank our administrators, teachers and especially our parents, famlies and friends.
We are grateful for your time, your influence in our music programs, and most of all your dedication to help us make these concerts possible.
