Spirit of Waxahachie Indain Band

Jonathan Hinton
Clift Middle School Director

Mr. Hinton is currently Second Trombone of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, and is also a member of the Longview and Irving Symphony Orchestras. Mr. Hinton received his M.M. in Trombone Performance from SMU, where he studied with Mr. John Kitzman, and B.M. in Composition from the University of Texas at Arlington. He also performs regularly with many local orchestras including the Dallas, Plano, East Texas, and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestras, and was the winner of the Eastern Trombone Workshop International Solo Competition in 1999. Mr. Hinton is the Bass Trombone of the Anthem Brass Ensemble (www.anthembrass.com), a brass quintet based in Arlington, Texas with his wife Brenda who is also a musician and band director in Grapevine. In addition to his active performance schedule, Mr. Hinton is the Director of Bands at Clift Middle School in Waxahachie, Texas. Prior to his appointment at Clift Mr. Hinton taught in Grand Prairie, Texas for 6 years with 5 Sweepstakes awarded bands and multiple other accolades including “Best in Class” and “Outstanding Band” awards. Mr. Hinton resides in Arlington, Texas with his wife Brenda and baby daughter Grace.

Kendra Ray
Finley 7th Grade Director

Miss Ray attended Waxahachie High School and was a member of the Spirit of Waxahachie Indian Band as a saxophone player. After graduating from Waxahachie in 2000, she went on to pursue a music degree. She attended Stephen F. Austin State University where she performed as a saxophonist in the Wind Ensemble & Jazz Bands. After graduating from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2004, Miss Ray was offered a teaching position at Turner Middle School. She taught TAKS Math Enrichment for the 2004-2005 school year. The following year she was appointed to her current position as Assistance Director at Waxahachie Junior High Finley 7th Grade Center.

Her professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Tau Beta Sigma.

Dan Francis
Howard 8th Grade Director

Dan Francis is a native of Oklahoma and grew up in Oklahoma City. He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma. Upon graduation Mr. Francis accepted a position with the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra and was a member of the orchestra for the next seven years. Mr. Francis taught applied trumpet at Oklahoma Baptist University and the University of Central Oklahoma while playing with the orchestra. Mr. Francis obtained his Master of Music degree in trumpet performance from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois while continuing his playing career in Oklahoma City. He was privileged to study trumpet with one of the premier trumpet teachers in the nation, Vincent Cichowicz of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He also studied bad performance techniques with John Paynter.

In 1991 Mr. Francis came to Texas and taught at Graham Middle School for the next seven years. His bands at Graham were consistent winners of the U.I.L. Sweepstakes award during his tenure. he Graham High School Band was runner-up in the 3A Honor Band competition and advanced to the finals of the State Marching Contest twice during his time in Graham. Mr. Francis was the high school band director in Gainesville, Texas from 1998-2000. During that time the high school band received the second U.I.L. Sweepstakes in the history of the school.

From 2000-2006 Mr. Francis has been the band director at Marsh Middle School in Castleberry ISD in Ft. Worth, Texas. His band progressed from IV/III at U.I.L. competition the year before he came to a U.I.L. Sweepstakes in three years. The band also won the ATSB Outstanding Performance Series Concert Selection category in 2003. The high school band at Castleberry has advanced to the State Marching Contest twice and finished fourth in the 3A Honor Band competition during his tenure.

Rich Armstrong
Director of Bands

Rich Armstrong is the Director of Bands for the Waxahachie Independent School District and in his 23rd year as a music educator. He taught in Duncanville and Arlington, Texas prior to coming to Waxahachie. He serves as the conductor of the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Orchestra, and the director of the Marching Band. His bands consistently earn Superior Ratings at U.I.L. Concert and Sight Reading Contest and the Jazz Orchestra has been named the 4A Champion at the UTA and TCU Jazz Festivals. In 2007 his Wind Ensemble was both Best in Class and Grand Champion at the Winter Park Music Festival and was an Honor Band Finalist. In 2008 his Wind Ensemble was Best in Class at the South Coast Music Festival in Corpus Christi. In 2009 his Wind Ensemble and Jazz Orchestra were named Best in Class and Grand Champions at the Winter Park Music Festival, and his Jazz Orchestra was named 4A Champion at both UTA and TCU Jazz Festivals. In 2009 his Wind Ensemble ranked 3rd in the State 4A Honor Band Contest and his Marching Band ranked 8th place at the Texas State 4A Marching Contest.

Rich graduated from MacAuthur High School in 1982, and then received a Bachelors degree in Music Education and a Masters degree in Educational Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington. He has been an active clinician and adjudicator throughout the United State, Canada, Holland, and the West Indies in the areas of conducting, jazz, marching band, and music education. Rich has served on the staffs of many prominent drum major and leadership camps and is responsible for the development and implementation of the 2004 UTA Leadership Summer Camp curriculum.

Rich marched with the World Champion Garfield Cadets from 1980-1986 and was the drum major for the 1984, 85, 86 seasons. Mr. Armstrong has served on the staffs of the Cadets, Blue Devils, Carolina Crown, and the Dutch Boys Drum and Bugles Corps in the areas of brass, marching, and administration. His professional affiliations include TMEA, TBA, IAJE, and USSBA. Rich enjoys spending time with his wife Denise and their three children Micaiah, Elijah and Lilyanna.

Reggie Cook
Assistant WHS Director & Percussion Specialist

Reggie Cook attended Texas Christian University from 1994 to 1998 earning a Bachelor of music Education. Mr. Cook participated in many ensembles including Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Marching Band, Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo. His major instruments were percussion and bass in which he was a student of Dr. Michael Kingan and Dr. NIck Petrella. Upon graduation, he taught in Castleberry ISD in which the marching band placed 3rd in the state marching contest and the middle school placed second in the outstanding performance series. He taught three years at Venus ISD at the middle school earning sweepstakes in 2007. Reggie has been with WISD program since the Fall of 2007 and his High School Symphonic Band earned sweepstakes at U.I.L. Concert and Sight Reading in 2008, 2009 & 2010. Reggie co-directed The High School Marching Band to an 8th place finish at the 2009 State 4A Marching Contest.