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2018 TBA Prestigious Honors

Kenneth Capshaw John Carroll
Bandmaster of the Year Meritorious Achievement Award
Kenneth Capshaw is currently John Carroll is in his 23rd year as
the Assistant Director of Bands at the Associate Band Director at Permian High
University of Texas at El Paso. He has School and is in his 41st year as a proud
been involved in music education in the Texas band director. He is also the adjunct
El Paso community for over forty years, percussion teacher at Odessa College.
and was a band director in the El Paso Independent School Bands under his direction have been consistent Sweepstakes
District for twenty-five years. He began his teaching career Awards winners as well as First Division recipients at UIL
at Henderson Middle School in 1972, and taught band at contests and winners in class awards at spring festivals.
Morehead Middle School and El Paso High School. He left the During Mr. Carroll’s tenure at Permian, the marching drum
school district in 1981 for the business world, but resumed line and Percussion Ensemble have won numerous contests
his teaching career in 1996 to begin a sixteen-year tenure and awards. In 2011, the Percussion Ensemble participated
at Coronado High School. The concert, jazz, and marching in the Sandy Feldstein National Percussion Festival. John
bands at all of his schools have been consistent sweepstakes has served as both the Region Band Chair and the Region
winners. The Coronado High School Band received the TBA president of Region 6, Area A/B Honor Band Listening Center
Exemplary High School Band Award in July of 2012. Mr. Chair, several TMEA and Phi Beta Mu committees, served as
Capshaw holds the assistant principal trumpet position with the All-State Band Organizer and Percussion Organizer on
the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, and is a founding member numerous occasions, and is currently TMEA State Band Vice-
of the forty-two year old El Paso Brass. He has been a guest President. He also holds membership in TMAA and is on the
soloist, clinician, and adjudicator throughout the Southwest Educational Team of the Vic Firth Stick and Mallet Company.
for many years. John received the Marcia Zoffuto Hero Award and the 2017
Permian HS Outstanding Master Teacher of the Year Award.

Van Ragsdale, ASCAP Steve Wessels
Meritorious Achievement Award Meritorious Achievement Award
Texas Bandmaster Hall of Fame member Steve Michael Wessels is in his twenty-
Van B. Ragsdale has had a lifelong passion first year at Cedar Park High School and
for playing in, directing, and consulting fifteenth year as Director of Bands at
with bands. During his 33 years as an Cedar Park High School in the Leander
active band director, Van’s bands earned Independent School District. This is his
numerous awards, including two Texas State Honor Band: thirty-third year as a Texas Music Educator. During his tenure
John B. Hood Junior High School of Odessa and Robert E. at Cedar Park, the band has won UIL 4A/5A State Marching
Lee High School of Midland. He offers a popular workshop Contest in 2001, 2011, 2015 and 2017, UIL 5A Silver 2004,
for band directors, has served the TMEA in Region roles UIL 4A Silver 2013, BOA Grand Nationals Finalist 2010 and
and state-wide committees, and is on the faculty at Texas 2016, numerous Marching Festival Championships, Concert
A&M University-Commerce as an adjunct professor of music Music Festivals, UIL Sweepstakes all 20 years, and TMEA
education. Honors include the National Band Association’s Honor Band finalist 4A/5A 2002, 2007, 2012, 2018 and 2014
Citation of Excellence, the Distinguished Alumni Award from TMEA Honor Band.
Eastern New Mexico University, and five years as the elected Steve is an active adjudicator for festivals and competitions
International President of Phi Beta Mu. A former President of in marching and concert related events. His professional
Peak Music Festivals, he retains membership on its Board of affiliations include Phi Beta Mu, Texas Music Educators
Directors. Van was awarded membership in the prestigious Association, Texas Bandmasters Association and Texas Music
American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers Adjudicators Association Vice-President Marching.
(A.S.C.A.P.) and has published over a dozen band works
which have been performed throughout the world.

Bandmasters Review • September 2018 24 Texas Bandmasters Association