Bandmasters Review - September 2019

Texas Bandmasters Association Bandmasters Review • September 2019 26 Mark Melton Meritorious Achievement Award Mark Melton is the current Executive Secretary for UIL Region 4. He retired last year as Fine Arts Director from Pine Tree HS (Longview) after a 37-year music educator career. As band director at Pine Tree HS, he directed the Pine Tree “Pride” Marching Band, the Wind Ensemble and the jazz band. All were very successful with six UIL Sweepstakes Awards. He was the recipient of the Beacon Award in 2016 (nominated by student essays) and the 2017 UIL Sponsor Excellence Award. Mark spent most of his 23-year career at Union Grove ISD. There he built the struggling program to one of the premier small school band organizations in the state. He had 20 consecutive UIL Sweepstakes Awards, three State Marching Contest appearances, numerous NAMMB Best in Class awards, and several top five TMEA Honor Band finishes. In 2007, the Union Grove MS Band was named TMEA Class C Honor Band. Growing up as a trumpeter in the Kilgore HS band, Mark had the good fortune of having one of the first women directors in the state, Mary Read (now Mary Griffith). She greatly influenced many of today’s successful band directors. Mr. Melton attended Stephen F. Austin University and studied trumpet with Max Morley and band directing pedagogy from Mel Montgomery. His directing career began in in 1978. The next year he moved to Lufkin Junior High East where he spent five years as director. While at Lufkin, he spent many hours with Waymon Bullock learning to study scores, repair instruments, mark practice fields, repair a yard line cutter, clean and cook fish, and chart drill on napkins at the local coffee shop. He also cherishes the many hours at Tatum Music on Saturdays learning from Alto Tatum and Neil Grant and the many veteran directors who would show up to encourage young directors. Mark was an early member of ATSSB serving as the Area East Coordinator many years and helped with the ATSSB All-State Band contests. Gloria Ramirez Meritorious Achievement Award Gloria Ramirez is the Director of Bands at Langham Creek HS, Cypress Fairbanks ISD in Houston. She has enjoyed a distinguished career at both the middle and high school levels for 38 years. Concert ensembles led by Ms. Ramirez have received superior ratings at the UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contest and have been recognized at both the state and national level. In 2008 and 2018 the Langham Creek Symphonic Band was selected as a National Wind Band Winner for Class 6A band. Ms. Ramirez was CoDirector of the TMEA 5A Honor Band in 2006-07 and placed 6th in the 2016 (6A). Ensembles under direction have been honored to perform at the Music for All National Festival in Indianapolis, Carnegie Hall, and in Chicago’s Symphony Hall. During her tenure at Wells MS, the Symphonic Band was selected as the TMEA 3C 1st Runner Up Band in the 2000 and 2nd Runner Up in 2002. While at Kingwood MS, her band was selected as the TMEA C 3rd Runner Up in the 1988. The Langham Creek Lobo Marching Band advanced to the State Marching Contest in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2016. Ms. Ramirez is a Grammy-nominated Music Educator this year as well as the Teacher of the Year for Langham Creek HS. In April 2017, she was featured on the cover of the International Musician magazine. Among other honors, she was a 2016 nominee for Music Educator of the Year and in 2008 received the TMEA Leadership and Achievement Award. Gloria has had a lifelong passion for music, beginning with listening to Herb Albert’s albums and later in the Texas City HS band, under the direction of Phi Beta Mu Hall of Fame and Texas Bandmaster of the Year Educator, Bob Renfroe. She received her academic training in Music Education at the University of Houston. Ronnie Rios Meritorious Achievement Award Ronnie Rios, a multi Grammy-nominated Music Educator, grad- uated summa cum laude earning a Bachelor of Music Education and a Masters in Music Education from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. At 21, he began teaching in the Kingsville ISD where his middle school and high school Concert Bands received consistent UIL Sweepstakes awards and Best in Class awards at various State and National festivals. Mr. Rios was Director of Bands at Harlingen HS for 21 years. During this time, all six Concert Bands received consistent high honors. The Harlingen HS “Big Red” Cardinal Marching Band made 11 consecutive appearances at the Texas State Marching Band Championships, qualifying every opportunity since 1998. In 2011, the Harlingen HS Band was named the TBA Exemplary High School Band Program of the Year. The Harlingen HS Jazz Ensemble has received numerous awards including performances at the IAJE convention in New York City and The Midwest Clinic (three times). The Jazz Ensemble was the featured group to Duke Ellington’s music with guest Wynton Marsalis at Lincoln Center and was named the TMEA Honor Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Rios is currently the Director of Music Programs in the Harlingen CISD. He also created and serves as the Artistic Director for the Rio Grande Valley Jazz Orchestra. He has performed with this group at The Midwest Clinic in Chicago as well as sharing the stage with the World Famous Count Basie Orchestra. He is an active member of several music organizations including serving as President of IAJE-Texas. 2019 TBA Prestigious Honors