Full-Bio

Full Bio

Jeffrey Gorring is currently in his 12th year at The Woodlands College Park High School in The Woodlands, TX. This is Mr. Gorring’s third year as the Director of Bands after spending 9 years as the Associate Director of Bands with Charlotte Royall. Collaborative teaching is a big part of the success of College Park Band and Jeffrey teaches/team-teaches the marching band, concert bands, symphonic band, wind ensemble, musical, full orchestra, and music theory. While at College Park, all ensembles under the direction of Charlotte Royall and Jeffrey Gorring have received superior ratings and the coveted “Sweepstakes” trophy every year since the doors opened in 2005. He is happy to continue that legacy as the Director of Bands.

Prior to teaching in Texas, Jeffrey taught in Fruitport, Michigan for three years, teaching all aspects of music education, 5-12. While there, his bands received continuous state recognition at both the marching and concert levels. Before leaving Michigan, Jeffrey was presented with the “Excellence in Education” award and was a “Who’s Who Among American Educators” honoree.

Jeffrey has also been very active with Drum Corps International. He started his drum corps career marching with Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps from 2000-2002. His drum corps teaching experience includes teaching Southwind, Santa Clara Vanguard, and Blue Stars where he assumed the role of Assistant Brass Captain Head.

Jeffrey would like to thank the following people for their continued support in his development in Music Education:
Charlotte Royall, Rob Savala, Matthew Mcinturf, Nicholas Williams, College Park Administration, College Park Fine Arts Department, College Park Vertical Team Cluster, and our amazing private lesson staff!

Jeffrey would also love to thank his beautiful wife, Becky, and his adorable daughter Abigail, for all their love and support.

Jeffrey received his undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University and his Master’s degree at Sam Houston State University. He is also member of the Texas Music Educators Association and the Texas Bandmasters Association.

Ms. Theresa Martin joined the College Park Band staff in 2017 as the Associate Director of Bands. Collaborative teaching plays an important role in the success of the College Park Band, and Ms. Martin teaches/team-teaches the marching band, concert bands, symphonic band, wind ensemble, musical, full orchestra, and music theory.

Ms. Martin attended Guyer High School (Denton, Texas) prior to earning her undergraduate degree in Music Education from the prestigious College of Music at the University of North Texas. While at the University of North Texas, Martin studied with flute professors Dr. Mary Karen Clardy and Dr. Kristyn Son. Additionally, Ms. Martin held leadership positions in the UNT Wind Studies program and served as a member and committee chair for the professional music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon.

Ms. Martin is also active in the pageantry and marching arts, having lead the Boston Crusaders from the podium as drum major in 2014, and serving as the tour manager for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Prior to her appointment with the Boston Crusaders, she served on the marching band staff at Guyer High School in Denton, Texas, from 2013-2015. Before accepting her position at College Park, Martin completed her student teaching with the Argyle Middle and High School band programs and held the Interim Assistant Band Director position at Shadow Ridge Middle School, serving under master teachers Kathy Johnson and Chris Meredith respectively. Ms. Martin is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association and is an alumnus of Mu Phi Epsilon.

Ms. Martin would like to thank Kathy Johnson, Chris Meredith, and Nicholas Williams for their continued support in furthering her skills as a music educator. She would also like to thank the College Park Band Students, Jeffery Gorring, Rob Savala, the College Park Band Cluster, and the College Park Administration for being such a wonderful team.

Rob Savala is the Director of Percussion at The Woodlands College Park High School in The Woodlands, TX. Mr. Savala’s teaching responsibilities include the oversight of the College Park’s entire vertical cluster consisting of Knox Jr. High, Collins Intermediate, and Wilkerson Intermediate. He previously taught 3 years as the Director of Bands at Vogel Intermediate where both the Wind Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble were highly recognized. He attended high school in the Conroe Independent School District and graduated from The University of Houston with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. While there, he studied percussion under Dr. Blake Wilkins and conducting under Mr. David Bertman.

While attending The University of Houston, Mr. Savala was recognized twice as the Outstanding Soloist for the Percussion Studio, was the recipient of the first ever Victor Cruez Gonzales Award, and was selected to perform in front of such artists as Evelyn Glennie and Nebojsa Zivkovic. In 2004, the University of Houston’s Percussion Ensemble won their first PASIC title and recorded a Compact Disc by Albany Records entitled SURGE premiering works such as: At the Dawn of War by Kevin Erickson, Houston Strokes by Donald Grantham, Melos by Blake Wilkins, and Surge by Rob Smith.

Under his direction, the Vogel Intermediate Percussion ensemble performed two original compositions of Mr. Savala’s winning 1st place at the Oak Ridge Percussion Festival in 2011. In 2013, Mr. Savala premiered the College Park Percussion Studio at the same festival and won 1st Place in the varsity division performing David Maslanka’s Crown of Thorns. He is an active clinician, adjudicator, and composer throughout the Houston area. Mr. Savala was honored to commission a piece for the Bailey Middle School Percussion Ensemble in Spring I.S.D. for their 2013 Midwest performance in Chicago.

Mr. Savala is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the Percussive Arts Society, and an Alumni of Phi Mu Alpha fraternity.

Lucas Schmidt joined CP staff in 2019. Mr. Schmidt is from Plymouth, Michigan where he attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. He was previously the director of the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Guard from 2013-2019. In his five years with Plymouth-Canton, the color guard rose from Scholastic A to become a World Class color guard, medaling in Open Class finals along the way. He has also worked with Interplay World in 2017-2018 and Ancora Winterguard in 2013.

Mr. Schmidt’s performance career includes membership in world-renowned organizations, starting with the Plymouth-Canton Color Guard from 2009-2012. He was a marching member of the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps (2011), The Cavaliers (2013), Ancora Winterguard (2010-2011), Zydeco Winterguard (2012-2014), and Pride of Cincinnati (2015).

Mr. Schmidt joined CP in 2019, Lucas Schmidt is from Plymouth, Michigan where he attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. He was previously the director of the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Guard from 2013-2019. In his five years with Plymouth-Canton, the color guard rose from Scholastic A to become a World Class color guard, medaling in Open Class finals along the way. He has also worked with Interplay World in 2017-2018 and Ancora Winterguard in 2013.