Richland High School Band
Meet Our Directors
Honors Band
Marching Band
Band Fees
RABB
Private Lesson Coordinator
Mr. Mike Pickrell - Director of Bands
Mike Pickrell joined the Richland High School Band in 2013 and has served as the Director of Bands since 2018. All Concert Bands under his direction earned UIL Superior ratings every year and the Varsity Band was recognized as a 2023 TMEA 5A State Honor Band Finalist. During his tenure the Richland High School Marching Band is a UIL State Finalist, Bands of America Regional and Super Regional Finalist on multiple occasions, and a Bands of America Regional Champion.
Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Pickrell served as the Director of Bands for Williamstown High and Junior High School in Williamstown, KY. During his time both the High School and Junior High School concert bands earned recognition as Exemplary Performing Groups in the KMEA Concert and Sight-Reading Festival, and the marching band was a state finalist every year and a BOA Class A Champion and Regional Finalist. Mr. Pickrell began his career as an assistant band director at Keller High School in 2007. Mr. Pickrell was a performing member of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004-2005 and a Brass Instructor from 2006-2009.
His professional affiliations include Phi Beta Mu, TBA, TMAA, and TMEA. He graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelors in Music Education, Mike currently resides in Keller, TX with his beautiful wife Sharon, loving daughter Auden, and rambunctious son Paul.
Jennifer Vowles - Assistant Band Director
Ms. Vowles began her time at Richland in 2026 with 26 years teaching experience in 3 states. A native of Illinois, she has spent the majority of her career teaching in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD and Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, along with time in Lago Vista ISD, Salem, Oregon, and Carbondale, Illinois. Texas bands under her direction have earned UIL Superior ratings as well as Sweepstakes awards. Bands in Oregon and Illinois earned equivilant accolades and were recognized as programs of the highest quality.
A graduate of Northern Illinois University, her professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association and Texas Bandmasters Association. Her hobbies include playing/watching volleyball, cooking, and reading.
Symphonic Band
Marching Band
Jazz Band
Instrument Inventory and Rental
Locker Assignment/Checkout
Concert Band
Marching Band
AP Music Theory
Woodwind Coordinator Presto/Forms
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Percussion
Front Ensemble
Private Lesson Coordinator (Percussion)
Ms. Samantha Barringer - Assistant Band Director
Originally from Wixom, Michigan, Ms. Barringer is a recent graduate of Michigan State University, where she earned her degree in Music Education. At MSU, she was an active member of the Flute Studio and performed with the Symphony Band, Wind Symphony, and Spartan Marching Band. She served as drum major for four years, becoming the first female in Spartan Marching Band history to hold the position for that length of time. In the summer of 2022, she traveled to Austria and performed at the Mid-Europe Schladming and SCL Festival with the Spartan Marching Band.
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Ms. Barringer began her teaching career at Mesquite High School in Mesquite ISD, where she directed the Concert Band and assisted with the marching band. Always seeking to improve as an educator, she has attended conducting symposiums at Michigan State University and Baylor University, working with leading wind conductors including Dr. Kevin Sedatole, Professor Jerry Junkin, Dr. Eric Wilson, and Dr. Mallory Thompson.
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In her free time, Ms. Barringer enjoys working out, exploring the Dallas area, and spending time on the Katy Trail - her favorite spot in the city.
Mr. Nathan Hawk - Percussion Director
Nathan Hawk is an educator, arranger, and percussionist who resides in Dallas, Texas. He currently serves as the Percussion Director for Richland High School from North Richland Hills Texas. His duties include: creating a cluster wide percussion curriculum 6-12, overseeing marching percussion, and conducting the percussion ensemble.
Prior to his appointment at Richland, Mr. Hawk was the Percussion Director at Irving High School, a private lesson teacher at Duncanville and Arlington Martin HS, and music arranger at various high schools in Texas and Pennsylvania.
Mr. Hawk has been involved in the indoor drumline and drum corps activity as an instructor, Coordinator, arranger, and performer. He was a member of the Hawthorne Caballeros (2004, 2007), The Glassmen (2008-2010), and Matrix IPE (2009-2011). As an educator Mr. Hawk taught with the Glassmen (2011 snare tech), Caballeros (2012-2013 Battery Coordinator - Front Ensemble coordinator) and arranged for the Penn State University ID (2013-2014).
Mr. Hawk received a Bachelors in Music Education from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania where he studied under Dr. Gifford Howarth.
Mr. Ari Lozano - Assistant Percussion Director
Ari Lozano is in his third year with the Richland Royal Band, acting as the primary percussion lesson teacher for the cluster, as well as the front ensemble coordinator for the high school. Mr. Lozano also assists in teaching and programing the middle school percussion classes with Mr. Hawk.
Hailing from Houston, Texas, Mr. Lozano has been teaching percussion for two decades, most recently working with programs in the DFW area such as Prosper HS, Lovejoy HS, and Denton HS, where he started Roots Percussion Independent.
When he is not teaching or hanging out with his cat - Paul Thomas Anderson, Mr. Lozano writes and arranges percussion music for marching band, bowls in a local league, enjoys cooking, and is considered to be somewhat of a film connoisseur.
Percussion
Front Ensemble
Private Lessons Instructor
Email coming soon
Ms. Julianna Vazquez Brewster - Color Guard Director
Julianna Vazquez Brewster returns to the Richland Royal Band for her third year, now serving as the director of the RHS Color Guard program. After two years as an assistant director, she steps into this role, committed to continuing the growth and excellence of the program.
Born in Puerto Rico and currently residing in Fort Worth, Texas, Ms. Vazquez has six years of experience in the activity. She has performed with Mirage Performance Ensemble for two seasons, competing with Ménage in the Open Class during the 2024 season and earning a bronze medal at the WGI World Championships, followed by a season in the World Class in 2025.
Outside of teaching, Ms. Vazquez is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington.