Howard Middle School Band

Nathaniel Neugent
Director of Bands

This is my second year as Director of Bands at T.A. Howard Middle School. Prior to this I was Director of Bands at Creekview High School for four years and Associate Director for four years. I helped to oversee the opening of a new school and start of a new band program. Before going to Creekview, I was the assistant director at Lakeview Middle School in The Colony for two years. I am a native Texan, having begun my musical training under my father, Tom Neugent in the Trinity High School Band in the HEB school district. I received my bachelor's degree, cum laude, in music education from the University of North Texas.

From the start of my career, my goal has been to create a comprehensive, well-rounded band program focusing on individual student growth and success as the key to creating quality performances in all group settings: concert, marching and jazz band as well as facilitating successful auxiliary groups. While at Creekview our concert and marching bands consistently earned superior ratings, with the band program having completed eight consecutive UIL sweepstakes. During the past four years as head director, our Wind Symphony was named Grand Champion of Musicfest Orlando, South Coast Music Festival, and Performing Arts Consultants. During its nine years of existence, the Mustang Marching Band advanced to the AAAAA State Marching Contest twice, in both 2002 and 2004. They have also been a Bands of America Regional and Super-Regional Finalist in Houston, Arlington and San Antonio, placing 4th at the Houston regional in 2003. The Creekview jazz bands have also been extremely successful, earning numerous ensemble and individual awards at area festivals. In Spring 2004, during my first year as director of bands, with my wife Nicole as the instructor, I oversaw the start of our winterguard program at Creekview. After beginning in NTCA Novice class, the Creekview Winterguard was been promoted five classes in three years. Along the way, they were the SAAA champion for NTCA in 2005 and added a second winterguard unit in the Novice class. I have has supervised the growth of the band program at Creekview beginning with 80 members in 1997, to its current size of 200 with over 800 students total in the Creekview cluster programs.

I remain active as a performing musician, clinician, adjudicator and drill writer throughout the DFW area. During the past five years I've has served on the staff at the TAMU-Commerce Leadership Camp, and have taught several leadership camps at schools around the state. This summer, I had the pleasure to serve as the lead instructor for the University of Texas at Arlington Marching Leadership Camp. My professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Pi Kappa Lambda and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my wife Nicole and 7 year-old son, Connor. I also enjoy playing competitive indoor soccer, cooking gourmet meals, fixing electronics, writing marching band drill, reading science fiction novels, and seeing how many songs I can fit in my iTunes (currently 13 days, 3 hrs, 7 min, 1 sec and climbing).

Meredith Keller
Associate Director

This is my second year as Associate Band Director at Howard Middle School. My first year, though very tiring, was wonderful and memorable. The 2007-2008 Howard Symphonic Band received all First Division ratings in both Concert and Sightreading for the first time in twelve years (assuming the trophies around the wall are accurate). We also received Best in Class at the 2008 Schlitterbahn Soundwaves Contest. I have no doubt that my second year will be even better and more enjoyable.

Before arriving in Mansfield, I received my Bachelor of Music (with honors) from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan with an additional major in Psychology. While there, I had the honor of serving as Spartan Marching Band President and Band Manager in 2006, Alto Sax Section Leader from 2004-2006, and Band Librarian from 2004-2005. I played flute and piccolo in the Symphony Band and clarinet, trombone, and percussion in the Campus Band (but not all at the same time!). I also assisted with a variety of Early Childhood Music classes (ages 0-5) through the MSU Community Music School in Okemos, Michigan. My experiences at MSU have made me want to nurture comprehensive musicianship (not only performing musicianship) and well-roundedness in all of my students.

I graduated from The Woodlands High School in The Woodlands, Texas in 2002. I served as band president, made the All-State Symphonic Band, and was the recipient of the John Philip Sousa Band Award ... but most importantly, two of my band directors (Brett Johnson from 1999-2002 and Scott Deppe from 1997-1999) made me see the value in becoming a band director. I learned more from them than any other teacher I had in school (save maybe my AP Calculus teacher!). And here I am.

In my spare time (ha!) I like to curl up on the couch and read with my cat, Moose (aka "The Moose Man"). I have also recently discovered a weakness for the Playstation 3, which I originally bought to be just a Bluray player. I maintain a very eclectic music collection on my iTunes, and it is my goal to add one new album every month -- suggestions welcome! I have discovered some of my (now) very favorite artists this way.