Pearson Band
Michelle Black is the Director of Bands at Pearson Middle School. Her teaching responsibilities include directing Symphonic Band, assisting Concert Band, and teaching the beginning Flute, Double Reed, Clarinet, and Saxophone classes.
Mrs. Black is currently in her 12th year of teaching and 1st year at Pearson Middle School. The past two years, Mrs. Black was the Director of Bands at Vivian Field Middle School in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD. She is so excited to be returning to Frisco ISD where she where she taught for eight years as the Assistant Band Director at Wester Middle School and Centennial High School. Bands under her direction have consistently earned successful ratings at UIL and festival competitions. Mrs. Black studied Music Education at Baylor University with an emphasis in bassoon. Her professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, and the music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon.
While not at school, Mrs. Black enjoys exercising, reading, cooking, and spending time with her dog, Daisy. She and her husband, Paul (a teacher at Trent Middle School) live in McKinney.
Morgan Jenson is the Assistant Director of Bands at Pearson Middle School. His teaching responsibilities include directing Concert Band, assisting Symphonic Band, and teaching the beginning Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, and Tuba classes.
Prior to his appointment at Pearson, Mr. Jenson taught at Webb Middle School in Garland ISD and at Bozman Intermediate School in Conroe ISD. While at both schools, bands under Mr. Jenson’s direction had many competitive successes, including earning Sweepstakes at the UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Evaluation. Mr. Jenson also spent the 2016-2018 summers on tour with the Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps where he assisted teaching the visual program.
Mr. Jenson graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. While there, he studied tuba with Don Little and Jesse Orth and was a member of the Concert Band under Dr. Nicholas Williams, the North Texas Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, and the Green Brigade, of which he was the tuba section leader. It was also while in college that Mr. Jenson spent two summers performing with the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps. His professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, International Tuba Euphonium Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
When not teaching band, Mr. Jenson enjoys spending time with his wife, Crystal, his 1 year-old son, Oliver, and their three dogs. He is very excited to be working with the wonderful students at Pearson Middle School this year!
Scott Baldwin is the Percussion Coordinator at Reedy High School, Pearson Middle School, and Pioneer Heritage Middle School. He received a BM and MAT in Music Education from the University of Louisville, and a MM in Percussion Performance from the University of Florida. Mr. Baldwin marched with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps ('98), and Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps ('95-'97).
Prior to his appointment in Frisco ISD, Mr. Baldwin served as the Percussion Coordinator of the Hebron Cluster from 2002-2015. He coordinated all activities percussion related from grades 6-12 including the marching percussion through the concert percussion ensembles. The group has performed with various artists such as Gregg Bissonette, Steve Smith, Lalo Davila, Tommy Igoe, Will Kennedy and Dave Samuels.
In 2010, the Hebron Marching Band was awarded the John Philip Sousa Foundation's Sudler Shield Award recognizing “Marching Bands of World Class Excellence”. The Hebron Marching Band was also the silver medalist at both the 2012 and 2014 UIL State Marching Contest, won BOA Regional Championships in 2013 and 2014 along with multiple caption awards for Outstanding Music and General Effect. In 2010, the Hebron Wind Symphony was invited to perform at BOTH the prestigious Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago in 2010 and as the TMEA State Honor Band! In 2012, they received the Sudler Flag for "significant high standards of excellence in concert activities."
He is an active clinician, adjudicator and performer throughout the country. His professional affiliations include the Percussive Arts Society, Texas Music Educators Association and Phi Mu Alpha Professional Music Fraternity. Mr. Baldwin is an educational endorser for Pro Mark Sticks/Mallets, Evans Drumheads, Pearl Drums/Adams Percussion and Sabian Cymbals. He resides in The Colony with his wife Sarah and their two wonderful children, Rebecca and Elijah.
Emily Magee
Emily Magee is the Assistant Percussion Director with Reedy High School in Frisco, Texas, where she also works with Pearson Middle School and Pioneer Heritage Middle School. She specializes in keyboard and world percussion and loves to perform professionally on the side. Emily received her Bachelor’s Degree from Middle Tennessee State University in Instrumental Music Education, and her Master’s Degree from Texas Christian University in Percussion Performance. She has proudly studied under Lalo Davila, Dr. Brian Mueller, Julie Davila, Matt Jordan, Dr. Brian A West, and Joey Carter.
In the education world, Emily has taught many high school and middle school percussion programs throughout Tennessee, North Carolina, and Texas. She is proud to have co-instructed the Rock Springs Middle School Percussion Ensemble as they performed at the 2018 TMEA in Tennessee. She also co-owns and operates a marching percussion arrangement/composition company, EMDS Percussion.
Emily is proudly involved with the Percussive Arts Society and has been a member since 2015. She won the 2016 Chamber Percussion Competition and currently serves as the committee chair for the University Student Committee. Emily proudly endorses Innovative Percussion.
Emily marched four seasons of DCI and two seasons of WGI: Colts (2015), Blue Knights (2016/2017), and Colts (2019), Atlanta Quest (2016), and Music City Mystique (2017). She now works as a front ensemble technician for the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps. In her free time, Emily enjoys learning new percussion instruments and styles, going on scenic bike rides, and cooking.
Gavin Smith is the Director of Bands at Reedy High School. Mr. Smith grew up in south Texas in a suburb of Corpus Christi. After high school, he completed his undergraduate degree at Texas Tech University. During his time at Texas Tech he had the opportunity to perform as lead trumpet with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps.
Mr. Smith's first teaching position was in Holliday ISD as the Assistant Director of Bands, focusing on the beginning brass, percussion, 7th grade band, Symphonic Band (the second ensemble), and the marching band. He completed his Masters in Music Education and Conducting from Kansas State University, where he was a Graduate Teaching Assistant focusing on marching band, pep band, concert ensembles, and multiple courses.
After completing his Masters, he moved to Nashville, TN to work at Vanderbilt University for eight years. During his tenure he was charged with the marching band, pep band, multiple concert ensembles, and overseeing the music education degree program for undergraduate and master level students. Mr. Smith completed his second year at Illinois State University where he has been in charge of overseeing the entire band program. During this time, the band program traveled and performed across the Midwest and Ireland, where the marching band traveled and performed across the country during St. Patrick’s week.
He is married to his wife, Melanie, and they have a two-year-old daughter, Emerson, and a dog, Brinny.
Jeremy DeWinter is the Associate Director of Bands at Rick Reedy High School in Frisco, TX. At Reedy, Mr. DeWinter serves as a co-director of the Reedy Marching Band as well as the conductor of the Wind Symphony and the Symphonic Band.
Most Recently, prior to arriving at Reedy, Mr. DeWinter served as the Director of Bands at Campbell High School in the Cobb County School District outside of Atlanta, GA. While at Campbell, Mr. DeWinter led the program through a state of rapid growth. The Campbell Band Program was a cohesive program including 3 concert bands, marching band, jazz band, winter guard, and indoor percussion. The marching band competed annually across the Metro Atlanta area and in the Southeast United States consistently earning Superior ratings and class placement awards. The concert bands at Campbell also grew in size and quality, consistently earning Superior and Excellent Ratings in LGPE Evaluations.
Mr. DeWinter has also held previous positions as the Assistant Director of Bands at Permian High School in the Ector County ISD and as the Director of Bands at San Jacinto Jr. High School in the Midland ISD.
A native of Centerburg, Ohio, Mr. DeWinter received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Miami University of Ohio. While at Miami he studied Saxophone with Jeffery Powers, Jeremy Long, and Adam McCord. He has also had an intensive conducting study with Gary A. Speck. As both a saxophonist and vocalist, Mr. DeWinter has performed with the Miami University Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, and Men’s Glee Club. In 2008, he toured with the Miami Glee Club to China performing as part of the Beijing Olympic Festival. In 2019, Mr. DeWinter earned his Masters of Music Education at Florida State University.
Aside from working as a music educator, Mr. DeWinter has also spent time working with Music for All (formerly Bands of America). He has served that organization as a Private Consultant
with the Marketing and Communications Department. He continues to work each year as site staff with the BOA Regional Championships and MFA National Concert Band Festival.
Additionally, each summer he works as an instructor with the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy.
Mr. DeWinter’s professional affiliations include TMEA, TBA, NAfME and GMEA. Additionally, he is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Delta Tau Delta. Mr. DeWinter and his wife Carrie currently reside in Aubrey, TX with their fur babies Lady, Beta, and Adeline.