Band Staff

Ken Ringel

Director of Bands -

Ken Ringel is excited to serve as the Director of Bands at Newman Smith High School!
Prior to his appointment, Mr. Ringel has enjoyed a twenty-eight year career teaching band, and
most recently was the Director of Bands at McKinney High School for fourteen years. He has
also held positions in the Plano, Frisco, Gainesville, and Midlothian Independent School
districts. Bands under his direction have consistently received Superior ratings in UIL Marching,
Concert, and Sightreading Contests, and most notably advanced to the UIL State Marching
Contest as well as placing as a TMEA Honor Band Finalist. In 2019, Mr. Ringel’s band was
awarded the Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Honors from the Foundation for Music
Education.

Before beginning his band directing career in 1997, Mr. Ringel was a freelance horn player in
the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex performing with the Richardson Symphony, Waco Symphony,
Las Colinas/Garland Symphony, Arlington Symphony, Shreveport Symphony, Plano Symphony,
Dallas Ballet, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. During this time, he taught private horn
lessons in Plano, Allen, and even had two students here at Newman Smith! In addition to his
orchestral playing experience, Mr. Ringel marched two summers with the Bluecoats Drum and
Bugle Corps in 1989 and 1990. He has also been a marching band drill designer for over thirty
years and has written shows for college and high school bands all over the United States.
Mr. Ringel attended the University of Kentucky before transferring to Florida State University to
finish a Bachelor of Music Performance Degree on Horn. He moved to Texas to attend
Southern Methodist University and completed a Master of Music Performance Degree on Horn
in 1995. He earned his teaching credentials from Texas A & M University in Commerce. Mr.
Ringel is a member of the Texas Music Educators’ Association.

Ken lives in McKinney, with his wife of thirty years, Melissa, who teaches elementary
music. He has two grown children, Caroline, who works in Plano, and Eli, who attends The
University of North Texas. The Ringel family shares their home with twp dogs and two cats.
In his spare time, Mr. Ringel enjoys spending time with his family, binge watching shows, and
playing video games.

Nick Kornegay

Assistant Director of Bands 

 

Aaron Perez

Percussion Director

 

Caroline Ringel

Color Guard Director