Mrs. Cyndi Tucker, Director of Bands
Mrs. Tucker has taught middle school band for 20 years in the state of Texas. Mrs. Tucker has been at Cobb for 7 years, since it opened in 2010. She taught previously in Plano ISD at Wilson and Schimelpfenig Middle Schools. Mrs. Tucker is a member of the Texas Music Educator's Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and American School Band Directors Association. Bands under her direction have received numerous first division ratings and best in class awards at UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest and other invitational contests. Cyndi Tucker received her Bachelors in Fine Arts degree from New Mexico State University and her Masters of Music Education from Texas A&M Commerce. Mrs. Tucker lives in Allen with her husband Jason and their two daughters. Her older daughter Madison is a senior clarinetist in the Plano West Senior High School Band, and her younger daughter Meredith is an 8th grade trumpet player in the Rice Middle School Band. Mrs. Tucker is (almost) a Texas native who grew up in Plano, graduating from Plano East Senior High in 1993. Ms. Denise Soto, Assistant Director of Bands Ms. Denise Soto is the Associate Band Director at Cobb Middle School. She was the Head Band Director for seven years at Ysleta ISD and San Elizario ISD in El Paso, Texas. While teaching at Eastwood Middle School and Garcia-Enriquez Middle School, she received numerous Band UIL Sweepstakes Awards. Ms. Soto graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2010. While at UTEP, she studied oboe under the direction of Dr. Donald Wilkinson. She performed with The UTEP Orchestra and UTEP Wind Symphony, which recorded for prestigious composers such as Julie Giroux, Frank Ticheli and Roger Cichy.Ms. Soto frequently substituted for The El Paso Wind Symphony and The El Paso Symphony Orchestra. She was also a member of the El Paso Woodwind Quintet which served and entertained the community of El Paso with live music. The ensemble performed for a variety of audiences including the elderly at various nursing homes and for travelers coming home for the holidays at the El Paso International Airport.Her professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educator's Association and the Texas Bandmaster's Association. Some of Ms. Soto' s interests include reading and going to the movies and she now resides in Frisco, TX. |
Mrs. Carolyn Cansler, Director of Bands
Originally from the Chicago area, Mrs. Cansler attended Millikin University in Decatur, IL and then taught high school band for two years before moving to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Her bands at Lakeview Middle School (Lewisville ISD), Crownover Middle School (Denton ISD), and here at Griffin have earned consistent sweepstakes awards at UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contest, and Division I ratings from judges at other festivals. Mrs. Cansler also served for many years on the staff of the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy, teaching conducting, marching, leadership and teaching fundamentals to high school drum majors from across the country. Mrs. Cansler lives in Little Elm with her husband Chris, who is the Director of Bands at Independence High School in Frisco. They have two children, Haley and Eric. Mr. JaRod Hall, Assistant Director of Bands In December of 2014, Mr. Hall graduated from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. Upon graduation, he immediately served as interim assistant band director at Berkner HS in Richardson, Texas. There he was in charge of the Concert Band I, assisted with both jazz ensembles, and instructed two beginner brass classes at Forestridge and Richland elementary schools. Under his direction and with the help of a very supportive staff, Berkner’s CB 1 earned sweepstakes in the 2015 UIL Concert and Sightreading contest. Mr. Hall is eternally grateful to the Berkner staff for helping launch his career as a music educator! A passionate performer, Mr. Hall has been a part of many ensembles such as the North Texas Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band, 3 O’ Clock Lab Band, Carrollton Wind Symphony, Metropolitan Winds, and during his time in high school the Texas All-State Symphonic Band (2007 – 09) and Jazz Band (2010). In 2013 he served as Drum Major for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in San Antonio, Texas for their show Protest. In the summer of 2014, Mr. Hall was fortunate to be chosen for the Disneyland All-American College Band, a marching/jazz based 21-member ensemble selected from the finest collegiate musicians in the country. It was through this program that he truly learned the profound effect music can have on our lives. Mr. Hall currently resides in Carrollton, Texas. He is ecstatic to join such a supportive and team-oriented program as Griffin! Go Gators! |
