LAWLER MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND
The Sound of Legends
LEGEND DIRECTORS
CHRISTIAN HOLZER
Director
Mr. Holzer is honored to be the founding director of the Lawler Band. Mr. Holzer is a veteran educator of over 20 years, opening both Lebanon Trail HS and Stafford MS in addition to LMS. Mr. Holzer is a 3-time TMEA State Finalist: 2023 LMS Honor Symphony Orchestra, 2022 LMS CC 5th Place and 2015 STMS CCC Honor Band Runner-Up. His bands have been named Mark of Excellence "National Winners" numerous times as well as ATSSB "Outstanding Performance" recipients. The LTHS Band was awarded the national "Ictus" Award.
Mr. Holzer is most proud of the many former students who have chosen a career in education and/or music.
Mr. Holzer is graduate of UNT and holds a Master in Music Education Degree from SMU. He thoroughly enjoys working with students and watching them grow as both musicians and people.
Mr. Holzer is blessed with two amazing kiddos. His hobbies include watching and attending baseball games and trying out new restaurants!! Fun Fact: He is the conductor of the Frisco Community Band.
JAY MCKELLAR
Associate Director
Mr. McKellar is a founding director of the Lawler Band. He has taught band in the Frisco and Little Elm School Districts, and before that he taught private low brass lessons in the area for seven years. He received two bachelor's degrees from the University of North Texas- a BA in Music, and Bachelors of Music Education. As a tuba player, Mr. McKellar has played locally with many groups, and performs with the White's Chapel UMC Orchestra.
Mr. McKellar loves working with young band students to help them discover their love of music and help them grow as individual musicians and team members.
Mr. McKellar is married to the beautiful Lauren McKellar, who is also a band director, and they have two awesome boys- Jack and William. He is an avid baseball fan and record collector.
CHAD WALLACE
Percussion Director
Mr. Wallace serves as Director of Percussion Studies for the Centennial High School Cluster. He is starting his 7th year of coordinating percussion instruction and events at Centennial High School, Clark Middle School, and Wester Middle School. Prior to his appointment with the Centennial Band, Mr. Wallace worked in Lewisville ISD, Houston ISD, and Katy ISD. Mr. Wallace’s groups have been both state honor band finalists and state marching band contestants and have also performed at the prestigious National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, IN. Under his direction, the TC Drum Line became the official drum line of the NHL's Dallas Stars for 2006 and 2007, performing at playoff games, in television commercials, and various Stars promotional events. While in Houston, Mr. Wallace’s West Briar MS percussion ensembles won the U.S. National Grand Championship from Music Showcase Festivals with a perfect score of 100. They were featured on many local news stations and toured the Houston area performing in several select venues.
Mr. Wallace received his B.S. in Music Education from Austin Peay State University where he studied with David Steinquest. While at APSU he arranged and instructed for The Governor's Own marching band and played set for the Jazz Band I and the Jazz Combo I. He is an active clinician, adjudicator, and performer throughout Texas and his native Tennessee. He holds professional memberships in the Texas Music Educators Association, Percussive Arts Society, and Phi Mu Alpha. Mr. Wallace is an educational endorser of Evans Drum Heads and Innovative Percussion. Mr. Wallace also writes and arranges percussion arrangements for many high schools and colleges throughout the United States.
Mr. Wallace resides in Frisco with his wife Robin, son Logan, and two dogs.
JESSE RAMIREZ
Assistant Percussion Director
Mr. Ramirez assists in percussion studies at Lawler MS, Wester MS, and Centennial High School.
Prior to his appointment in Frisco ISD, Mr. Ramirez served as a percussion specialist for Azle ISD where he taught private lessons and classes throughout the district. Before that, he served as the Director of Percussion at Victoria West High School in Victoria, Texas.
Mr. Ramirez received his Bachelor’s of Music Education degree from the University of North Texas in 2018. During his time at UNT, he performed with the Green Brigade Marching Band, 8 o’clock steel band, Percussion Players Ensemble, Gamelan, Afro-Cuban Ensemble, and Brazilian Percussion Ensemble. Mr Ramirez also played on the UNT ‘A’ drumline that performed at Drumfest in Poland in October of 2014. He also played in the UNT Symphonic Band under Dennis Fisher, and served as principal timpanist for the Concert Orchestra. He studied percussion privately with Paul Rennick, Christopher Deane, and Mark Ford, as well as Ed Soph, Stockton Helbing, and Jose Aponté for drumset. Mr. Ramirez also sang in in the Men’s Chorus and the student-led UNT Barbershop chorus. He also marched in the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps in 2014 and 2015, and taught the bass drum line at the Jersey Surf drum and bugle corps in 2017 and 2018.
Mr Ramirez grew up in the Keller area, learning music from his father and teaching himself drumset. He played his first professional gig at age 16 and has performed with groups in all styles of music across the metroplex. He also played drumset for the Victoria Jazz Ensemble during his time there.