MEET OUR DIRECTORS
Jeffrey Gorring
Director of Bands
Mr. Gorring joined CP Staff in 2007 and has been the lead Director since 2017.
Jeffrey received his undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University and his Master’s degree at Sam Houston State University.
Jeffrey Gorring is currently in his 12th year at The Woodlands College Park High School in The Woodlands, TX. This is Mr. Gorring’s third year as the Director of Bands after spending 9 years as the Associate Director of Bands with Charlotte Royall. Collaborative teaching is a big part of the success of College Park Band and Jeffrey teaches/team-teaches the marching band, concert bands, symphonic band, wind ensemble, musical, full orchestra, and music theory. While at College Park, all ensembles under the direction of Charlotte Royall and Jeffrey Gorring have received superior ratings and the coveted “Sweepstakes” trophy every year since the doors opened in 2005. He is happy to continue that legacy as the Director of Bands.
Prior to teaching in Texas, Jeffrey taught in Fruitport, Michigan for three years, teaching all aspects of music education, 5-12. While there, his bands received continuous state recognition at both the marching and concert levels. Before leaving Michigan, Jeffrey was presented with the “Excellence in Education” award and was a “Who’s Who Among American Educators” honoree.
Jeffrey has also been very active with Drum Corps International. He started his drum corps career marching with Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps from 2000-2002. His drum corps teaching experience includes teaching Southwind, Santa Clara Vanguard, and Blue Stars where he assumed the role of Assistant Brass Captain Head.
Jeffrey would like to thank the following people for their continued support in his development in Music Education:
Charlotte Royall, Rob Savala, Matthew Mcinturf, Nicholas Williams, College Park Administration, College Park Fine Arts Department, College Park Vertical Team Cluster, and our amazing private lesson staff!
Jeffrey would also love to thank his beautiful wife, Becky, and his adorable daughter Abigail, for all their love and support.
Jeffrey received his undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University and his Master’s degree at Sam Houston State University. He is also member of the Texas Music Educators Association and the Texas Bandmasters Association.
Akira Nakamura
Associate Director
Mr. Nakamura is excited to join the College Park Band in 2021 as the Assistant Director.
His role will include teaching the marching band, primary director of Concert 2 and Symphonic Band as well as teaching level music theory.
Akira Nakamura is excited to join the College Park Band staff in the summer of 2021 as the Assistant Band Director. His role will include teaching the marching band, primary director of Concert 2 and Symphonic Band, as well as teach level music theory.
Although Mr. Nakamura was born in Tokyo, Japan, his family ethnicity is Chinese, and he was raised in Cypress, TX from just a year old. He is a former member of the Cy-Fair High School band and went on to study Music Education with Dr. Matthew McInturf at Sam Houston State University. He was awarded the Smith-Hutson Scholarship Award that generously provided for all the tuition to attend Sam Houston State University. During his time at Sam Houston, Mr. Nakamura studied trumpet with Professor Randy Adams and was a former Principal Trumpet in the SHSU Wind Ensemble. He also has experience in the SHSU Jazz Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra and Marching Band. During his student teaching he received the TMEA Collegiate Music Educator award for demonstrating strong potential in the teaching profession.
Mr. Namakura has extensive experience in performing and teaching the marching arts. He was a trumpet player for the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps in 2017 and 2018 and has served as a member of the technician staff for Willis High School Band and Cy-Fair High School Band. Mr. Nakamura has also gained valuable Concert Band experiences by student teaching with Shawn McAnear at Bridgeland High School and Mary Sanatarelli at Labay Middle School. He is also a member of teh Texas Music Educators Association.
In his free time, Mr. Nakamura enjoys bible studies, good Tex-Mex, cooking good Chinese food, and seeing the mountains.
Mr. Nakamura would like to thank his wonderful music teachers from his time at Arnold Middle School and Cy-Fair High School. He is also indebted to Randy and Barbara Adams, Matthew McInturf, Brian Gibbs, and Sandy Hinkley from Sam Houston State. Mr. Nakamura is grateful to Jeffery Gorring and Rob Savala for placing their fait and would finally like to thank his dear mother and wonderful soon to be wife, Megan
Rob Savala
Director of Percussion
Mr. Savala’s graduated from Sam Houston and joined the CP staff in 2014. His teaching responsibilities include the oversight of the College Park’s entire vertical cluster consisting of Knox Jr. High, Collins Intermediate, and Wilkerson Intermediate.
Rob Savala is the Director of Percussion at The Woodlands College Park High School in The Woodlands, TX. Mr. Savala’s teaching responsibilities include the oversight of the College Park’s entire vertical cluster consisting of Knox Jr. High, Collins Intermediate, and Wilkerson Intermediate. He previously taught 3 years as the Director of Bands at Vogel Intermediate where both the Wind Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble were highly recognized. He attended high school in the Conroe Independent School District and graduated from The University of Houston with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. While there, he studied percussion under Dr. Blake Wilkins and conducting under Mr. David Bertman.
While attending The University of Houston, Mr. Savala was recognized twice as the Outstanding Soloist for the Percussion Studio, was the recipient of the first ever Victor Cruez Gonzales Award, and was selected to perform in front of such artists as Evelyn Glennie and Nebojsa Zivkovic. In 2004, the University of Houston’s Percussion Ensemble won their first PASIC title and recorded a Compact Disc by Albany Records entitled SURGE premiering works such as: At the Dawn of War by Kevin Erickson, Houston Strokes by Donald Grantham, Melos by Blake Wilkins, and Surge by Rob Smith.
Under his direction, the Vogel Intermediate Percussion ensemble performed two original compositions of Mr. Savala’s winning 1st place at the Oak Ridge Percussion Festival in 2011. In 2013, Mr. Savala premiered the College Park Percussion Studio at the same festival and won 1st Place in the varsity division performing David Maslanka’s Crown of Thorns. He is an active clinician, adjudicator, and composer throughout the Houston area. Mr. Savala was honored to commission a piece for the Bailey Middle School Percussion Ensemble in Spring I.S.D. for their 2013 Midwest performance in Chicago.
Mr. Savala is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the Percussive Arts Society, and an Alumni of Phi Mu Alpha fraternity.
Lucas Schmidt
Director of Color Guard
Lucas Schmidt joined CP staff in 2019. Mr. Schmidt is from Plymouth, Michigan where he attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. He was previously the director of the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Guard from 2013-2019.
Lucas Schmidt joined CP staff in 2019. Mr. Schmidt is from Plymouth, Michigan where he attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. He was previously the director of the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Guard from 2013-2019. In his five years with Plymouth-Canton, the color guard rose from Scholastic A to become a World Class color guard, medaling in Open Class finals along the way. He has also worked with Interplay World in 2017-2018 and Ancora Winterguard in 2013.
Mr. Schmidt’s performance career includes membership in world-renowned organizations, starting with the Plymouth-Canton Color Guard from 2009-2012. He was a marching member of the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps (2011), The Cavaliers (2013), Ancora Winterguard (2010-2011), Zydeco Winterguard (2012-2014), and Pride of Cincinnati (2015).