Tarleton Bands

Band Staff

To Contact Any Staff Member, Please Email: band@tarleton.edu

Ronda Eldridge
Flute

Originally from the central Sierra foothills of California, Ronda has successfully taught both privately and at the elementary, high school, and college levels for more than 20 years.  She holds a Bachelors Degree in Music from Thomas Edison State College in New Jersey and a Masters Degree in Flute Performance from California State University, Sacramento. Ronda has studied flute for more than 30 years and has performed with bands, symphony orchestras, Celtic ensembles, chamber ensembles, and flute choirs. She started and directed the Porterville College Flute Choir from 1999-2003 and was a founding member of the Celtic performing group, The Tule River Ensemble. In 2005, Ronda was the first runner-up in the California Festival of New American Music as a performer and in 2006, Ronda was invited to perform at the National Flute Convention in Pittsburgh.  Ronda has been fortunate to have studied with and attended master classes with some of the finest flutists in the world. Ronda’s primary private teachers have been Frank Langone, Ray Fabrizio, Yamaha Artist Tracy Harris, and international recording artist Laurel Zucker. Ronda’s discography includes By the Tule River’s Edge on Tule River Records, Tracy Harris Live in Concert: Music of Harvest and Holly, Grace Griffith: My Life on Blix Street Records, and MUSe: Flute Music by Christopher Caliendo on Tule River Records. Ronda regularly performs on a variety of concert and world flutes including the bass flute, Irish flute, recorder, and Shakuhachi. 

Please visit Ronda's personal website at: www.RondaWinterEldridge.com

Jeanene Johnson
Clarinet

Jeanene Ioppolo Johnson has served as Adjunct Clarinet Professor at Tarleton since 2007 and also teaches  the Clarinet Choir and small Woodwind Ensembles.

In 2003,  she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Texas Wesleyan University with a Bachelor in Music Education. She served as the Principal Clarinetist in the Wind Ensemble and Lead Alto in Jazz band II. She studied clarinet with Susan Ishii and saxophone with Tim Ishii. She also participated in Sigma Alpha Iota and served as Editor, Treasurer and VP Ritual. She received the SAI Honor Award, Scholastic Award, Leadership Award and was twice the recipient of the Marjory Murphy Scholarship Award. She was also selected for the Presidential Honors Concert, was awarded Music Major of the Year and participated as an officer in Alpha Chi, Kappa Delta Pi and Mortar Board Honor Societies.

In 2006, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Texas Christian University with a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance. She was awarded a graduate assistantship under professor Gary Whitman. She served as the Principal Clarinetist of the TCU Wind Symphony and the Principal Clarinetist of TCU Wind Ensemble. She was also selected for membership in Pi Kappa Lambda, National Music Honor Society and served as substitute Principal Clarinet in the Los Colinas Symphony.

Jeanene is an active clinician, performer and private teacher in the DFW area. She has been a featured soloist in many short film and full feature film compositions of composer Douglas Edward. She has taught clarinet and saxophone lessons since 1997 in the HEB and GCISD school districts and has also taught clarinet sectionals and clarinet ensembles for the TCU Summer Band Program. She is an active member of Texas Music Educators Association and The International Clarinet Association. 

Dr. Brian Walker
Assistant Professor of Music
Applied Trumpet

Dr. Kim Rooney Hagelstein
French Horn

D.M.A., University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
M.M., University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
B.M., University of Missouri-Columbia

Dr. Kim Rooney Hagelstein is the Visiting Assistant Professor of Horn at Tarleton State University. A native of Liberty, Missouri, Dr. Hagelstein has performed in six countries and nearly every state in the United States.  In addition to teaching, Dr. Hagelstein performs regularly with groups including the Waco Symphony Orchestra, the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, and the LSWO Brass Quintet.  Since 2002, Dr. Hagelstein has spent her summers touring Germany with a brass ensemble called Eurobrass and can be heard on their Danket dem Herrn CD released in 2006 and their Würdig ist der Herr CD released in 2010.  Before joining the Tarleton faculty, Dr. Hagelstein toured the United States and Canada with the Carl Rosa Opera Company, the New Sigmund Romberg Orchestra, and the Crescent Brass and performed for music festivals in Italy, Ohio, Nevada, and Arkansas.  She has published articles in The Horn Call and the Music Research Forum and has been a contributing artist at both regional and international horn workshops.  Her hobbies include gardening and making homemade ice cream.

Justin Cook
Trombone, Euphonium, & Tuba

Justin Cook is the Adjunct Instructor of Low Brass at Tarleton State University.  Prior to his position at Tarleton State University, he served as a Teaching Fellow for the University of North Texas Trombone Studio.

Justin received a Master’s Degree in Instrumental Conducting, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Trombone Performance and Music Education at Northern Arizona University.  While attending NAU, Mr. Cook was chosen to perform Henri Tomasi’s Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra with the NAU Symphony Orchestra.  In 2003 Justin was a member the National Champion Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps from Concord, California and in 2005 was chosen to perform with the Disney All-American College Band.  As a member of the All-American College Band, Mr. Cook had the opportunity to perform with artists such as Wayne Bergeron, Andy Martin, Shelly Berg, and Jiggs Whigham. Since arriving at UNT Mr. Cook has been a member of the UNT Wind Symphony.  He has received honorable mention in the ITA’s Frank E. Smith Solo Trombone Competition and his trombone quartets have received honorable mention in the ITF Quartet Competition. During the summer of 2009, Mr. Cook was chosen as one of 18 international tenor trombonists to attend the Alessi Seminar where he had the opportunity to work with Joseph Alessi and Peter Ellefson. 

Currently, Mr. Cook maintains a private studio of 40 trombone students in the Lewisville Independent School District.  He is also an active freelancer in the DFW area, having performed with the Abilene Philharmonic, Las Colinas Symphony, and is actively involved with the Irving Arts Center’s musical productions.  Mr. Cook has studied conducting with Dr. Daniel Schmidt and trombone with Jan Kagarice, Dr. Vern Kagarice and David Vining. Justin is currently working on his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Trombone Performance at the University of North Texas where he studies with Tony Baker.

Michael Crawford
Steel Drum, Studio & Marching Percussion

Michael Crawford serves as Adjunct Instructor of Instrumental Music for Tarleton State University’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts. His duties include instructing the TSU Drumline, assisting with the Texan marching band, directing the steel drum ensemble, and teaching applied percussion lessons.

Mr. Crawford holds a Master of Music Performance degree from Baylor University and a Bachelor of Music degree with an All-Level teaching certification from Tarleton State University. His principal teachers include Todd Ukena, Joey Carter, and Dr. Todd Meehan.

Prior to joining Tarleton’s instrumental faculty, Mr. Crawford served as the Director of Percussion for Aledo ISD (2009-2011), and the Director of Percussion for the Denton HS bands (2008-2009). In addition to his duties at TSU, Mr. Crawford maintains an active career as an arranger, clinician, and adjudicator for several schools across the state of Texas. He regularly performs as a freelance percussionist throughout the greater DFW area.
Mr. Crawford has performed throughout the United States and parts of Europe including performances with the Waco Symphony Orchestra, CBDNA’s National Intercollegiate Band, and the 2002 Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps. He has also participated in numerous clinics and showcase concerts at CBDNA, TMEA, and TBA.

Mr. Crawford’s professional affiliations include Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, Texas Music Educators Association, Percussive Arts Society, and the Texas Bandmasters Association.
Michael Crawford is an artist/endorser for Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets.