University of Arkansas Bands Staff
Timothy Gunter
Director of Athletic Bands
Timothy Gunter is the Director of Athletic Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Arkansas. He serves as the director of the Razorback Marching Band, conductor of the Symphonic Band and the Hogwild Basketball Pep Band, as well as fulfilling his role as the person in charge of the administrative affairs of the UA Band Division. In addition, Mr. Gunter teaches courses for music education majors, is the faculty sponsor for Tau Beta Sigma, and leads the recruiting efforts for the Band Division of the Music Department.
A native of Hope, Arkansas, Professor Gunter has over twenty-seven years of teaching experience at all levels of instrumental music including Woodland Junior High School in Fayetteville and DeQueen High School in DeQueen, Arkansas. His last position was at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he served as the Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands. At Rutgers, he was the Director of the RU Marching Band and Basketball Pep Band, Conductor of the University Concert Band, Associate Conductor of the RU Wind Ensemble, Instructor of the Marching Band Techniques course for music education majors, and helped supervise student teachers.Professor Gunter received both of his degrees from the University of Arkansas - a B.S.E. in Music Education in 1979 and a Masters of Music in Instrumental Conducting in 1993, where he served as a Graduate Assistant and Assistant Conductor to several ensembles, including the Razorback Marching Band, Hogwild Basketball Band, UA Wind Ensemble, UA Concert Band, and UA Campus Band, and as the faculty sponsor to Tau Beta Sigma.
Professor Gunter has served as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the South and Northeast, including the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Louisiana, South Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, New York, New Mexico and Connecticut. He is affiliated with several professional and honorary organizations, including Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters Fraternity, American School Band Directors Association, Arkansas Bandmasters Association, Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association, Music Educators National Conference, College Band Directors National Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, Mu Upsilon Alpha, and Pi Kappa Lambda.
Jeremy Pratchard
Assistant Director of Athletic Bands
Jeremy Pratchard is the Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Arkansas. A native Oklahoman, Mr. Pratchard received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from The University of Oklahoma and his Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from Texas Tech University. In the capacity of Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, he assists in the direction of the Razorback Marching Band, directs the Lady Hogwild Basketball and Volleyball bands, and the Concert Band. He is also the halftime drill designer for the Razorback Marching Band. In addition to his band duties, he assists with instruction of percussion majors in the U of A Percussion Studio, directs the University of Arkansas Steel Drum Band, and is the faculty sponsor for Kappa Kappa Psi. Prior to joining the faculty of the University of Arkansas, he taught at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where he served as Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Marching Percussion. At Texas Tech, he assisted in the direction of “The Goin’ Band from Raiderland,” the 1999 recipient of the highest honor for collegiate marching bands: The Sudler Trophy. He also directed the volleyball band and co-directed the “Court Jesters” basketball band and Spring Concert Band. As the Director of Marching Percussion, he was responsible for the coordination and instruction of the Marching Percussion section. In addition to his band duties at Texas Tech, he also taught History of Jazz and Music Appreciation.
Mr. Pratchard has remained active in percussion performance, serving as a member of the percussion sections of the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, the Midland/Odessa Symphony Orchestra, and the Texas Tech Faculty Chamber Ensemble. He also played lead steel pan for the Texas Tech University Steel Band “Apocalypso Now,” performing at the Percussive Arts Society National Conventions in Orlando and Dallas and the Texas Music Educators Association conventions in San Antonio.
W Dale Warren
Director of Concert Bands
W.
Dale Warren, Director of Concert Bands and Associate Professor of Music,
is the Conductor of the Wind Symphony at the University of Arkansas.
Professor Warren also teaches Music Education Courses and Graduate Conducting.
Born in Greenville, Kentucky, Professor Warren attended Muhlenburg Central High School and played euphonium for Joe Allen. Professor Warren received his Bachelors of Music Education degree from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, where he studied under Edward A. Knob. He received his Masters of Music Education degree from the University of Kentucky. Professor Warren is a former conducting student of Edward A. Knob, George Mabrey, W. Harry Clarke, Skip Gray, Dennis Johnson, John Paynter, John Whitwell, and Larry Rachleff. He also served on the faculty at the University of Kentucky from 1986 to 1991.
Professor Warren has taught in the public schools of Bremen High School in Bremen, Kentucky (1980-1982) and North Hardin High School in Radcliff, Kentucky (1982-1986). While at Bremen and North Hardin, Mr. Warren's bands received numerous awards and Division I ratings. Professor Warren is active in adjudication and is in demand for workshops and clinics across the United States. Professor Warren has been a featured guest clinician for the Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Arkansas Bandmasters Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, and the Arkansas Music Educators All-State Conference. Professor Warren has guest conducted All-District, All-Region, and All-State honor bands as well as several university bands across the United States. He is a computer clinician for Coda Music Software, Advantage Showare Inc., and Arrangers' Publishing company. He also serves as an adjudicator for Drum Corps International, Musicfest Orlando, and Bands of America. Professor Warren is a member of the John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Award Committee.
While Mr. Warren served as the director of the Razorback Marching Band, the band performed in the 1992 Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C., the Independence Bowl, the 1995 SEC Championships at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, the 1995 Carquest Bowl, the 1999 Citrus Bowl, and the 2000 Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. The Razorback Marching Band has also appeared as the Grand Finale Band at the 1997 St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. The University of Arkansas Wind Symphony has made special guest appearances at the College Band Directors National Association Conventions three times during Mr. Warren's tenure, and at the Arkansas Music Educators Convention All-Sate Conference on two different occasions. The Wind Symphony has also performed in New York City at the World Renowned Carnegie Hall under Professor Warren's Baton. The UA Wind Symphony was featured with composer David Holsinger on a compact disc by the Mark Custom Recording Company entitled "Holsinger I" and is featured on several TRN Music Publishers demonstration tapes.
Professor Warren's professional affiliations include: National Band Association, Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters Fraternity, Music Educators National Conference, College Band Directors National Association, World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Conductors Guild, Arkansas Bandmasters Association, Arkansas Music Educators Association, Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, and Pi Kappa Lambda.
Chalon Ragsdale
Professor of Percussion/Staff Arranger
Chalon Ragsdale came to the University of Arkansas in 1975 as Percussion Instructor and Assistant Band Director. He currently serves as Director of Percussion Studies, and Director of the UA Summer Music Camps. From 1990-1998, he was Chair of the UA Department of Music.
He has served as Professor of Percussion and as Director of the UA Percussion Ensemble; as Director of the "Razorback" Marching Band; as Director of the UA Concert Band; and from 1989 to 1992 served as Conductor of the UA Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble.
The Percussion Ensemble under his direction has performed for audiences at state, regional and national conventions. His private students have won performing honors at the state, regional and national levels of MTNA. He performs as percussionist frequently, and holds the position of solo timpanist with the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Ragsdale has received recognition as a music arranger, and is published by Southern Music Company of San Antonio, Texas. His band arrangements featuring percussion have been featured at several CBDNA conventions, and his Tribute to Grainger for Concert Band was chosen for performance on the 1999 Mid-West Clinic.
Mr. Ragsdale earned an undergraduate degree in Music Education from Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama in 1973 and the Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina in 1975. He served as Director of Instrumental Music in the Tallapoosa County, Alabama school district from 1973-74. He has studied percussion principally with Harold A. Jones, Johnnie Vinson, and Larry Mathis. Professor Ragsdale is sponsored by Innovative Percussion, makers of specialty sticks and mallets.
Leigh Hudson
Color Guard Coordinator
Leigh Hudson is the Color Guard Coordinator for the University of Arkansas. She is a native of Alma, Arkansas. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Spanish Education from Arkansas Tech University, where she marched with the Arkansas Tech Band of Distinction, serving as color guard captain, for four years; and a Master of Science degree in Secondary School Counseling from John Brown University. In addition to her duties with the University of Arkansas Color Guard, Leigh is a counselor and color guard/winter guard instructor for Fayetteville High School. She is currently the president of the Arkansas Visual Arts Association, the Arkansas branch of WGI. Leigh is additionally the designer for the Ozark, Clarksville and Bryant guard programs.
Holly Abell
Majorette Coordinator
Holly Abell is a native of Jonesboro, Arkansas, and a 2005 graduate of the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. While attending the U of A, she was a majorette with the Razorback Marching Band for four years. She currently lives in Fayetteville and works as a registered nurse in the Coronary Care Unit at Washington Regional Medical Center.
Graduate Assistants
Lynn Francis
Graduate Assistant/Front Ensemble Coordinator
Lynn Francis is a second year Graduate Assistant with the University of Arkansas, working with the front ensemble and teaching percussion lessons to undergraduates while pursuing a Masters of Music Degree in Percussion Performance. In May of 2007, Lynn received her Bachelors of Music from the University of Arkansas where she double majored in Music Education and Percussion Performance and was also a member of the Razorback Marching Band. Lynn is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota and is the current Chair of the CollegiateCommittee for the Percussive Arts Society.
Caleb Pond
Graduate A
ssistant
Caleb Pond is a second year as Graduate Assistant for the University of Arkansas. A native of Texas, Caleb graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2004 with a Bachelors degree in Music Education. He completed his teaching certification in Texas and taught at Northwest ISD as assistant band director for the Jr. High and High School. Caleb is currently pursuing a Masters in Music degree with an emphasis in Instrumental Conducting. He also performs in the Wind Symphony as well as the Clarinet Ensemble.
In his first year as Graduate Assistant, Caleb worked with the Razorback Marching Band, the Hogwild Basketball Pep Bands, and the Volleyball Pep Band. His primary responsibilities throughout the year included creating Media Guides for football games, being the on-the-field liasion assisting the band directors during rehearsal He also had the opportunity conduct the Campus Band for both Spring concerts. He is a member of TMEA and Phi Mu Alpha and is very excited to be serving the Razorback Band once again.
Micah Hardwick
Graduate Assistant/Drumline Coordinator
Stephanie Richardson
Graduate Assistant