Director

Ms. Jolette Wine

Jolette Wine is the Director of Bands at Birdville High School.  Prior to her arrival at Birdville, she was the Associate Director of Bands at L.D. Bell High School.  The Bell Marching Band was selected as the Bands of America Grand National Champion in 2007.  Ms. Wine also taught in the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD at both Cross Timbers Middle School and Colleyville Middle School.  The 2002-2003 Cross Timbers Band placed 3rd in the TMEA state honor band competition in the CC middle school division.  The Colleyville Middle School band was named the 1994 Class CC State Honor Band of Texas and performed at the 1995 Texas Music Educators Convention in San Antonio.  Additionally, Ms. Wine taught at Euless Junior High in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District, and at Hedrick Middle School in the Lewisville Independent School District.

Ms. Wine attended West Texas A&M University where she studied flute with Dr. Gary Garner and began her studies in music education.  She received a Bachelor of Music Education degree at the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Music in flute performance from the University of North Texas.

Ms. Wine was named Teacher of the Year in 1994 and 2004 and was also honored by the Parent Teacher Association as a Lifetime Member.  Her professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Phi Beta Mu.  Ms. Wine is an active clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor throughout the state of Texas.  She has served as a clinician for the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association and the Mid-West Clinic in Chicago. 

Assistant Band Director

Mr. Michael Cheripka

Michael Ian Cheripka began his musical career in western Pennsylvania where he played the trumpet in the East Allegheny School District under the direction of Mr. Robert Rizzo. It was through his guidance and his teachings that Mr. Cheripka chose to pursue his career and future in Music Education. He currently holds his Bachelor's Degree from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a focus on brass, percussion, and jazz. During his time at IUP, he studied trumpet under both Karen Sloneker and Dr. Kevin Eisensmith (the current Vice President / President Elect of the International Trumpet Guild) and conducting under Dr. Jack Stamp (renowned composer for the Manhattan Beach and Neil J. Kjos publishing companies). Mr. Cheripka also played in many of the top ensembles, including the University Wind Ensemble and "Heads", the Premier University Jazz Ensemble. It was also at this time when he established himself in the "Marching Music" arena as the Visual Caption Head at Norwin High School and Percussion Instructor for the Dubois High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble. He was also a member of many Drum and Bugle corps including the General Butler Vagabonds 1995-2000, Pioneer 2001, and the 2002 DCI World Champion Cavaliers.

Upon graduation in May of 2004, Mr. Cheripka relocated to the great state of Texas where he served as the Head Band Director at Kerens Middle School in Kerens ISD for one year. In 2005, he relocated to the Houston area, and became the assistant Director of Bands at Waller High School. While at Waller High School, Mr. Cheripka served as not only the Visual Caption Head of the marching band, leading them to three consecutive sweepstakes awards and the 2007 Texas State Marching Contest, but was also the conductor of both the Symphonic Band, and the award winning Waller High School Jazz Ensemble. Under his direction, the 2007 Jazz Ensemble placed 5th in the Yamaha / Music and Arts Nationwide "Spring Swing" Jazz Festival. He was also one of the founding directors and music arranger of the Waller High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble.

Assistant Band Director

Mr. Gary Barnard

Gary Barnard received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Texas at Arlington, and graduated Magna cum Laude, in May of 2006. He is working on a graduate degree in Educational Administration at the University of North Texas.

Mr. Barnard has taught band at every level from sixth through twelfth grade in the Birdville High School cluster. In 2006 he served as the assistant director at Richland Middle School and in 2007 accepted his current position at Birdville High School where he team teaches the Mighty Hawk Marching Band, Concert I and Concert II bands He directs the Jazz Band II as well as the "Betty Buckley" winning Musical Orchestra. He is the sponsor of the BHS Fishing Club. Mr. Barnard also assists with the symphonic band and beginner Tuba/Euphonium at SMS.

Throughout college Mr. Barnard was a marching band instructor in Missouri and Texas at both Kickapoo High School (2001) and Birdville High School (2002-2006). He was selected as a student teaching assistant for the UT Arlington Marching Band (2004).

Performance experience includes the nationally recognized Tulsa Union High School "Renegade Regiment," the UT Arlington Marching Band, the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps (Dubuque, IA) and the Phantom Regiment Drum Bugle Corps (Rockford, IL).

From 2006 to 2010 he was a brass instructor for the 22 time DCI Finalist Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps (San Antonio, TX). In 2011 he was on the brass staff of the 2 time DCI WORLD CHAMPION Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps (Rockford, IL).

Mr. Barnard enjoys anything related to music, running, the Chicago Bears, the Chicago White Sox, NHL hockey, fishing, hunting duck and pheasant, skiing, traveling, reading, grilling, his chocolate lab Bella and visiting his family in East Texas, Minnesota, and Oklahoma. He resides in Fort Worth.

Percussion Coordinator

Hannah Boyle

Joining the Birdville staff this year as percussion coordinator is Hannah Boyle. She is a graduate of Texas A&M-Commerce where she studied under Dr. Brian Zator. In addition to serving as percussion coordinator, Ms. Boyle is also in her second year as Director of Operations of the Dallas Festival of Modern Music. She spent three years in Nashville, TN as a freelance musician, arranger and percussion educator as well as playing with the percussion ensemble Music City Mystique.She has performed as both an ensemble member and soloist for DCI, PASIC, TMEA,  WGI and is a member of the Innovative Percussion educational team.

Ms. Boyle's passionate commitment to sharing personal discovery through music has led to proud students earning state and multi-state SCGC and WGI championships, awarded soloist and successful musicians spanning various genres. "The point is not to create schools full of little music machines. The point is to help them discover life through music in a way which can't be described in or attached to words. We are simply learning a seldom shared but immeasurably powerful method of communication."

In her spare time, Ms. Boyle seeks adventure. She has cycled across Europe, ridden waterfalls and jumped off various things whilst (sometimes) attached to a parachute.

Color Guard Director

Ms Loreal Riker started her pageantry world at the tender young age of 4. She twirled baton with her 8 other siblings in Castro Valley California. At 12 years of age she started twirling rifle and flag with a local drum & bell corps from San Leandro California. At 15 she became a member of the World Champion Concord Blue Devils. She performed 6 years with the Blue Devils winning DCI 3 times. After that she became a staff member for the Blue Devils color guard and movement instructor for the horn line. She spent 12 years at that position. Winning high color guard 5 times and world championship 3 times never placing out of the top 4 drum corps . During this time she also started teaching high school color guard. Miss Riker has been to the WGI World Championships with her color guard teams and has placed in finals numerous times. Winning the bronze medal once. Miss Riker has also been a finalist participant @ BOA Regionals. Her life is pageantry. She is very passionate about her art. She teaches dance, flag, rifle, sabre and any other prop. She has been at the forefront of the pageantry world teaching drum corps, marching band, winter guard and university teams. Miss Riker is very much looking forward to her move to Texas.