THE OFFICIAL HOME OF
THE FOSSIL RIDGE BAND
Brad Allen is in his 21st year of teaching and is currently the Director of Bands at Fossil Ridge High
School in Keller, Texas. Prior to his appointment at Fossil Ridge, he spent time as a high school
Assistant Band Director in Keller, Saginaw, and Garland, Texas. He is a summa cum laude
graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington where he studied with Dr. Michael Varner, Ray
Lichtenwalter, Phil Clements, and Kennan Wylie and earned a Bachelor of Music degree.
In 2008, Mr. Allen earned a Master of Music degree in Conducting from Southern Oregon University
studying with such renowned educators as Frank Wickes, Ray Cramer, Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser, and
Dr. Lowell Graham. Mr. Allen also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication from
Texas A&M University and completed a summer performance program at Berklee College of Music
in Boston where he was named the outstanding student.
Under his guidance, Mr. Allen’s concert bands, marching, and percussion ensembles have received
numerous awards and superior performance ratings. His ensembles have received national
recognition as the Southwest Division Winner and National Finalist for the William P. Foster Project
Award of Excellence, and a recipient of the Mark of Excellence award. Many of his students have
continued to study music through college and to pursue music as a career choice, forging successful
careers in the fields of Music Film Scoring, Music Performance, Music Composition and Music
Education.
Mr. Allen has been an instructor for Insignia Percussion, the UTA Marching Percussion Camp, and
the Yamaha Sounds of Summer workshop. As a performer, he has been a member of the acclaimed
Texas Wind Symphony and he has been a freelance performer with the Shreveport Symphony
Orchestra and the Mesquite Symphony Orchestra as well as several local churches.
Mr. Allen is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association,
National Band Association, and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. He has been an educator
endorser for the ProMark Corporation and a member of the Percussive Arts Society. He is listed in
Who’s Who Among American College and University Students and multiple years in Who’s Who
Among American Teachers. He resides in Fort Worth with his wife Tracy and their three children,
Morgan, Brendan, and Gavin.
Brad Allen
Director of Bands
brad.allen@kellerisd.net
Gordon Janda is in his third year as the Assistant Director of Bands at Fossil Ridge High School. His responsibilities include teaching the Symphonic Band, Concert Band 2, and serving as the marching band coordinator.
Previously, he was the Assistant Band Director at Dickinson High School for two years, where he taught the marching band, AP Music Theory, Concert Band, and two beginner brass classes.
Outside of being a public educator, he has been a low brass technician for the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps in 2018-19 and is currently a tuba technician for the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps.
His drum corps experience includes marching with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps from 2011-2016, where he served as section leader for three years and horn sergeant for two.
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Mr. Janda graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with his Bachelors in Music Education in 2017. In his time at SFA, he played tuba in the Wind Ensemble for three years and was principal for one. He was also in the Lumberjack Marching Band for three years where he held a position as section leader. Additionally, he served as a member of the Roarin’ Buzzsaws Basketball Band all four years.
Gordon Janda
Assistant Band Director
gordon.janda@kellerisd.net
Chris Martinez is in his second year as Assistant Director of Bands at Fossil Ridge High School.
Originally from Tacoma, Washington, Mr. Martinez grew up in the central Texas area in Seguin, TX. An alumni of Texas State University, he graduated summa cum laude with his Bachelors of Music in Music Studies (Music Education) and studied saxophone with Dr. Brian Trittin and Dr. Todd Oxford. Some of his prominent teachers include Dr. John Denis, Mr. Jordan Stern, Dr. Caroline Beatty, and Dr. Kyle Glaser. While at Texas State, Mr. Martinez served as Saxophone Section Leader and Drum Major for the TXST Bobcat Marching Band, Principal Saxophonist of the TXST Wind Symphony, and President of the TXST Collegiate Texas Music Educators professional organization. Additionally, he also performed in many ensembles including the TXST Symphonic Winds, TXST Concert Band, TXST Men’s Choir, and TXST Saxophone Quartets.
Outside of his collegiate performance experience, Mr. Martinez spent time competing in the Drum Corps International World Class circuit. During his time in DCI, Mr. Martinez served as a Drum Major for both Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps and the ten-time world champion Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps.
Prior to his position at Fossil Ridge, Mr. Martinez completed his student teaching at Ronald Reagan High School and Barbara Bush Middle School (North East ISD). Mr. Martinez has been active as an educator and clinician in the marching arts since 2018, and has worked on the staff of the nationally renowned James Bowie High School Outdoor Performing Ensemble (Austin ISD), Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps, and most recently, on the staff of the University of Texas at Arlington’s Drum Major Camp.
Mr. Martinez is a recipient of the Texas Music Educators Association Collegiate Music Educator Award, and is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the Association of Texas Professional Educators, and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.
When not teaching, Mr. Martinez loves watching movies, eating breakfast tacos, cooking, hiking, traveling, and spending time with his family and loved ones. He is thrilled to be joining the Fossil Ridge team and cannot wait to get started this fall!
Chris Martinez
Assistant Band Director
christopher.martinez@kellerisd.net
Chad Murray is in his second year as Percussion Director for Fossil Ridge High School, where he oversees all percussion students at Fossil Ridge High School, Vista Ridge Middle School, and Fossil Hill Middle School. He earned his Bachelors of Music in Music Education Degree at Old Dominion University located in Norfolk, VA. While at ODU, Mr. Murray performed with a number of ensembles including the ODU Wind Ensemble, ODU Symphony Orchestra, ODU Percussion Ensemble, ODU Monarch Marching Band, as well as the ODU Basketball Pep Band. Mr. Murray is also an Alumnus of the Iota Tau Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Prior to joining the staff at Fossil Ridge, Mr. Murray served as the Assistant Director of Percussion and Private Lessons Instructor for Saginaw High School in Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District. In this role, he assisted in all high school performing ensembles, as well as serving as the front ensemble director for the Saginaw Drumline and Saginaw Indoor Drumline. During his time at Saginaw, the percussion program became a high caliber performing arts program with success in WGI, NTCA, UIL, and USBands.
Mr. Murray has been involved in the Drum and Bugle Corps and Indoor Percussion activities in a number of positions since 2010. He is an alumnus of The Jersey Surf Drum and Bugles Corps, and has served as a percussion staff member for Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps, Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps, and Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps. Continuing his teaching, Mr. Murray serves on the education team for Vigilantes Indoor Percussion based out of Forth Worth, Texas.
Mr. Murray is extremely proud to be endorsed as an Artist with Innovative Percussion, Dynasty Drums, Titan Field Frames, and Sabian Cymbals. Mr. Murray is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association and Percussive Arts Society.
When not teaching, Mr. Murray loves spending time playing golf, composing and arranging music, spending family time with his wife Kylie, their three year old golden lab Poe, and their son Cooper.