Meet the Directors
Christopher Sample
Director of Bands
Chris Sample is the Director of Bands at North Crowley High School. Mr. Sample is a 2004 graduate of Sherman High School in Sherman, TX where he performed under the baton of Joe Frank, Jr. While there, he participated in three consecutive years of the TMEA All-State Band on trumpet, received the John Philip Sousa Award, and toured/performed in numerous countries all over Europe as part of the American Musical Ambassadors. He also attained the rank of Eagle Scout as a part of the Boy Scouts. Mr. Sample then attended the University of Texas at Arlington where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Music. While there, he studied trumpet under Dr. Rick Bogard and performed in the UTA Trumpet Ensemble, as principal trumpet in the Wind Symphony, and as section leader for several years in the Maverick Marching Band. In 2007, he was awarded the “Jack H. Mahan Outstanding Upperclassmen Musician” award. Mr. Sample also served in several leadership positions of the Delta Sigma Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. While serving as President for two years, the chapter earned the prestigious “D.O. Wiley” Top Chapter Award for outstanding service to their university band.
After graduating, Mr. Sample continued his education at UT Arlington to obtain his Master of Music Performance degree in Wind Conducting, studying under Dr. Douglas Stotter and Dr. Matthew Luttrell. While a Graduate Assistant, he continued to perform with the Wind Symphony and was an Assistant Director of the Maverick Marching Band and the MavBrass Basketball Pep Band. He was the conductor of the Symphonic Band and guest conductor on several occasions of the Wind Symphony.
After completing his Master’s Degree, Mr. Sample worked at Grapevine High School where he assisted with the Wind Ensemble, Honors Band, marching band, and the school musical. His primary instructional duties were with the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and teaching Music History and Pre-AP Music Theory. For the next two years, Mr. Sample taught in Cedar Hill ISD at West Intermediate and Coleman Middle School, where he served as that cluster’s assistant director for one year before being promoted to Director of Bands of CMS.
In addition to working at North Crowley, Mr. Sample is also on the administrative staff for UT Arlington’s summer music camps serving as the Camp Supervisor. Hundreds of middle and high school musicians from across the region attend the Concert and Marching Band camps each summer to learn from some of the best instructors in their fields. He is also an active performer, currently playing Lead Trumpet for the East Fort Worth Community Jazz Band.
The 2023-2024 school year is Mr. Sample’s ninth year in Crowley ISD and he is looking forward to another great year with the North Crowley High School Mighty Panther Band!
Mr. Sample lives in Burleson with his wife Chrissy, who teaches Elementary Music in Cleburne ISD. Their home ranch keeps them busy with two dogs, Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade, two horses, King and Shorty, and donkey "Don Quixote". In his free time, he also enjoys fishing, riding motorcycles, and playing scenario paintball.
He is currently a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, National Band Association, The National Association for Music Education, an alumnus and Life Member of the Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Service Fraternity, and honorary member of the Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Service Sorority.
Stephen Grant
Associate Director of Bands
Mr. Grant is excited to start the 2023 - 2024 school year as his first year with the Mighty Panther Band. This will be his 10th year teaching overall.
The last seven years, he has worked with Jarrell ISD as the Head Band Director at Jarrell Middle School and Assistant Band Director at Jarrell High School. He was successful in growing the Band numbers at Jarrell Middle School to 300 students and lead many ensembles to receive UIL Sweepstakes.
Before moving to Jarrell, he started teaching in Beeville, Texas, where he was an Assistant Director. His duties included directing the A.C. Jones Concert Band, Jazz Band and The Mighty Trojan Marching Band, Moreno Junior High Concert Band and Beginning Woodwinds at Thomas Jefferson Intermediate School.
Mr. Grant is a native of Lampasas, Texas, having played with the Lampasas Badger Band in junior high and high school. After graduating high school, he was accepted into Oklahoma Christian University where he had the distinct privilege to study Saxophone and Jazz Studies from the great Cannonball Saxophone Artist, Heath Jones. At Oklahoma Christian, Mr. Grant was apart various ensembles including the Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble and the Sweat Band. Through his experiences with music he’s had the opportunity to play Saxophone in China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand as well as many different locations across the US.
Mr. Grant is apart of TMEA, ATSSB and TMAA music organizations as well as being recognized as a Cannonball Music Educator through the Cannonball Saxophone Company.
Outside of teaching, Mr. Grant enjoys running, play gigs around Texas and spending time with his wife, Caitlyn, and his children Hadley, Miles and Collins.
Steve Farrell
Director of Percussion
Mr. Farrell is excited to join the team with the North Crowley Mighty Panther Band. The 2023-2024 school year will be his first with Crowley ISD, and fifteenth as a band director.
Mr. Farrell graduated from Brewer HS in 1999, after which he served in the Air Force for 4 years as an Aircraft Mechanic/Crew Chief on the C-130 Hercules. After leaving the Air Force, he attended the University of Texas at Arlington to study music education, as well as applied percussion with Dr. Michael Varner and Dr. Jim Yakas. After graduation, he moved down to the Galveston area to take a job as the percussion director for Ball High School. During that time, he completed a Master's Degree in Education Administration from Lamar University. Two years later, he was promoted to Director of Bands of Ball High School where he held that position for 12 years.
Mr. Farrell is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association. In his free time, he enjoys playing disc golf, but also has a Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as well as being trained in boxing and Muay Thai.
North Crowley Cluster
Middle School Staff
Donna O'Bryant
Head Director
Crowley MS
Reuben Brown
Assistant Director
Crowley MS
Kayla Maciel
Head Director
Summer Creek MS