Meet the Directors

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 2022-2023 school year is Mr. Sample’s eighth 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.  They have three “children,” their cat, Anakin, and two dogs, Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade.  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.