Band Directors

Jarrod Beard is entering his first year as the Director of Bands at Ryan High School. Mr. Beard will be teaching Wind Ensemble, Jazz 1, the Ryan Marching Band and assisting the middle school feeder programs. Mr. Beard previously served as the Associate Director of Bands at Ryan High School, the Assistant Director and Jazz Director at Rockwall High School, and an Assistant Director at John Horn High School. 

Mr. Beard received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and his Master’s degree in Trumpet Performance at Stephen F. Austin. He also received a Performer’s Diploma from Southern Methodist University. In college, Mr. Beard performed with the Lumberjack Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra of the Pines, The Swingin’ Axes, and the Faculty Brass Quintet. After finishing his college training, Mr. Beard had the pleasure of performing with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Winds, and many regional orchestras in the DFW area. 

As an educator, Mr. Beard has received consistent success at UIL Concert and Sight-reading. Mr. Beard also assisted the Rockwall High School Orange Wave Band in earning a spot at the 2018 UIL 6A State Marching Contest. Mr. Beard was also active with the jazz bands at Rockwall High School. Rockwall Jazz 1 was selected to perform at the 2018 TMEA Clinic and Convention as the “Invited Jazz Band”. Only one high school jazz band is selected for this honor every year. Both jazz bands at Rockwall received consistent placement among the top ranks at the TCU jazz festival during Mr. Beard’s time. He was the Region III Jazz 2 Band clinician in 2017, and the Region III Jazz Coordinator in 2020-21. 

When Mr. Beard has free time, he enjoys playing video games and watching TV (super exciting). Mr. Beard met his amazing wife, Megan, at SFA and she is (coincidentally) a 2007 graduate of Ryan High School where she was an all-state flute player and two-year drum major. They have two smart, stubborn, and incredibly energetic boys, Jacob and William. 

Nachel Konemann is the Associate Director of Bands at Billy Ryan High School in Denton, TX. Before coming to Ryan High School, Ms. Konemann was the Director of Bands at Strickland Middle School in Denton, TX for seven years. She has previously taught at Williams High School in Plano, TX, Bowman Middle School in Plano, TX and Irons Middle School in Lubbock, TX.

Ms. Konemann holds a Master’s Degree in Music Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Texas Tech University. During her time at Texas Tech University she performed in the Texas Tech Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Goin’ Band from Raiderland, and was a student of David Dees. She has published articles as a guest blog writer for Director’s Choice and SmartMusic as well as presented research at the TMEA research poster session. She is a current member of the North Central Texas Winds and a multi instrumental performer for Theatre Denton. 

Ms. Konemann has worked with many ensembles outside of her own band program including the East Plano Chamber Winds and the Lubbock Youth Wind Ensemble. Her students consistently make All-District and All-Region Honor Band. She is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association and the Texas Bandmasters Association. She currently resides in Denton, TX with her husband, Dr. Zachariah Davis, as well as her two cats, Harry and Stormy, and dog, Rooney.

Frank Chapple is currently starting his 26th year of teaching band and percussion in the DFW area. In that time, he has worked at Lewisville HS, Flower Mound HS, Grapevine HS and Keller HS. While at Keller High School, his middle schools and high school were selected to perform at The Midwest Clinic in Chicago as well as the State Honor Band of Texas. The Keller High School Marching Band has been a Finalist at BOA Grand Nationals, a multiple time Area Marching Champion, Finalist at the BOA Super Regional in San Antonio and the 6A Texas State Marching Band Contest (finishing in the top five of all 6A programs in 2018).

Mr. Chapple has been an educator within the Drum Corps International community for 20+ years including a 1996 World Championship with the Phantom Regiment. He has also taught The Glassmen, The Crossmen, Carolina Crown and The Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. He is currently the Battery Caption Manager with The Crossmen from San Antonio, Texas.

In 2015, Mr. Chapple released his fundamentals-based percussion curriculum: The Packet and has been an invited clinician at the 2015 Texas Bandmasters Association Convention, 2016 Midwest Clinic, 2017 Oklahoma Bandmasters Association Convention, 2017 Texas Music Educators Association Convention, 2018 TMEA Convention, 2019 Indiana MEA Convention, 2019 Colorado MEA Convention and the 2020 TMEA 100th Convention. Mr. Chapple graduated Cum Laude from Northern Illinois University and is a member of TBA, TMEA, PAS, NAfME and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He is sponsored by the Vic Firth Company,Ludwig-Musser Percussion, Conn-Selmer, Inc., Remo Inc. and Zildjian. He is the president and founder of FECIV Publications as well as the The Hand-To-Hand Project (a 501c3 non-profit percussion organization).

He currently lives in Fort Worth with his beautiful wife Anna and their four children and three dogs.