COA Brass & Percussion Faculty
David Amlung is the Chair of the Department of Music and Associate Professor of Music – High Brass at McMurry University. He also serves as Adjunct Professor of Trumpet at both Abilene Christian University and Hardin-Simmons University. Amlung previously held faculty positions at Middle Tennessee State University and Indiana State University and was an Associate Instructor of Trumpet at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music for two years. He is a dedicated teacher and has maintained extensive private studios in the Oklahoma City (OK), Cincinnati (OH), Bloomington (IN), and Nashville (TN) areas.
Amlung regularly performs with orchestras throughout the U.S. and has performed with the Oklahoma City and Columbus (IN) Philharmonic Orchestras, the Huntsville (AL), Richmond (IN), Danville (IL), Jackson (TN), Columbus (IN), Hamilton-Fairfield (OH) Symphony Orchestras, as well as the IU Festival Orchestra and Bloomington Camerata Orchestra. He has played under the baton of esteemed conductors David Robertson, Giancarlo Guerrero, Mario Venzago, Joel Levine, Otto-Werner Mueller, Gregory Vajda, David Hayes, Joseph Colaneri, Paul Nadler, and David Effron.
An active chamber musician and recitalist, Amlung has appeared in solo and chamber situations throughout the U.S. Performance venues have included Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall (New York City), Symphony Space (New York City), Civic Center Music Hall (Oklahoma City), Von Braun Center (Huntsville, AL) and also the Capital University Conservatory of Music, Texas Christian University, the University of Denver, Georgia State University, Austin Peay State University, the University of Memphis, Bard College, Murray State University, Belmont University, Wichita State University, Middle Tennessee State University, Indiana State University, Indiana University, Mannes College the New School for Music, and the University of Oklahoma.
He has competed numerous times in the National Trumpet Competition in both the Solo and Ensemble divisions. He was an Honorable Mention Finalist in the Undergraduate Division of the 2003 competition and was a member of the 2nd and 3rd place award winning University of Oklahoma Trumpet Ensemble at the 2003 and 2004 competitions, respectively. He was also a Semi-Finalist in the Solo Divisions in 2002, 2004, and 2007.
Amlung received his Doctor of Music degree in Brass Pedagogy from the Jacob's School of Music at Indiana University. He received his Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from Mannes College the New School for Music and a Bachelor of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from the School of Music at the University of Oklahoma. His primary teachers have included John Rommel, Vincent Penzarella, Karl Sievers, and William Adam.
Dr. Jennifer Schroeder joined Abilene Christian University full time in 2022 as Summit Director for the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry, the director for the Center for Women in Christian Ministry, and an instructor for the Department of Bible, Missions, and Ministry after having taught as adjunct faculty since 2019. While she has spent many years in full time ministry, she also remains an active teacher and performer, and it is through her interdisciplinary background that she is able to bring the world of music and ministry into collaboration with each other.
Dr. Schroeder has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in horn performance from the University of North Texas and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree, also in horn performance, from Michigan State University. She earned a Master of Science in Family Life Education from Lubbock Christian University, a Master of Divinity Equivalency from Abilene Christian University, and will graduate with her Doctor of Ministry degree from Abilene Christian University in December.
She teaches applied horn lessons for majors and non-majors at Abilene Christian University as well as courses in children and family ministry. Throughout her time in Texas, Michigan, and Georgia, Dr. Schroeder has performed with many of the local symphonies and chamber ensembles while working in full-time ministry. She can also be heard on several Klavier Wind Project and GIA Windworks recordings such as Wind Dances, Dreamcatchers, and Deja View. Additionally, she has written, arranged, and directed musicals for churches. Dr. Schroeder is an active writer and presenter in the areas of both ministry and music and was honored to present a session entitled “Using Music to Welcome God” at Lipscomb University’s Summer Celebration.
Patrick Thomas joined the Abilene Christian University faculty as Adjunct Professor of Horn in 2023. An active performer, he has played with the Abilene Philharmonic as 2nd horn since 2008. Patrick is also fortunate to be a regular performer with the Waco Symphony, Amarillo Symphony, and West Texas Symphony in Midland-Odessa. In addition to his classical horn training, he also enjoys playing piano, composing, and audio engineering.
A native Texan and son of two opera singers, Patrick grew up in the DFW metroplex and studied with Karen Houghton.
After high school, he continued his education at the Eastman School of Music. Additionally, Patrick gained valuable experience as an attendee of numerous international and regional horn symposiums, as well the Aspen Music Festival, Monteux School and Music Festival, American Horn Quartet Seminar, and Summer Brass Institute. His most influential horn instructors include Mark Houghton, Eli Epstein, Julie Landsman, David Wakefield, Phil Munds, and Jeff Powers.
Robert Lee Tucker has a Bachelor of Music from Hardin-Simmons University, a Master of Music from University of Cincinnati, a Doctor of Philosophy from Texas Tech University, and a Master of Business Administration from Howard Payne University. An original member of the Texas Baptist All-State Choir, many years later he had the fortune of directing the band for that organization. Prior to accepting the position of Director of Bands at Howard Payne University, Tucker taught horn and music education at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He then taught public schools in the award-winning Stanton Band program in Stanton, Texas. While at Hardin-Simmons as a student he played in the band, Cowboy Band, sang in the choir, performed with the Abilene Philharmonic and the college orchestra.
At Howard Payne University, after serving as Director of Bands, he became the Dean of Fine Arts where he completed 18 years before accepting the position as Dean of the College of Fine Arts at Hardin-Simmons University. His wide range of interests and experience has resulted in published articles, speaking engagements, published compositions, commissions, and opportunities for overseas travel and teaching. His recent book “Like a Crown: Adventures in Autism” is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble and discusses the joys and challenges of raising an autistic child. With over 200 compositions and arrangements to his name, he continues to compose, play jazz and rock piano, conduct, lead music theatre productions, play French Horn, and have speaking engagements on a wide variety of topics including autism, book collecting, church music, and history. He has performed with the Richmond Symphony, Cincinnati Chamber Symphony, El Paso Symphony, Midland-Odessa Symphony, San Angelo Symphony, Lake Charles Symphony, Rapides Symphony, and the Abilene Philharmonic. As a conductor, he has directed 15 Messiah performances, 10 musicals, and performed over 100 clinics in area schools and served as President of the Texas Association of Music Schools. He completed an MBA in 2013 and is now pursuing the Doctor of Business Administration from Grand Canyon University.
Dr. Jeff Cottrell is an active performer, teacher and award-winning composer. He currently teaches at Hardin Simmons, McMurry and Abilene Christian Universities.
Dr. Cottrell performs on tuba with the Key City Brass Quintet and trombone with the “oldies” rock band Johnny D and the Doo-Wops. He also plays trombone for the local dance band Fanfare, lead trombone for the West Texas Jazz Orchestra, and trombone and euphonium with the San Angelo based combo Jazz Concho.
Jeff's first love is composing and arranging. He has numerous published works that have been performed around the world in various venues. His compositions include works for choir, orchestra, concert band, jazz band, brass quintet, trombone ensemble, and tuba-euphonium ensemble. In 2006 he was honored with The International Tuba-Euphonium Association’s Harvey Phillips Award for Composition Excellence for euphonium featured in jazz/rock/fusion, and in 2013 his tuba-euphonium composition Tuba Loca was recorded for the CD release of Spainphonic by the internationally known Spanish euphonium artist Juan Jose Munera. Recently he was honored as the Texas Music Teachers Association Commissioned Composer for 2015.
Dr. Allen Teel joined the Abilene Christian University music faculty in 1985 and currently serves as professor of percussion and world music. He is an active performer, serving as principal timpanist with the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra and playing in numerous venues as a percussionist in orchestral, chamber music, musical theater, jazz, and world music settings. Teel performed as co-soloist with Robert Van Sice on the world premiere of Martin Bresnick's Grace: Concerto for Two Marimbas and Orchestra with the Abilene Philharmonic, and was a featured soloist with the Taegu (South Korea) Philharmonic Orchestra. He has performed and presented clinics at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), the Texas Music Educators Association Convention (TMEA), and the Texas Bandmasters Association Convention. Additionally, Dr. Teel has presented papers, lecture performances, and panel discussions at PASIC, the College Music Society southwest regional conference, and the Texas Tech University Symposium on World Music.
As a member of the ACU music faculty, Teel teaches applied percussion lessons for majors and non-majors, directs the ACU Percussion Ensemble and Steeldrum Band, teaches percussion methods courses, and works with percussionists in the marching band, wind ensemble, and concert band. Under his direction, the ACU Percussion Ensemble and Steelband has performed at the annual TMEA convention and PASIC. The ACU Steelband’s performance at TMEA in February, 2020 featured the world premiere of C.J. Menge’s On the Horizon, which was commissioned by the group.
Dr. Teel also teaches courses in world music and serves as the director of the instrumental division. He is a graduate of West Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Georgia. In 2020, he received the Career Achievement Award for the ACU College of Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Juan (Johnny) Mendoza is currently Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas. As a member of Sympatico Percussion Group, Johnny regularly tours the United States, including performances at the University of South Carolina’s Southern Exposure New Music Series, the Logan Chamber Music Series in Utah, and PASIC 2021. A champion of contemporary percussion and chamber music repertoire, Johnny has worked with such composers as John Fitz Rogers, David Lang, Russell Hartenberger, and Mark Duggan. Some of his recent concert engagements include performing with MAD, his trumpet and percussion duo with Dr. David Amlung, for the McMurry New Music Project and the Heavenly Rest Chamber Music Series. Johnny has appeared as a soloist with the McMurry University Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall in 2018, and has performed on series concerts when needed with the Abilene Philharmonic, Newark-Granville Symphony, Mid-Texas Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, and others.
A highly in demand clinician, Johnny has presented at universities and high schools on a variety of topics, including commissioning new music, implementing musicianship, multi-disciplinary collaborations, effective practice techniques, and community engagement through music. Johnny has presented clinics at the Texas Bandmasters Association Convention, and in 2018 selected the Texas All-State Percussion contest repertoire. He frequently adjudicates Solo/Ensemble contests and marching festivals in Texas, and often works with various high school groups in preparation for their contest seasons. Johnny’s research interests include muscle memory consolidation for percussionists, as well as the music of composer Daniel Levitan, the subject of his DMA document, “Daniel Levitan: An Examination of Select Unpitched Percussion Chamber Works.”
Johnny received his Bachelor of Music Degree in percussion performance from the University of Texas – San Antonio, a Master of Music Degree from Belmont University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from The Ohio State University. His primary teachers include Susan Powell, Joseph Krygier, Christopher Norton, and Sherry Rubins. Prior to his appointment at McMurry University, Johnny served on the faculties of Ohio Wesleyan University and Ohio Christian University, respectively. Additionally, he is also currently on faculty at both Hardin-Simmons University and Howard Payne University. Johnny is a proud endorser of Malletech mallets and instruments.