Faculty
Dave Schmuck
Director of Bands
Mr. David Schmuck comes to Irving from Richardson High School where he served as the Associate Director of Bands for 12 years. While at Richardson, his responsibilities included conducting the Symphonic Winds Non-Varsity Band (earning consistent superior ratings at UIL Concert and Sight Reading), the Jazz Band, overseeing all marching percussion and electronics for the Golden Eagle Band, teaching all percussion 6th through 8th grade, and co-teaching the high school percussion. The Richardson High School Band most recently performed at the Music For All National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana in the spring of 2024 and was the Grand Champions at the US Bands Southwest Regional at AT&T Stadium in the fall of 2023.
Prior to his time at Richardson, Mr. Schmuck lived in the Chicago area where he worked as a percussion instructor, private teacher, music arranger, clinician, and adjudicator. He worked on the educational staff of the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps, with the corps earning World Champion titles in 2001 and 2002. He also worked with the percussion sections for the University of Illinois Marching Illini and the Northern Illinois University Marching Huskies. Dave spent 11 years teaching percussion at Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect, Illinois where the band regularly placed in the top four at Bands Of America Regionals, finalists at the State Marching Contest and performed in the Macy’s Day Parade. Mr. Schmuck was the founding director and a performer of the Chicago Bears Drumline, and was also a founding performing member of the Chicago Bulls Drumline.
Mr. Schmuck is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois where he received his Bachelor of Music Education.
Mr. Schmuck lives in Richardson, Texas with his wife Sydney, who is also a band director, their son Jonah, and a sizable pack of cats and dogs. He is excited to be a part of Irving ISD and the MacArthur High School fine arts team!
John Macoy
Associate Director of Bands
John Macoy is currently in his first year as Associate Band Director at MacArthur High School. He conducts the Symphonic Band, co-directs the Jazz Band, and assists with the Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, and Concert Band.
Prior to MacArthur, Mr. Macoy was an Assistant Band Director at Kaufman ISD for three years. During his time in Kaufman, his bands earned consistent UIL sweepstakes awards. In 2022, the Kaufman Lion Band qualified for the UIL State Marching Band Contest, their first appearance in over a decade. That same year, the all-region junior high and jazz bands had more students from Kaufman than any other school.
Mr. Macoy grew up in Canton, TX, and graduated from Canton High School in 2016. He then attended Tyler Junior College, where he served as President of the Zeta Xi chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Texas A&M University - Commerce. During his time at TAMUC, he served as principal saxophone in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble 1, Saxophone Quartet and Choir, and the “Pride” Marching Band. He studied saxophone with Dr. Steven Meier and Dr. Chris Beaty, and conducting with Phillip Clements.
His professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, Young Band Directors of Texas, Texas Jazz Educators Association, and the Jazz Education Network. When he’s not teaching, he enjoys video games, music editing, and working on computers.
Mr. Macoy is thrilled to be joining Irving ISD and the MacArthur Band Family!
JoE Aguilar
Director of Percussion Studies
Jose Luis Aguilar III is a percussionist based out of the greater Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex that specializes in contemporary percussion solo literature, chamber music, standard orchestral repertoire, and marching percussion. Jose recently completed his Master of Music- Performance degree at the University Texas at Austin where he studied with Dr. Thomas Burritt and Tony Edwards. At UT, Jose has performed with the University of Texas Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, and Percussion Ensemble which was selected as the winner of the 2020 PASIC International Percussion Ensemble Competition.
Before arriving at the Butler School of Music, Jose received a Bachelor of Music degree with an All-Level Certification from Texas A&M International University in Laredo,Tx. His teachers at TAMIU include Dr. Lorraine Dinkel, Dr. James Moyer, and Dr. Mark Boseman. Jose was a part of the TAMIU Percussion Ensemble that was selected to perform a concert at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in 2017 and the PAS Valley Day of Percussion in 2018.
As a pageantry performer, Jose has been involved with several DCI/WGI groups that include the Genesis Drum & Bugle Corps (2015-2016), Monarch Independent (2017), and the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps (2017). In the classical world, Jose won a Section Percussion position with the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra and has subbed as Principal Timpanist since 2015. Jose has taught numerous programs in the Laredo and Austin area most notably with United Middle School, Clark Middle School, John B. Alexander High School, and Leander High School. Jose maintained an active private lesson studio with students from multiple schools in the Austin area from 2019-2021.
In the spring of 2018, Jose competed in the 5th Annual UTRGV Marimba Festival and placed 3rd in the Collegiate division. Later that summer, Jose was selected to be a part of the Chosen Vale Percussion Seminar where he took lessons with Michael Burritt, Doug Perkins, Nancy Zeltsman, Colin Currie, and Cynthia Yeh and performed in masterclass and concerts.
Morgan Frith
Colorguard Director
Morgan Frith has been involved in the color guard community for 9 years. While a part of her high school’s varsity color guard team, Morgan marched at Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps in 2018 and Music City Drum and Bugle Corps in 2019. After graduating, Morgan helped establish an independent team known as TCA Independent in Louisiana. The organization has remained state champions since 2020.
Morgan was recently involved in Ménage’s first year as a group competing in WGI, the independent open class group for Mirage Performance Ensemble. Ménage ended their first season with the bronze medal at WGI world finals in independent open class.
Morgan has designed, choreographed, and taught at many different programs such as Ouachita High School, Sterlington High School, Sterlington Middle School, Neville High School, TCA Independent, University of Louisiana at Monroe, University of Arkansas at Monticello, Boswell High School, and now MacArthur High School.