Mr. Lira serves as the Head Band Director and Electives Department Chair at McCormick Middle School, where he leads the Wind Ensemble and teaches beginner woodwind classes, including flute, oboe, bassoon, and clarinet. With over 16 years of experience in music education, Mr. Lira has a proven track record of excellence, having consistently guided ensembles to earn the prestigious UIL Sweepstakes Award in Concert and Sight Reading Evaluations at both the middle and high school levels.

Under his direction, bands have regularly received superior ratings and Best in Class honors at numerous festivals. Most notably, in 2023, the McCormick Middle School Wind Ensemble was named a National Winner in the Foundation for Music Education’s Mark of Excellence competition. That same year, Mr. Lira was awarded the Hays CISD Superintendent’s Coin of Excellence. In 2022, he was recognized as McCormick Middle School’s Teacher of the Year.

Prior to his tenure at McCormick, Mr. Lira was the Assistant Band Director at Trautmann Middle School in Laredo, Texas, where he conducted the Symphonic Band and taught beginner woodwind classes. During his time there, he played a key role in supporting the Honors Band, under the direction of Jorge Garcia, in earning TMEA CCC Honor Band Finalist recognition across three consecutive audition cycles. His students regularly achieved top chair placements at TMEA Region 14 Middle School Band Auditions. He has also held teaching positions in Spring Branch ISD and Leander ISD.

Mr. Lira earned both his Bachelor of Music (magna cum laude) and Master of Music degrees from Texas State University–San Marcos. As an undergraduate, he served as Principal Clarinetist for the Texas State Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra for four consecutive years and was Clarinet Section Leader of the Bobcat Marching Band. He currently performs as Principal Clarinetist with the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mr. Lira maintains active professional memberships with the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Alpha Chi, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Phi Kappa Phi.

Ms. Hernandez is excited to enter her first year at McCormick Middle School and her fourth year of teaching. She will be teaching beginner trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba classes and will conduct the Symphonic Band.

Ms. Hernandez previously served for three years as the Assistant Band Director at Sugar Land Middle School in Fort Bend ISD, where the bands consistently received Superior Ratings at UIL Concert & Sight-Reading. Ms. Hernandez conducted the Symphonic Band, and as the brass specialist for the program, taught the beginner brass classes.

Ms. Hernandez is a summa cum laude graduate of Texas State University, where she received her Bachelor of Music in Music Studies. During her time at Texas State, Ms. Hernandez studied French Horn with Dr. Caroline Steiger and performed in many musical ensembles. She played in the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Winds, TXST Horn Ensemble, and the Rising Star Brass Quintet. Ms. Hernandez also served as Drum Major and Mellophone Section Leader in the Bobcat Marching Band. In the spring of 2022, Ms. Hernandez had the privilege of student teaching in Hays CISD at McCormick Middle School with Mr. Lira and Pfluger Elementary School with Ms. Wilson.

When she is not teaching band, Ms. Hernandez enjoys cooking, staying active, collecting Pokemon cards, and taking her two chihuahuas everywhere she goes.  

Mr. Lord serves as an Assistant Band Director at McCormick Middle School. His responsibilities include teaching beginner saxophone, baritone, and percussion classes. He also conducts the Concert Band. 

Mr. Lord is an active educator and percussionist outside of Austin, Tx. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education at Furman University in 2019, and a Master’s degree in Music and Human Learning from the University of Texas at Austin in 2021. Mr. Lord has extensive DCI and WGI experience, having performed with multiple world class groups, including Carolina Crown and Atlanta Quest. His previous teachers include Robert Duke, Omar Carmenates, Leslie Hicken, Jim Ancona, Thom Hannum, and Justin Watt.

Mr. Lord’s teaching experience includes several schools in the South Carolina Upstate, including Traveler’s Rest High School, Wade Hampton High School, and TL Hanna High School. In Texas, he has worked with the McNeil and Westwood High School bands in Round Rock. Mr. Lord has recently completed his 4th year at McCormick Middle School, where he conducted the Symphonic band for their first Sweepstakes award in the school’s history in 2023, and the second in 2025. He also conducted the Concert Band for its inaugural year, earning a superior concert performance at UIL. 

Mr. Lord serves as the percussion specialist for MMS, where he leads all matters related to percussion instruction, including the establishment of the school’s first percussion ensemble and drumline. In addition to his duties at MMS, he assists the Moe and Gene Johnson High School marching band as the lead front ensemble instructor and supervisor. Mr. Lord is proud to be sponsored by Vic Firth as a percussion education specialist. 

Outside of school, Mr. Lord enjoys cooking, traveling, reading, and spending time out on water. He enjoys dog sitting for friends and family, and can often be found sitting outside enjoying a variety of coffees. He currently sponsors the school’s summer educational tours, with their most recent trip being to Washington DC and New York City.