Directors Information

Evan Lane

Head Director

Middle school is a time of life molding experiences that make a student begin to grow into who they are supposed to be. I will never forget walking into my middle school on the first day of sixth grade. Nerves coursed through my veins, sweat dripped down my forehead from walking to school in the heat of August, and a couple tears welled up in my eyes (can you tell I was a nervous child?). Walking through the halls of that middle school was overwhelming and scary to me, but the second I walked through the doors and into the choir room, I knew that I was home. The fears of middle school seemed to melt away because I knew I had a place where I belonged. Singing has a unique ability to bring human beings together. No matter the background of a person, singing music connects us in ways thought impossible. Creating beautiful sounds in harmony is an experience unmatched by anything. Music and singing transcends any written emotion and conveys feelings on all ends of the spectrum. I strive everyday to provide a safe and supportive environment for students so that my class may be the vessel of which these feelings and emotions can be conveyed. This is my sixth year of teaching and my sixth year at Tidwell! My wife is also a middle school choir director! She works as the head director at Keller Middle School in KISD. We have a sweet cat named Gracie, a Sheepadoodle named Nash, and a Golden Retriever named Breck. In my free time, I love to play video games, go on walks around our neighborhood, check out the newest restaurants in Fort Worth, and spend time with our good friends Mr. and Mrs. Stephens and Coach Weiss. I am a graduate of Texas Christian University, GO FROGS. In my time at TCU, I learned that education flourishes best when immersed in a community that is tightly knit in morals, goals, and respect. These principles guide my teaching on a daily basis. I take great joy in welcoming students into this beautiful community. Welcome home, Titans. It is going to be a great year. 




Marissa Stephens

Assistant Director

I believe that being in choir is a gift: to ourselves and to others. Like Mr. Lane, I realized that choir was home in the 6th grade. It was the third day of class, and I had a realization: “I want to do this for the rest of my life.” From that point forward, choir was where I felt the safest and most like myself. Through choir, I have made lifelong friends, traveled around the world, and most importantly, had the privilege over and over of bringing music to others. I work each day to bring the elements of service and community into my classes, all while exploring the never-ending world of music. I grew up in Fort Worth, attending Birdville school through 12th grade, after which I decided to move to Houston to study music at The University of Houston. After graduating in May of 2020, it felt like time to move home. This is my fourth year of teaching choir at Tidwell and I know it’s going to be a blast. Outside of school, I love to hang out with my husband, our cat Benny, and our precious Goldendoodle, Ranger! I love to read, cook, and explore Target. :) I am so excited to continue to grow our Titan Choir community! 



Michael Starr

Michael Starr is a born and raised Texan that has lived in the DFW area almost his whole life. After watching the sixth-grade choir perform during his elementary school showcase, he knew he wanted to join the middle school choir the subsequent year. Music became an incredibly important part of Mr. Starr's life all the way through high school, and it was during high school that he decided to make music his career and share music with the next generation. Mr. Starr went to the University of North Texas where he studied music under Dr. Napoles and Dr. Bubeck, and he graduated in spring of 2023 with a bachelors in music education. He is incredibly excited to get to meet each student this coming year and create amazing music with everyone along with Mr. Lane and Mrs. Stephens!