MRS. CRISTINA DAVIDSON

Cristina Davidson is in her seventh year at Wiley Middle School. Ms. Barrera has previously served as the Assistant Band Director at Angleton Junior High in Angleton, Texas. She started her teaching career as the Assistant Band Director at Bammel Middle School in Spring,Texas. Her bands have been consistent sweepstakes winners at UIL Concert and Sightreading contests.

Prior to the start of her teaching career, Mrs. Davidson graduated Summa Cum Laude with Honors and received her undergraduate degree in Music Education from Sam Houston State University. As a student at Sam Houston, Ms. Davidson played clarinet with the Bearkat Marching Band, the Symphonic Band, the Wind Ensemble (where she also played bass clarinet and Eb clarinet), the Evergreen Clarinet Quartet, and other various small chamber groups. She was a member of the Wind Ensemble for their TMEA concert where Dr. Ralph Lee Mills, Professor of Music and Director of Bands Emeritus at Sam Houston State University, was a guest conductor. 

Mrs. Davidson is from Houston, TX but now resides in Austin, TX. Besides teaching music, she also enjoys watching movies, watching and cheering on the Houston Astros Baseball team, reading books, and just got married in the Summer of 2023!

MRS. RACHEL JOHNSTONE

Rachel Johnstone is currently in her eleventh year of band directing and is in her third year at Wiley Middle School. Mrs. Johnstone teaches the Concert Band, the beginner flute, clarinet, oboe, and bassoon classes, and assists with the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band.

Mrs. Johnstone previous served as an assistant director at Henry Middle School in Leander ISD from 2010 - 2013 and 2014 - 2018, and was the associate director at at T.A. Howard Middle School in Mansfield ISD in 2013 before returning to Henry Middle School in the fall of 2014 . During her time at both Howard Middle School and Henry Middle School, her bands received UIL Sweepstakes ratings each year and Best in Class honors at various festivals. She guest conducted the Henry Middle School Honors Band at their TMEA CCC Honor Band Performance in 2018, their Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic performance in 2010 and 2016, and at the Trombone Ensemble’s Midwest performance in 2012. In addition to those performances, The Henry Middle School Band was also awarded the prestigious John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Silver Cup in 2011, and was named the TMEA 2014 and 2018 CCC Honor Band in the summer of 2013 and 2017. 

In 2008, Mrs. Johnstone earned a Bachelor’s degree in Clarinet Performance from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. While at Northwestern, she performed in the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Contemporary Music Ensemble and the Symphonic Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Mallory Thompson. Mrs. Johnstone has studied clarinet under Mary Schani, Leslie Grimm, Russell Dagon, Steve Cohen, and Lawrie Bloom.

Mrs. Johnstone’s professional memberships include the Texas Music Educator’s Association and the Texas Bandmaster’s Association. She is also the director of Central Texas Clarinet Camps.

Mrs. Johnstone lives in the Austin area with her husband, Ryan, who is Director of Bands at Rouse High School, and their two chiweenies, Rosie and Sophie.

MR. JAMES SPARLING

Mr. Sparling is currently in his third year as Director of Percussion for Rouse High School and Wiley Middle School.

Mr. Sparling received his degree in Music Education with a minor in Architecture at Miami University. He was heavily involved in the world music ensemble, Global Rhythms, where he served as Percussion Coordinator and Arranger (2004-2006). This ensemble led him to perform across the globe and work with Grammy winners Glen Velez and Jamal Mohammed, Ghatam Khartick's heARTbeat, Musafir, Jeff Queen, Michael Burritt, Anthony Cirone, A.R. Rahman, Nelly Furtado, and Lenny Kravitz. He was a featured clinician at the 2012 North Alabama Day of Percussion, the 2016 Illinois PAS Day of Percussion, and the 2019 North Carolina Percussion Symposium.

Mr. Sparling served as Director of Percussion at Bellbrook HS/MS (2007-2008), Assistant Band Director at Baker MS/Fairborn HS (2010-2011), Director of Percussion at Kettering Fairmont HS (2009-2013), Director of Percussion at Seminole HS (2013), Director of Percussion at Plymouth-Canton Educational Park (2014-2019) and Percussion Specialist in the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools District (2020-2022). He was also the 2020-2021 Vice President of Percussion & Winds for the Michigan Color Guard Circuit and is a founding member and current Operations Manager of the Michigan Alliance for Performing Arts, a non-profit organization that serves Percussion & Winds ensembles across Michigan.

Mr. Sparling marched tenors with Trinity Indoor Percussion Ensemble (2000), Music City Mystique (2001, WGI World Champions), Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps (2001), Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps (2002), and Rhythm X (2003-2004).

He served on the percussion staff for the Glassmen (2003), the Madison Scouts (2004-2006), the Carolina Crown (2007-2008), the Cadets (2009-2011), and RhythmX (2005-2013). He served as the visual designer for Madison Independent (2011), Eastside Fury (2011-2013), as the Caption Head/Arranger for Infinity Percussion (2014-2018) and Redline Percussion (2015-2018), and Program Coordinator for Alchemy Independent (2019). Most recently he worked with the Madison Scouts as the Caption Head/ Arranger (2012-2014) and Percussion Director/Arranger (2015-2018).

Mr. Sparling currently works with Spirit Winter Percussion as the Visual Designer (2006- present), Cap City Percussion as a Designer/World Battery Caption Head (2019-present), and the Phantom Regiment as the Ensemble Specialist (2019) and Battery Coordinator (2020-present). He is proudly endorsed by Pearl Drums/Adams, REMO Drumheads, TreeWorks Chimes, Vic Firth Drumsticks and Mallets, and Zildjian Cymbals.