our directors
Mr. Jeff GorRing
Head Band Director
Jeff Gorring joined the College Park HS Band Staff in 2008. He has been the Head Band Director since 2017. His responsibilities include directing the Cavalier Marching Band, conducting the Wind Ensemble and Concert Band 1 & 3 and co-teaches Concert 2 the Symphonic Band.
Mr. Gorring is a tuba player and a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and Sam Houston State University.
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Mr. Gorring is in his 20th year of education spending the last 17 in Texas. He graduated with his undergraduate degree in Music Education from Eastern Michigan University and then taught in the Fruitport School District in Fruitport, Michigan. During his three years there, he taught high school, assisted at the middle school, and taught general music to 5th graders every day.
In 2007, Mr. Gorring moved to Texas and started out at Magnolia High School as an assistant band director with responsibilities involving the marching band and the 3rd concert ensemble. After one year in Magnolia, Mr. Gorring started at College Park High School in 2008 as the assistant and is currently in his 16th year at College Park. As an assistant to Charlotte Royall for 9 years, he had responsibilities as the visual marching instructor for the marching band, taught 2 concert ensembles, and also taught level music theory class. In 2016, Mr. Gorring finished his Masters degree with a concentration in conducting at Sam Houston State University under Dr. Matthew McInturf.
In 2017, Mr. Gorring was named the head director for College Park. Under his direction, the College Park Marching Band has placed in the finals at regional marching contests, has been a UIL Area marching finalist and UIL Area Champion, and has been a UIL State Marching Participant 3 times.
Mr. Gorring currently teaches Concert 3, Concert 1, and Wind Ensemble and co-teaches Concert 2 and Symphonic Band.
The College Park concert ensemble have been UIL Sweepstakes Award winners ever since the school opens its doors in 2005. Under Mr. Gorring’s baton, the Wind Ensemble performed at a Music For All National Concert Band Festival featured performer in 2019, and has been named a National Winner in 2022 & 2023 in the Mark of Excellence/National Wind Band Honors Project.
Additionally, the College Park Wind Ensemble placed 7th in the state in the TMEA Honor 6A Honor Band process in 2018 and placed 5th in the State in the 2022.
Mr. Gorring was active in DCI marching with Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps and teaching at Southwind, Santa Clara Vanguard, and the Blue Stars.
Mr. Gorring has had a lot of people who have been influential in his teaching career with his main influences coming from Charlotte Royall, Matthew McInturf, and Rob Savala.
Mr. Gorring lives in Conroe, TX with his wife Becky, beautiful daughter Abby, and two cats - Big Kitty and Max who equally dislike him the same amount.
Mr. Aaron Owens
Assistant Band Director
Aaron Owens joined the College Park HS Band Staff in 2023. His responsibilities include assisting with the marching band, directing the Symphonic Band and assisting with the Wind Ensemble and Concert Band.
Mr. Owens is a horn player and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.
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Aaron Owens joined the College Park HS Band Staff in 2023. His responsibilities include assisting with the marching band, directing the symphonic band and assisting with the Wind Ensemble.
Mr. Owens is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Music Studies - Instrumental Education Emphasis. While a student at UT, he performed with the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Graduate Brass Quintet, Horn Choir, Longhorn Marching Band, and more. He has performed with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, serving as a substitute for the 2022 season.
Mr. Owens has an extensive career with Drum and Bugle Corps, touring the country and sharing his love of the activity with the Bluecoats. In his four years marching, he received the silver medal in both 2019 and 2022. During his time with the Bluecoats, he served as the horn sergeant for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In 2022, he performed the role of "Lou" in the Bluecoats production "Riffs and Revelations". He has taught at Cedar Park High School and James Bowie High School as a marching technician, helping Cedar Park win the UIL State Championship in 2019 and 2021.
In his free time, Mr. Owens enjoys spending time outdoors playing all sorts of sports including football, baseball, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, golf, and many more. He also loves spending time with his family in Austin, including three dogs, two cats, and a herd of longhorn cattle.
Mr. Owens would like to thank all of his teachers from his time at Bailey Middle School and James Bowie High School. He would also like to show his gratitude for his horn Professor Patrick Hughes at UT as well as Dr. Amy Simmons and Dr. Robert A. Duke. Mr. Owens is very lucky to have spent his student teaching semester with the Cedar Valley Middle School program under Pete Alvarado, and the Cedar Ridge High School Band program under Daniel Musacchio, Arminda Velasquez, Greg Horner, and Rick Rodriguez.
Mr. Owens is excited to be a part of the College Park Band and can't wait to meet all of you!
Mr. Rob Savala
Percussion Director
Rob Savala joined the College Park HS Band Staff in 2012. His responsibilities include directing all aspects of the percussion program including the marching band, percussion ensembles and assisting with all concert ensembles.
Mr. Savala is a percussionist and a graduate of the University of Houston Moores School of Music.
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Rob Savala joined the CP Staff as Percussion Director in 2012. Since then, he has assisted in creating a thriving culture of Percussionist Students effectively known as the CP Percussion Studio. His students have gone on to study music in some of the finest institutions in the world such at the prestigious Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester, New York) and The Royal Academy of Music (London, England). In 2023, composer Zachary Cook, former CP Percussion Studio member, composed an orchestral worked which premiered in Europe under conductor Simeon Pironkov.
Mr. Savala studied violin in his upbringing at the Grammy nominated music magnet school, Parker Elementary (HISD). He and his family moved to Conroe ISD where he became a percussionist and later graduated from The Woodlands High School. Mr. Savala went on to study music at The Moores School of Music (University of Houston) where he was mentored by such educators as Dr. Blake Wilkins, David Bertman, and Tom Bennett earning his Music Ed. Degree in 2009.
Mr. Savala was hired that year to Vogel Intermediate where he and his percussionists premiered two of his compositions, “Life of The Samurai” and “2012: The Dawning of a New Era”. His 3rd composition, “Area S4” (for Cinematic Percussion Ensemble) was premiered at the 2013 Midwest Clinic International Band, Orchestral, and Music Conference in Chicago, Illinois.
Mr. Savala’s students are great supporters of the community assisting in grand openings for many local businesses, performed at various charitable events, and participate annually in Read for a Better Life. He is greatly appreciative to his students and their families, his past and present co-workers, friends, and family. He would like to give recognition to his biggest supporter of all, Erin Savala, his wife and best friend.
Mr. FERNANDO RODRIGUEZ
Color Guard Director
Fernando Rodriguez joined the College Park HS Band Staff in 2024 His responsibilities include directing all aspects of the color guard program including the marching band and the winter guard.
Mr. Rodriguez is looking forward to being the Color Guard Director at College Park High School where he hopes to assist today's performers in the refinement of their skills through love and passion for the color guard activity.
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Mr. Rodriguez began his color guard career as a member of the North Shore Senior High School Color Guard in Houston, Texas.
In 2011, he continued to pursue his love for color guard as a member of the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps for 3 seasons and with the Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps for their 2014 season. Aside from drum corps, Mr. Rodriguez has also performed during the winter guard season with 8 time Independent World Class Finalist, Cypress Independent in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
In 2015, he began to share his love for the activity as an educator for several high school, independent, and drum corps color guard programs throughout the country. Also in 2015 he became the color guard director at Clear Brook High School where he is a six time Texas Color Guard Circuit State Champion and the 2023 WGI World Championships A Class Silver Medalist.
During the winter seasons of 2015 - 2019, Mr. Rodriguez served on staff for his alma mater, Cypress Independent.
In 2018 and 2019 he has served on the color guard staff for the Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps. In 2020 he transitioned to be and is currently the Color Guard Caption Head at the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps.
Mr. Rodriguez is now looking forward to being the Color Guard Director at College Park High School where he hopes to assist today's performers in the refinement of their skills through love and passion for the color guard activity.