Nathaniel Neugent

Nathaniel Neugent is beginning his first year as the Director of Bands at Rock Hill High School. His responsibilities at Rock Hill include directing the Marching Band, conducting the Wind Symphony, and assisting Mr. Alvarado with the Symphonic Band and Concert Winds. He works closely with Mr. Retschulte and Mr. Arvin to coordinate all other aspects of the program.

Prior to his appointment at Rock Hill, Mr. Neugent served as the Director of Bands at T.A. Howard Middle School in Mansfield ISD for 13 years. Under his direction, the Howard Honor Band has been a six-time CCC TMEA State Honor Band finalist placing in the top seven each time with their highest placement as First Runner-Up in 2018 and Second Runner-Up in 2020. They have been awarded the Mark of Excellence National Wind Bands Honors for nine years. They have had 25 or more students place in both the Mansfield All-District and Region 5 All-Region Band every year with the highest placement being 54 students. Mr. Neugent has continued the long tradition of UIL Sweepstakes Awards with the T.A. Howard Honor and Symphonic Bands earning First Division ratings 12 years in a row. In addition, the T.A. Howard Concert Band is one of just a few Sub Non-Varsity middle school bands statewide to receive multiple Sweepstakes trophies. The Howard Honor Band was also invited to perform at the 2017 Midwest International Clinic. In 2019, the Howard Middle School Band was the only recipient that year of the Sudler Silver Cup presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation for sustained excellence among middle school band programs.

Prior to T.A. Howard Middle School, Mr. Neugent served as Director of Bands at Creekview High School in Carrollton, TX. While at Creekview, his bands consistently earned superior ratings in UIL competition. The Creekview Wind Symphony was named Grand Champion of Musicfest Orlando, South Coast Music Festival, and Performing Arts Consultants, St. Louis. The Mustang Marching Band advanced to the AAAAA State Marching Contest twice, in both 2002 and 2004. They were also Bands of America Regional and Super-Regional Finalists in Houston, Arlington, and San Antonio.

Nathaniel Neugent and his family

Mr. Neugent began his career in Lewisville ISD as the assistant director at Lakeview Middle School in The Colony, where he benefited from the mentorship of Clay Paul and Dick Clardy. Mr. Neugent is a native Texan, having begun his musical training under Joe Gunn at Harwood Junior High and his father, Tom Neugent at Trinity High School in the HEB school district. He received his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in music education from the University of North Texas under the guidance of Eugene Corporon, Dennis Fisher, and Royce Lumpkin. As an undergraduate, he also taught trombone lessons and served as a marching tech for the L.D. Bell Band under the mentorship of his then future in-laws Joseph & Catherine Grzybowski.

Mr. Neugent is an active clinician, adjudicator, and drill writer throughout Texas. He has served on the staff at the TAMU-Commerce Leadership Camp with Frank Troyka. Mr. Neugent’s affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Phi Bet Mu International.

Nathaniel enjoys spending time with his wife, Nicki, Assistant Band at the new Rushing Middle School in Prosper, and his 20-year-old son, Connor, senior Music Education Major at Oklahoma State University and 3rd-year member of Carolina Crown Brass. He enjoys weightlifting every day, traveling, eating and cooking modernist cuisine, listening to sports radio, and complex science fiction. His family’s love of all things Disney led him to recently become a certified Disney Destination travel consultant with Off to Neverland Travel®.