Head Band Director at Lovejoy High School

Marty Ball is Director of Bands at Lovejoy High School in Lovejoy ISD.  20242025 will be her 29th year as a Band Director in the state of Texas and her 8th year teaching in Lovejoy ISD.  She also serves as Lovejoy Fine Arts Specialist.

Ms. Ball was previously Director of Bands at Willow Springs Middle School, Associate Director of Bands of the Liberty High School Band and Director of Bands at Cobb Middle School in Frisco ISD.  Prior to her time in Frisco, she was Director of Bands at Schimelpfenig Middle School in Plano ISD, Clint Small Middle School and Martin Jr. High School, both in Austin ISD. Bands under her direction have consistently received Sweepstakes Awards at UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contest, won top ratings at local and national festivals, received the National Wind Band Honors Award, and her bands at Schimelpfenig Middle School placed in the top ten of the Texas State Honor Band Competition in Class CC on more than one occasion.  Ms. Ball received her academic training at New Mexico State University, Robert Goddard High School in Roswell, NM, and Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, TX.  She has studied flute with Dr. Lisa Garner-Santa, James Pellerite and James Walker.  Ms. Ball studied conducting with Dr. William Clark and continues to attend conducting seminars and workshops.

Her professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association and Phi Beta Mu Music Fraternity.  She has served as the TMEA Region 25 Middle School Region Band Chair.  Ms. Ball is an active clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor in the state of Texas.  She enjoys spending time with her two wonderful children, Emma (a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin and oboist) and Michael (LHS 10th grade student and horn player).

Associate Director

We are excited to introduce Mr. Tyler Harris as the new LHS Assistant Band Director!  Mr. Harris will be the Director of the LHS Wind Ensemble, assist with the LHS Marching Band and with all aspects of the Lovejoy Band.

This will be Mr. Harris’ fourth year teaching.  He was previously an Assistant Band Director at J.J. Pearce High School, in Richardson, Texas, where he taught the Concert Band, assisted with the Marching Band and taught beginners. 

Mr. Harris graduated from Texas Tech University where he received his Bachelor of Music Education degree and studied Euphonium with Dr. Kevin Wass. At Texas Tech, Mr. Harris was a member of the Symphonic Band, Goin’ Band, and TTU Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble, performing at venues such as TMEA, CBDNA, and ITEC. Mr. Harris was also a guest performer, bass trumpeter, for a TTU National Trumpet Competition ensemble. During his last two years, Mr. Harris served as the Euphonium section leader for the Goin’ Band from Raiderland.

Outside of Texas Tech, Mr. Harris spent three summers performing in Drum Corps International. In 2016 he marched with the Troopers and in 2018 and 2019 he was a member with the Crossmen. Mr. Harris’s professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association and the International Tuba Euphonium Association. 

Mr. Harris and his wife, Kaitlyn, currently reside in Carrollton. 

Matt Joslin starts his first year as the Percussion Director of Lovejoy ISD in the fall of the 2023-2024 school year.  His responsibilities include directing classical and marching percussion ensembles, assisting with concert bands at Willow Springs Middle School and Lovejoy High School, and teaching the 6th grade beginning percussion class at Sloan Creek Intermediate School.

Prior to coming to Lovejoy, Mr. Joslin served the Heritage High School cluster in Frisco ISD for the 2022-2023 school year.  Mr. Joslin is also currently on the educational staff for the Casper Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps 2023 season as a snare technician, and in the past has also served the summer of 2022 and 2023 at the UNT Marching Percussion Camp, as a camp educator/counselor.

Mr. Joslin has performed several seasons in competitive drum and bugle corps, including the 2020-2021 seasons with the Santa Clara Vanguard Percussion Section.

An alumni of the University of North Texas, Mr. Joslin graduated summa cum laude from UNT in 2022 with his degree in music education.  During his time at North Texas, Mr. Joslin was the principal timpanist of the UNT Symphony Orchestra under the direction of David Itkin, as well as a percussionist in the  UNT Wind Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Andrew Trachsel.  Mr. Joslin was a member of several UNT Percussion Ensembles including the UNT Classical Percussion Ensembles as well as the 2 O’Clock Steel Band.  His mentors include Paul Rennick, Christopher Deane, Mark Ford, Stockton Helbing, Jose Aponte, Ed Smith, Drew Lang, and Poovalur Sriji.

Mr. Joslin enjoys performing with the Carrollton Wind Symphony, and enjoys hobbies such as long distance running, and hiking.  Mr. Joslin is a native of San Diego, California, and currently resides in Frisco, Texas.

Gloria Garcia began her color guard career at Wakeland High School in 2011 and has been following her passion for the activity ever since.

Prior to coming to Lovejoy High School, Ms. Garcia was the color guard director at Aubrey High School for four years.  She also worked with Lone Star High School as a technician for the winter and fall season (2021-2023).

Her WGI performance career includes CGT Fort Worth (2016-2017), CGT Denton (2018-2019), and CGT Dallas (2020).  She also marched with the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps from Casper, Wyoming in 2015 and 2017.

Ms. Garcia’s mission is to always provide a safe environment that encourages artistic and personal growth.  She is thrilled to join the staff at Lovejoy High School!

Head Band Director at Willow Springs Middle School

Bryce Whitling is in his 7th year in Lovejoy ISD and is the Head Band Director at Willow Springs Middle School. Mr. Whitling teaches the Lovejoy High School Jazz Ensemble, assists with the Symphonic and Concert Bands at Willow Springs as well as the beginning brass classes at Sloan Creek. Under his direction, the Willow Springs Symphonic Band has consistently received First Division ratings at UIL Concert and Sightreading and has received Best in Class awards at various festivals throughout the metroplex. Previously, Mr. Whitling taught at Haltom Middle School in Birdville ISD where he taught brass classes and the Symphonic Band.

Mr. Whitling grew up in Wylie, TX where he was a member of the first graduating class of Wylie East High School. He was a member of the TMEA All-State band and went on to attend Southern Methodist University where he studied trumpet under Tom Booth and performed with the Meadows Symphony Orchestra, Meadows Wind Ensemble and as lead trumpet with the Meadows Jazz Orchestra. While at SMU, Mr. Whitling had the opportunity to learn instrumental and band methods from Lynne Jackson and Brian Merrill.

Mr. Whitling currently resides in Richardson with his wife, Sarah, son, Wesley, and two dogs, T-Rex and Juniper. Sarah works as the Director of Stewardship and Development for The Storehouse in Plano.

Kaitlyn Harris is the Assistant Band Director at Willow Springs Middle School.  Mrs. Harris will teach our Symphonic Band and beginning band classes at Sloan Creek. Previously, Mrs. Harris taught private lessons to clarinet students in Lovejoy ISD, McKinney ISD, and the J.J. Pearce High School Cluster in Richardson. 

Mrs. Harris grew up in Lewisville, TX, graduated from Hebron High School, and went on to attend Texas Tech University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in music education. She currently resides in Carrollton with her husband, Tyler, their dog, Scout, and cat, Nova.

Mrs. Weaver is the Band Director at Sloan Creek Intermediate School. She is entering her 11th year teaching. Before joining our Lovejoy Band team, she taught in both McKinney and Irving ISD where she taught middle school band which includes beginning band classes and 7th and 8th grade band ensembles. Mrs. Weaver has always had a passion for beginning band students and is incredibly excited to take on her new role as the Sloan Creek Band Director! 

Mrs. Weaver is a clarinet player and graduate of Texas Tech University. She lives with her husband, their 1 year old daughter, and their dog.