Kathy Johnson, a veteran of 37 years of teaching in Texas, is recently retired Director of Bands at Argyle High School, located thirty miles north of Dallas. While at Argyle, her responsibilities included directing the award winning high school Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and overseeing the entire instrumental music program in the semi-rural district.
Under her direction, the Argyle High School Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago in 2007. They were also selected as the Texas Music Educators Association 3A State Honor Band, earning the honor of performing at the TMEA Conference in 2009. Prior to coming to Argyle, she was a highly successful middle school director at McKamy Middle School in the Lewisville Independent School District where she also earned the honor of performing at the 2001 Midwest International Band and Orchestra Conference as well as performing at the Texas Music Educators Conference as the 2001 TMEA 2C Honor Band. She has earned the distinction of being one of the very few directors to earn multiple performances at both the Midwest Clinic and TMEA with different programs at both the middle school and high school levels.
Under the direction of Kathy Johnson, the Argyle High School Marching Band earned the title of Texas UIL 4A State Marching Band Champion, earning this title first in 2008. With this competition being held every biennium, they repeated as winners in 2010, 2012, and 2014; the first 3A/4A program to win four consecutive state championships. In 2016 the Argyle Eagle Marching Band earned the silver medal at the Texas UIL 4A State Marching Band Championship.
Most recently the Argyle High School Band program was named by the Texas Bandmasters Association as the 2014 Exemplary High School Band Program. In 2009, the Argyle Band program was awarded the Outstanding Band Program Award by the Texas Chapter of the American School Band Director’s Association. Other Argyle Band accomplishments include Association of Texas Small School Bands Outstanding Performance Series Winner and National Wind Band Honors Winner.
Prior to coming to Argyle High School, Mrs. Johnson taught for twenty years in the Lewisville Independent School District in Texas. During her tenure there, Mrs. Johnson taught at three different middle schools where her students consistently earned Superior Ratings and “Best in Class” awards. Under her direction, the Griffin Middle School Symphonic Band advanced to the TMEA 2C State Honor Band finals and placed 4th and 3rd respectively in both 1986 and 1988.
A founding member of the internationally acclaimed Dallas Winds, she continues to regularly perform as a flutist. A member for the past thirty five years, she has played on countless concerts and sixteen compact disc recordings with many of the country’s foremost conductors. She has also performed with the Camerata Chamber Winds.
A highly sought after clinician, adjudicator, and consultant throughout Texas, her success and expertise on the development of the total band program have earned her recognition with invitations to present clinics at many prestigious conferences, and in-services. She was a contributor in the development of the Tonal Energy Tuner application for iPad and iPhone; one of the most widely used applications in the country. Mrs. Johnson is co-author of Musical Mastery for Band, a method development book for band.
Mrs. Johnson received both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Music Education from The University of North Texas where she studied flute with Dr. George Morey and Dr. Mary Karen Clardy. Professional affiliations include the American Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu where she is a board member representing the small schools of Texas, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association where she is the representative for Region 2, Association of Texas Small School Bands, Women’s Band Directors International and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. Mrs. Johnson resides in Flower Mound, Tx with her husband, Eric.
Under her direction, the Argyle High School Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago in 2007. They were also selected as the Texas Music Educators Association 3A State Honor Band, earning the honor of performing at the TMEA Conference in 2009. Prior to coming to Argyle, she was a highly successful middle school director at McKamy Middle School in the Lewisville Independent School District where she also earned the honor of performing at the 2001 Midwest International Band and Orchestra Conference as well as performing at the Texas Music Educators Conference as the 2001 TMEA 2C Honor Band. She has earned the distinction of being one of the very few directors to earn multiple performances at both the Midwest Clinic and TMEA with different programs at both the middle school and high school levels.
Under the direction of Kathy Johnson, the Argyle High School Marching Band earned the title of Texas UIL 4A State Marching Band Champion, earning this title first in 2008. With this competition being held every biennium, they repeated as winners in 2010, 2012, and 2014; the first 3A/4A program to win four consecutive state championships. In 2016 the Argyle Eagle Marching Band earned the silver medal at the Texas UIL 4A State Marching Band Championship.
Most recently the Argyle High School Band program was named by the Texas Bandmasters Association as the 2014 Exemplary High School Band Program. In 2009, the Argyle Band program was awarded the Outstanding Band Program Award by the Texas Chapter of the American School Band Director’s Association. Other Argyle Band accomplishments include Association of Texas Small School Bands Outstanding Performance Series Winner and National Wind Band Honors Winner.
Prior to coming to Argyle High School, Mrs. Johnson taught for twenty years in the Lewisville Independent School District in Texas. During her tenure there, Mrs. Johnson taught at three different middle schools where her students consistently earned Superior Ratings and “Best in Class” awards. Under her direction, the Griffin Middle School Symphonic Band advanced to the TMEA 2C State Honor Band finals and placed 4th and 3rd respectively in both 1986 and 1988.
A founding member of the internationally acclaimed Dallas Winds, she continues to regularly perform as a flutist. A member for the past thirty five years, she has played on countless concerts and sixteen compact disc recordings with many of the country’s foremost conductors. She has also performed with the Camerata Chamber Winds.
A highly sought after clinician, adjudicator, and consultant throughout Texas, her success and expertise on the development of the total band program have earned her recognition with invitations to present clinics at many prestigious conferences, and in-services. She was a contributor in the development of the Tonal Energy Tuner application for iPad and iPhone; one of the most widely used applications in the country. Mrs. Johnson is co-author of Musical Mastery for Band, a method development book for band.
Mrs. Johnson received both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Music Education from The University of North Texas where she studied flute with Dr. George Morey and Dr. Mary Karen Clardy. Professional affiliations include the American Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu where she is a board member representing the small schools of Texas, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association where she is the representative for Region 2, Association of Texas Small School Bands, Women’s Band Directors International and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. Mrs. Johnson resides in Flower Mound, Tx with her husband, Eric.
Michael Lemish is entering his 17th year as Assistant Director of Bands at Argyle ISD. His responsibilities include teaching high school, middle school and beginning percussion students as well as teaching and cleaning all aspects the marching bands visual program. Mr. Lemish graduated from Central Noble High School in Albion, Indiana in 1997. In the fall of that year he moved to Denton, TX where he began his collegiate career at the University of North Texas. While at UNT he performed in the UNT Drumline, the basketball band and was part of various percussion ensembles. His teachers included Dr. Robert Schietroma, Jeff Prosperie, Christopher Deane and Ed Soph. In the fall of 2001, Mr. Lemish was contracted to assist the starting of the the Argyle High School Marching Band. In the spring of 2002 he completed his student teaching assignment in Argyle and upon graduating joined the staff at his current position.
Under his direction, the Argyle Drumline has earned first place at the Plano Drumline competition in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 in addition to many "Best Percussion" awards at various marching competitions. Mr. Lemish has played a key role in the numerous awards that the Argyle High School Bands have been awarded including the 2003 and 2005 UIL Class AA State Marching Champions, 2005 TMEA Class C Honor Band, 2006 TMEA Class AA Honor Band, a performance at the 2007 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, 2008 TMEA Class AAA Honor Band and 2008, 2010 , 2012 and 2014 UIL Class AAA State Marching Champions.
Mr. Lemish is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Association of Texas Small School Bands, and the Percussive Arts Society. He is an active percussion arranger, performer, adjudicator, and clinician throughout Texas. Michael resides in Denton, Tx with his wife Erin, daughters Morgan and Zoe, and son Cooper.