Mark Poole

Mark Poole, originally from Mesquite, Texas, is in his fourth year at Lone Star High School. The Lone Star High School Band has had great success at the local, state, and national level. The Lone Star Wind Symphony was a TMEA Honor Band Finalist in 2019, placing 6th overall in the entire State. The LSHS Marching band returned to the State Marching Contest in 2019 as a finalist. The marching band has been a finalist at every local competition, 2nd place at the Little Elm Classic on the Lake (2018, 2019) and was awarded Grand Champion at the Denton Golden Triangle contest in 2018. All 3 band concert bands are sweepstakes award winners, and the Wind Symphony was recognized as a National Windband Honor Recipient of the Mark of Excellence in 2019. Prior to Lone Star he was the director of bands at Forney High School for the past 12 years. Under his tenure, the Forney band had great success at the local, state, and National level. The marching band made appearances at the Texas State Marching Contest 5 consecutive times. (2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) The band was awarded “Best in Class” at the Mesquite Marching Festival 8 times and numerous Grand Championships at the Mesquite Marching Contest, DeSoto Marching Classic, Mansfield Preview of Champions, and the Frisco Centennial Marching Contest. The Wind Ensemble was awarded consistent Sweepstakes, several “Best in Class” awards, named a 4-time National Windband Honor recipient, 2-time Grand Champion of the Dallas Winds Invitational, advanced to the TMEA Honor band Area contest in 2011. 2013, 2015, and 2017 and named a TMEA State Honor band finalist in 2013 and 2017 (5th overall).
Prior to his appointment at Forney, Mr. Poole was the director of bands at Nimitz High School in Irving, Texas, director of bands for the Jasper Independent School district, and at Southwood High in school in Shreveport, Louisiana. His bands received numerous sweepstakes awards and enjoyed great success at both the region and state levels (Texas and Louisiana). In 2003, the JHS Symphonic band was awarded the OPS (Outstanding Performance Series) award from ATSSB.
Mr. Poole received a degree in music education and saxophone performance from the University of North Texas in Denton. While there, he performed with many top performing organizations in both the classical and jazz idioms, serving as a principal player and section leader in many of those groups. He was under the tutelage of fine instructors such as: Robert Winslow, Dennis Fisher, Tim Ishi, Jim Riggs, and Eric Nestler. While obtaining his undergraduate, Mr. Poole taught private saxophone and clarinet in the D/FW area. After completing his undergraduate, Mr. Poole graduated summa cum laude from Northwestern State University the following year, receiving his Master’s degree in conducting. As a graduate assistant he was director of the Symphony Band, jazz band, basketball pep-band, marching band assistant, and assisted and conducted the Wind Symphony. He also served as a private instructor and arranger for the Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band.
In addition to his teaching, Mr. Poole has performed professionally with groups such as: Texas Wind Symphony, Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, Natchitoches Symphony Orchestra, Roy Clark, Ben Vereen, Bill Causey Big Band, Pete Peterson Big Band, Just Friends Big Band, and many other groups in the DFW area. Mr. Poole also serves as a clinician/adjudicator in both Texas and Louisiana.
Mr. Poole is a member of TMEA, TBA, and TMAA and is an active arranger for high school marching bands throughout Texas and Louisiana and conducts leadership training for bands throughout the DFW area.