Frank Nedley, Director of Bands
A homegrown Texan, Mr. Nedley grew up in Grapevine and attended the University of North Texas, where he received his degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Percussion.
During his time at UNT, he also had the privilege to teach and arrange music for the Green Brigade Drumline for three years. Mr. Nedley has a strong background in marching percussion and marched with both the Carolina Crown (2002) and Phantom Regiment (2003-2006) Drum and Bugle Corps.
After touring with drum corps across the country, Mr. Nedley played with the Dallas Cowboys Rhythm and Blue Drumline for two years and the Dallas Mavericks Drumline for five years.
Mr. Nedley became the director of bands in 2024 and has been teaching at Anderson High School since 2012.
Calvin Householder, Assistant Band Director
Calvin Householder is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a Bachelors in Music Education. While at Oklahoma State he studied trombone with Professor Paul Compton, and served as Baritone Section Leader and Drum Major for the Cowboy Marching Band.
Mr. Householder marched baritone with the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps in 2018 and 2019, and aged out as a Drum Major in 2021. During his last year with Boston, he received the Michael J. Woodall Leadership Award. In 2022, he was a brass instructor with the Boston Crusaders and is currently on the Brass Staff of the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps.
Prior to joining the Anderson Band staff in 2024, Mr. Householder was the Assistant Band Director at Lockhart Junior High School as well as the lead visual instructor for the Lockhart High School Band. He is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
In his free time he enjoys spending time outside climbing and cycling around town.
Hunter Smith, Assistant Band Director
Hunter Smith is a Clarinet player and Austin native who attended Vandegrift High School. Some honorable mentions from his years at Vandegrift include 4A State Marching Band Gold Medalist (2013), Head Drum Major (2015), and 5A State Marching Band Silver Medalist (2015). After high school, Mr. Smith attended the University of North Texas, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Clarinet.
During his time at UNT, Mr. Smith was a Drum Major of the North Texas Green Brigade for 2 years. Mr. Smith studied applied Clarinet under Professor Daryl Coad and Conducting under Professor Dennis Fisher and Dr. Nicholas Williams. He student taught in Leander ISD at Henry Middle School and Vista Ridge High School.
Prior to joining the Anderson Band Staff in 2024, Mr. Smith served in Lake Travis ISD as the Assistant Band Director at Hudson Bend MS for one year, and before that in Wylie ISD as the Assistant Band Director at Burnett JH and Harrison IS for two years.
Chad Wood, Guard Director
Chad Wood is a Colorado native who is an avid participant and spectator of the marching arts.
With strong ties to the Rocky Mountains, Chad began his marching career in Denver, CO with the Blue Knights (2015-2017) where he spent three summers, and was a color guard captain in 2017. Chad has also had the honor of traveling internationally to the island nation of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf to perform with the Blue Knights in the opening ceremonies of the 2017 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Chad then went on to march Bluecoats (2018) and Santa Clara Vanguard, where he aged out in 2019. Chad simultaneously spent his time with WGI finalists such as Malachi (2016, 2017), CGT Dallas (2018 WGI Fan Favorite), and Invictus World (2019-present). Chad has had the pleasure of working with several independent and high school programs throughout Colorado, Minnesota, and Texas for the past eight years.
Chad began working with the Anderson High School Color Guard in 2021. He is also a choreographer at Invictus World.
In the photo of the guard directors, Chad is on the left.
Kenzie Hewitt, Guard Director
Kenzie Hewitt is a native Texan who is passionate about teaching and participating in the performing arts.
Kenzie started her marching career in San Antonio at Claudia Taylor Johnson High School. Some honorable mentions from her years at CTJ include competing and becoming a BOA Grand Nationals finalist (2011), performing in the Rose Bowl parade (2013), and winning BOA San Antonio (2014). She was also a WGI Open Class finalist in 2012 and won the silver medal in WGI Open Class in 2013. She then went on to compete in World Class with CTJ for her junior and senior years. After graduating high school, she continued her career marching with Blue Knights, a world-class drum and bugle corps based out of Denver, CO, where she spent 3 of her summers. Kenzie simultaneously spent her time with Invictus World Guard where she was a part of the inaugural cast, and where she continues to march and teach today. Kenzie then went on to march with Bluecoats drum and bugle corps, where she aged out in 2018. Kenzie has had the pleasure of working with several other guards around Texas, including some in the Bryan, College Station, Edinburg, and Austin areas. She has also had the privilege to work with RCR, an open class drum corps, and Troopers, a world class drum corps.
Kenzi has been teaching at Anderson since 2021, and she is happy to have found a home with the Trojan Band and Guard. Kenzie cannot wait to see the program continue to grow!
In the photo of the guard directors, Kenzie is on the right.
Ashley Ridenour, Percussion Instructor and Private Lessons
Ashley Ridenour is a percussionist, composer, and arranger, specializing in contemporary, classical, and world percussion.
Ashley has performed all across the country, as well as internationally. Ashley currently teaches and freelances in Austin, Texas, and Colorado, playing with groups such as the Austin Percussion Collective, Greeley Philharmonic, and Boulder Symphony. Ashley toured the summers of 2017 and 2018 with the famous Santa Clara Vanguard DCI group, achieving the Fred Sanford High Drums Award both years, and the DCI Championship in 2018. More recently, she performed as a soloist and ensemble member of the World Percussion Group in 2021, and had the honor of working with percussionists such as Dame Evelyn Glennie, Svet Stoyanov, Katarzyna Mycka, Joseph Pereira, and Pius Cheung. As an individual, Ashley has performed and competed internationally. She was named Grand Prize Winner of the Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition in 2020, and was a grand finalist in both the Great Plains International Marimba Competition and DrumFest Marimba Duo Competition in Poland. She has performed with famous musicians such as steel pan virtuoso Andy Narell, Frederic Macarez, and even with popstar Meghan Trainor in the Dallas Cowboys 2019 Thanksgiving Game halftime show.
Ashley holds a degree in percussion performance from the University of North Texas (BM, 2020), where she studied with Christopher Deane, Mark Ford, Paul Rennick, Ed Smith, Drew Lang, and Jose Aponte. She became well-versed in subjects such as chamber/orchestral percussion, hand-percussion, drum set, and jazz vibraphone. During her time there, she performed with the UNT 2 O’ Clock Steel Band and can be heard on the North Texas Wind Symphony’s CD: Hope. She also studied percussion ensemble arranging with Paul Rennick. She completed her master’s degree at
Boston Conservatory at Berklee (MM, 2023), under the direction of Nancy Zeltsman, Samuel Solomon, Jon Bisesi, and Kyle Brightwell.