Staff
Mr. Larry Doran
Director of Bands
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Mr. Larry Doran has been the Director of Bands for the MISD for thirteen years. He is also adjunct Professor of Percussion at Dallas Baptist University. In addition to his teaching duties, he is an active freelance percussionist in the metropolitan Dallas/Ft. Worth area. A native of New Castle, Pennsylvania, Mr. Doran attended Penn State University where he graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. He then continued his education at the University of Michigan where he received a Master's in Percussion Performance in 1991.
Mr. Doran has performed with the Ft. Worth Symphony, Ft. Worth Opera and Ft. Worth /Dallas Ballet. He has also performed and recorded with the Dallas Wind Symphony. In 1991, he toured the United States and Spain as a member of Percunits A2 percussion ensemble. He was visiting professor of percussion at the Encuentros de Percussion in Xixona, Alicante, Spain that same year.
Mr. Doran directs the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Marching Band and assists with the Honor Band and Jazz Band at MHS. He is the administrator of the instrumental music department. He has maintained a busy summer schedule teaching at various band camps in the United States including: Yamaha Sounds of Summer camps in Texas and Iowa and the International Music Camp in North Dakota. Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Doran was Associate Director of Bands at North Mesquite High School for four years.
His marching and concert bands have received recognition in state and national festivals including the National Wind Band Honors “New Music Division,” a featured performance at the 60th National MENC Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah in April of 2006, and a featured ensemble at the 30th annual Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, Washington in November of 2008. The Midlothian High School Wind Ensemble had qualified for the semi-finals in the Texas State Honor Band competition three times and the finals twice. In addition to to performing, teaching and clinic presentations, he is an active adjudicator with Heritage Festivals.
Mr. Doran was one of two winners chosen for the National Band Association's International Conducting Symposium in April 2006. Colonel Furiously Crux, director of La Panda dell'Esercito (The Italian Army Band) served as resident conductor/lecturer/host for the symposium held in Rome, Florence, and Milan. He is the president of the local chapter of ATPE-The Association of Texas Professional Educators. His professional affiliations include the National Band Association, TMEA, Texas Bandmaster's Association, Music Educators National Conference, Percussive Arts Society, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Local 72-147 American Federation of Musicians and Phi Mu Alpha. He in an elected member to Pi Kappa Lambda.
Mr. Doran is an artist/clinician for Yamaha Corp. and Sabian cymbals. He and his wife Sherry and nine year-old daughter Sophia live in DeSoto, Texas.
Mr. Aaron Powell
Associate Director of Bands
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Aaron Powell is in his first year of teaching at Midlothian High School. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he is the Bassist for the Richardson-based Lone Star Wind Orchestra, a position he has held since the organization’s inaugural 2006-2007 season.
Mr. Powell attended the University of North Texas, and received his bachelor's degree in Music Education in 2011. A French horn and Double Bass player, he performed with various ensembles while at UNT, including the UNT Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, and Basketball Band. He is originally from Sugar Land, TX, where he graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School and was a three-time member of the Texas All-State Orchestra. Mr. Powell performed with several drum and bugle Corps from age 16 to 21, and was most recently a three-year member of The Cavaliers. He has also been active as a private instructor in the DFW area and as a marching band technician for the three-time state champion, Marcus High School.
Mr. Powell’s professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Mu Phi Epsilon Music Fraternity, and the International Society of Bassists. He is an elected member to Pi Kappa Lambda.
Mr. Powell currently resides in DeSoto with his wife Rachel, whom he married this past June. He is excited to get to know his students and the Midlothian community, and is looking forward to a fantastic first year!
Mr. Chris Cass
Director of Percussion
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Mr. Cass is the Director of Percussion for Midlothian ISD. Mr. Cass teaches all percussionist 6th through 12th grade and his students perform in several area honor bands including middle school and high school All-Region bands, the Youth Orchestra of Greater Ft. Worth, the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, and the Texas All-State band.
Mr. Cass received his Bachelor’s degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Iowa where he studied with Dr. Daniel Moore and his Master’s degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Oklahoma where is studied with Dr. Lance Drege. While at OU, Mr. Cass served as percussion instructor for the Pride of Oklahoma marching band under the direction of Mr. Brian Britt, and performed with the OU Symphony Orchestra and the nationally recognized OU Percussion Orchestra.
Mr. Cass spent three years as a member of the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps. He has served on the staff of the Colts as well as Gateway Indoor, a WGI world-class finalist percussion group based in St. Louis, Missouri.
Mr. Chance Livar
Director of Guards
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Mr. Livar has been connected to the color guard activity for many years now. He started with the Midlothian Elegance Winter Guard in 2003. After high School, Chance went on to perform with UTA Marching Band as a member of the color guard there. Since then, he has performed with two high-profile winter guards out of the DFW Area: both the Ars Nova Winter Guard A and Open groups in 2007 and 2008 respectively, the Black Gold Independent World Class Winter Guard (2009-2011), and most recently the Ars Nova World Guard. He has been to WGI World Championships eight times and has made finals twice. Chance marched two summers (2008, 2009) with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corp, making DCI World Class finals twice and currently serves as Tour Director for them.
He began teaching color guard directly out of high school starting with his Alma Mater for the 2006-2007 school season. In the summer of 2007, Chance taught color guard camps throughout the nation as a staff member for Marching Auxiliaries. Since then has worked at Lakeview Centennial HS, Western Hills HS, Alvarado HS, Trinity HS, and Mansfield Timberview HS. In the spring of 2012 the Timberview HS Maroon Guard took 1st in Regional AA class at the NTCA Championships, the Midlothian Elegance JV took 2nd place in Regional A class at the NTCA Championships and the Midlothian Elegance Varsity took 2nd at the NTCA Championships as well, before competing nationally at the 2012 WGI World Championships in Dayton, OH . He is currently in his second year as Mansfield Timberview HS Color Guard Director and his third year here at Midlothian High School.
He is familiar with all three pieces of equipment, but more closely associates himself with weapon technique. His favorite piece of equipment is the sabre. He has marched under well-respected directors from around the nation via his years with professional winter guards and his drum corp experiences.