Directors
Mr. Van Hooser
Director of Bands
Stephen Van Hooser is the Director of Bands here at Smith Middle School. Born and raised in Cypress TX, he is a product of our wonderful district. He attended Emmott Elementary, Campbell Middle School, and Cypress Ridge High School.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Sam Houston State University, Mr. Van Hooser started his teaching career in Richardson, Texas at Berkner High School. Mr. Van Hooser’s bands earned consistent first division ratings in the UIL Marching Contest and the UIL Concert and Sightreading Evaluations. Additionally, during his time in Richardson ISD, the Berkner Band advanced to the State Marching Band Competition, was invited to perform at The Midwest Clinic in Chicago, IL (Liberty Junior High 2016, Berkner Full Symphony Orchestra 2016, and the Berkner Symphonic Band 1 in 2019), and was invited to perform at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in 2018.
In the Fall of 2020, Mr. Van Hooser moved back home to Cypress and began working with the Smith Middle School Band. Under Mr. Van Hooser's leadership, the 2022-2023 Smith Symphonic Winds Band (Varsity) has been named a Commended Winner in The Foundation for Music Education's "Mark of Excellence" National Wind Band Honors Competition. Additionally, the 2022-2023 Smith Non-Varsity band (Symphonic Band) has also been named a Commended Winner in The Foundation for Music Education's "Citation of Excellence" Competition. With over 400 submissions, the Smith Band was recognized as one of the premier band programs in our nation!
Mr. Van Hooser was chosen as Smith Middle School's Teacher Of The Year for the 2022-2023 school year and was recognized at the annual Salute To The Stars Gala hosted by CFISD.
Outside of his professional life, Mr. Van Hooser is a dedicated husband to his beautiful wife, Katie and cat feeder to his handsome old man cat, Gravy.
From skydiving to climbing a 14,000ft mountain, they enjoy exploring the world!
stephen.vanhooser@cfisd.net
Symphonic Winds
Beginning Trumpet
Beginning French Horn
Beginning Trombone
Beginning Euphonium
Beginning Tuba
Mr. Davis
Assistant Band Director
Chris Davis is the Assistant Band Director here at Smith Middle School. Born and raised in Houston, Texas and attended school in Spring ISD.
Mr. Davis earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Sam Houston State University, where he was Principal Saxophone of the SHSU Wind Ensemble. Mr. Davis spent his first 7 years teaching at Clear Lake Intermediate in Clear Creek ISD.
Mr. Davis enjoys spending time Camping, disc golfing, and exploring with his wife Malorie and their two sons, Charles (2) and Dale (1).
Symphonic Band
Beginning Flute
Beginning Clarinet
Beginning Saxophone
Mr. kollar
Assistant Band Director,
Cypress Ranch High School
A percussionist and educator from Houston, Texas, Mr. Jamey Kollar is beyond humbled and excited to be joining the staff at Cypress Ranch High School as an assistant director and percussion coordinator! Mr. Kollar is coming to Cypress-Fairbanks ISD from George Ranch High School in Richmond, TX, where he oversaw the full vertical percussion program from 6th-12th grades.. From 2015 to 2021, Mr. Kollar served as the Assistant Director of the Spirit of Houston Marching Band at the University of Houston, where he coordinated and arranged for the Spirit of Houston Drumline, as well as made logistical preparations for the University of Houston Band program. His ensembles have participated in UIL, BOA, WGI and TCGC events, and have earned consistent superior ratings, including numerous finalist performances, caption awards, and state championships, including 3 TCGC Scholastic World State Championships in 2015, 2018 and 2019 with the Pasadena Memorial HS Indoor Drumline.
A strong advocate for the promotion and performance of new music, Mr. Kollar keeps an active performance schedule, most notably as a percussionist with the Houston-based contemporary chamber music group Loop38. He was selected to be a performance fellow at the 2017 Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival in North Adams, MA, where he performed and studied alongside young professional musicians and composers from around the world. In addition, he attended the 2012 and 2013 Sō Percussion Summer Institute, a multi-week intensive percussion chamber music festival held annually on the campus of Princeton University.
Mr. Kollar is a graduate of the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston, earning his Masters of Music in Percussion Performance degree in the spring of 2012. He completed his undergraduate studies at the Moores School in 2010. Over the course of his collegiate and post-collegiate career, Mr. Kollar has been extremely fortunate to have studied with such talented teachers and mentors as Dr. Blake Wilkins, Alec Warren, David Bertman, Lamar Burkhalter, David Cossin, as well as the members of Sō Percussion.
Professional affiliations include membership in the Texas Music Educators Association, the Percussive Arts Society, the Houston Professional Musicians Association, and Pi Kappa Lambda. He is a proud educator/artist for Tama/Bergerault Marching and Concert Percussion, and Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets.
Beginning Percussion
Mr. fink
Assistant Band Director,
Cypress Ranch High School
Zachary Fink has served as an Assistant Band Director at Cypress Ranch High School since the fall of 2019.
Originally from Carrollton, TX, Mr. Fink graduated from the University of Houston with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. He studied bassoon with Elise Wagner and conducting with Franz Krager. During Mr. Fink’s time at the University of Houston, he was inducted as a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and he performed with the Symphonic Winds, Chamber Winds, Opera Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble. Mr. Fink is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Music Education at the University of North Texas.
His professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA), Texas Jazz Educators Association (TJEA), and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Mr. Fink also currently serves as the coordinator for the CFISD Jazz Coordinator and the Region 27 Jazz Coordinator.
Mr. Fink teaches our Beginning Oboe and Bassoon class here at Smith!
Beginning Oboe and Bassoon