AMANDA STEVENSON
Director of Bands
Amanda Stevenson is the Director of Bands at Winston Churchill High School in San Antonio, TX. Throughout her career she has instructed various students in music ranging from beginners to collegiate members. Ms. Stevenson has been with the Winston Churchill High School music program as Conductor of the Wind Ensemble, Director of Jazz Studies, Director of the Charger Marching Band and instructor of Instrumental Ensembles since Fall 2019. She is the first Female Head Band Director in Churchill High School history and the first 6A Female Head Band Director in the history of North East Independent School District. Prior to her time at Churchill, Amanda was the Director of Bands at Taft High School and Associate Band Director at Georgetown High School.
Amanda has a strong affiliation with Drum Corps International (DCI). She is currently on Brass Staff for the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps and a Brass Consultant for The Blue Knights and Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps. She has also served on Brass Staff for the Troopers, Crossmen, Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps and was a Visual Staff Instructor with Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps. Though her primary instrument is Saxophone, Ms. Stevenson played Euphonium with Capital Regiment and started her corps career on Baritone with Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps.
Ms. Stevenson received her Bachelor’s Degree in All-Level Music Education from Texas State University. Since her time at Texas State, Ms. Stevenson has had continued success with Superior Ratings at the University Interscholastic League Concert, Sightreading and Marching Contests. Her programs have had top performances at Bands of America, Jazz Festivals, TMEA clinics, and The Midwest Clinic. Her ensembles have been selected as the Commended Winner for the Foundation for Music Education National Wind Band Honors Program, Mark of Excellence Jazz Ensemble Award and was named the Featured Band for the Music For All National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana. She has been a Clinician for the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association and Louisiana Music Educators association. She has also been the recipient of numerous grants for her programs.
Ms. Stevenson is an active clinician, performer and adjudicator in the United States. Her professional affiliations include Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Jazz Educators Association, and Sigma Alpha Iota. Amanda currently lives in San Antonio, Texas where she continues to educate and instruct students of all levels.
AMY PLAZEK
Assistant Director
Amy Plazek is excited to be joining the Winston Churchill Band Staff as Associate Director. Her knowledge and expertise in band pedagogy and woodwind technique will serve as a great resource to the Charger Band.
Ms. Plazek received her Bachelor's Degree in Music Education with Cum Laude honors from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2006 and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership at Texas Tech University.
Ms. Plazek’s career began as the Associate Director of Bands at Freeport High School in Freeport, IL where she was responsible for assisting in all aspects of Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Pep Band, and 5th-8th grade beginning to intermediate students. After teaching in Freeport for four years, she relocated to San Antonio where she held the position as Director of Bands at Harris Middle School in San Antonio ISD for 11 years. Ms. Plazek has taught all woodwind, brass, and percussion classes as well as directed the Varsity Symphonic Band and the Jazz Band. Under her direction, the Harris Middle School Band doubled in size to nearly 300 students and also received accolades including 7 consecutive UIL Sweepstakes Awards, TMEA Area Finalist, and participation in the YOSA Invitational at the Tobin Center.
While at Harris MS, Ms. Plazek was a member of the Campus Leadership Team, mentored 1st year teachers and student teachers, was awarded numerous grants for the band program, and was named Teacher of the Year in 2017.
Ms. Plazek is an active bassoonist and woodwind specialist in and around the San Antonio Area. She has made professional appearances with Broadway Across America, Victoria Symphony, Corpus Christi Symphony, San Antonio Opera Company, and local theater companies. Amy is also an active member of Texas Music Educators Association and Texas Music Adjudicators Association clinicing and judging throughout the state of Texas.
Rick Astorga
Assistant Director
Mr. Rick Astorga is extremely excited to join the band staff of Winston Churchill High School as Associate Director and Director of Percussion. He has been a clinician for the Texas Music Educator Association and has had students selected to perform in showcases at the convention. He has spent the last seven years at William Howard Taft High School in San Antonio, TX, where his responsibilities included teaching drumline, front ensemble, concert percussion, steel drum band, concert band, jazz ensemble as well as teaching all percussion at middle school campuses.
In addition, Mr. Astorga has taught with Five Points Indoor Percussion Ensemble, Imperial Percussion Theatre and has led the Percussion Summer Music Camps at Texas State University. He has a strong affiliation with Drum Corps International as a member of the Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps marching tenor drums. He is a contributing author to Band Directors Talk Shop online resource page for directors nationwide.
Mr. Astorga is a graduate of Texas State University and is pursuing a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Texas. He is currently the Chief Judge of Percussion for TECA and is an endorser of Vic Firth sticks and Zildjian cymbals. He currently resides in San Antonio, TX with his wife Celeste and two dogs Heart and Lela.
RAY RAMIREZ
Color Guard Director
Mr. Ramirez is a native of San Antonio, TX where he graduated from South San High School and is continuing with his education in Business Administration and Human Resources. Mr. Ramirez began participating in color guard in high school as serving as the captain for the Main Event Color Guard. His Drum corps experience includes marching for the 2008 and 2009 Revolution Drum & Bugle Corp serving as captain in 2009. Ray has also taught with the 2013 and 2014 Bronze medalist Genesis Drum & Bugle Corps and served as the color guard co-caption head. Over the years Ray has served as the Contest Director for the Texas Educational Color Guard Association from 2015-present.
Mr. Ramirez continues to serve as a color guard clinician, consultant, and choreographer. He was selected as the Color Guard Director at Harlandale High School and has continued with the program for a decade. Harlandale was named a SA finalist and SO finalist for WGI and has won numerous awards in SA and SO at TECA Championship over the years.
In his guard career, Mr. Ramirez has also taught at Robert E. Lee High School from 2012-2015 and William H. Taft High School in 2015-2016. Recently, Mr. Ramirez has worked with Claudia Taylor Johnson High School, where he served as an assistant to the Color Guard for 2016-Present. In May of 2020, Mr Ramirez became the Color Guard Director at Winston Churchill High School in San Antonio, TX. He is very excited to join the Charger Band Family and is looking forward to continuing the rich tradition of excellence at Winston Churchill High School.
