Ruth Allen
Director of Bands
Ruth Allen is in her 34th year as a Band Director and 14th year at Hornedo Middle School in EPISD. She leads all aspects of the band program and conducts the Honor Band, Concert Band and Beginning Woodwinds. Under her direction her bands consistently receive sweepstakes at UIL Concert/Sightreading Contests, Band Festivals and Jazz Festivals. Her bands have received "Best in Class" in festivals held in San Antonio, Dallas and California. In 2023 the HMS Honor Band placed 1st in Area A at the TMEA 3C Honor Band Competition and advanced to the State Semi-Finals. Also, the Honor Band was a named a Commended Winner in the Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Competition for 2023. The Hornedo Jazz Band also performed at TMEA and Midwest in 2023. And most recently the Texas Bandmaster's Association named the Hornedo Band the 2025 Exemplary Middle School Band Program.
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Mrs. Allen’s main instrument is clarinet. She received her Bachelor in Music Performance from West Texas State University. She played under the direction of Dr. Gary Garner and studied clarinet with Robert Spring and Doug Story. She is a graduate of Riverside High School in El Paso and is a two-time Texas All State Clarinetist and studied under Maria Galindo Chadwell and Vin Richards. She is an active judge and clinician in El Paso and throughout Texas and New Mexico. Her professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Phi Beta Mu, Texas Music Adjudicators Association and Texas Band Masters Association where she served on the TBA Spouse/Family Board from 2018-2024.
Mrs. Allen is married to Daniel Allen, who is currently teaching 5th grade Beginning Band in EPISD. He recently served on the Texas Band Masters Association Board of Directors. Their son Christopher plays horn and piano and graduated from The University of Texas El Paso with a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a master’s degree in Conducting. He started his teaching career as Assistant Band Director and McNeil Middle School in Wichita Fall, TX. Their daughter Lauren is a recent graduate of Coronado High School in El Paso ISD where she played clarinet in the CHS Band and was in the CHS Choir. Lauren is a two-time Texas All State Choir student. She is currently attending UTEP.
John Riley Kirwan
Associate Director
John Riley Kirwan is in his first year at Hornedo Middle School. Originally from Matthews, North Carolina, Kirwan graduated from David W. Butler High School and attended college at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte from which he graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in Music Education.
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Kirwan was a member of the UNC-Charlotte Wind Ensemble for all four years of his undergraduate schooling and was a student in the low brass studio of Dr. Jeremy Marks. Along with performing in college, Kirwan also performed with the Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps for five years (2015-2019) and served as horn sergeant for the corps his final year. He also served as part of the brass instructional team since ageing out from the corps.
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Before coming to Hornedo, Kirwan completed his student teaching at Mooresville High School in Mooresville, North Carolina, being mentored by the director Mr. Joshua Stevenson. He then went on to begin his professional teaching career as the band director of South Rowan High School in China Grove, North Carolina. Heading into the fall of 2021 semester, Kirwan accepted the assistant band director position at Rock Hill High School in Prosper, Texas. Kirwan spent 4 years teaching marching band, non-varisty bands, and the jazz band. In his tenure at Rock Hill High School, the band program made UIL Area Marching Contest Finals, made finals at numerous Bands of America regional finals, and was a consistent recipient of superior division rating at UIL Concert & Sightreading evaluation. Also, John Riley Kirwan and the Rock Hill High School Symphonic Band were recipients of the 2022 AAAAA Citation of Excellence Award and were also recognized as a commended winner in the 2024 AAAAAA Citation of Excellence awards.
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Kirwan is professionally affiliated with the Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and the National Association for Music Education.