McNeil High School Band

Ian Smith received his Bachelors of Music degree from LSU where he was a member of the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and the drumline captain/staff arranger for the marching band. He also performed in the New Music Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Ethnic Percussion Ensemble, and played trumpet in the Basketball Band.

After teaching for two years in the Houston area for the state champion Westfield band, he moved to Austin and has been at McNeil since the fall of 2001. He currently conducts the concert band and percussion program which have won numerous awards at both concert and marching contests, including two high percussion awards at marching contests in the last two years.

Mr. Smith stays busy in the summer by teaching across the southeast for Percussion One / Yamaha, and writing percussion parts for schools in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Along with that he has also judged across the state for solo and ensemble contests and indroor drumline competitions. In 2009 he was appointed as percussion-organizer for the 2010 All-State Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been writing the McNeil percussion music for the marching band shows for the past 9 years and has written other music for percussion which has been played by high school and college groups all over the country, some of which has been published through Drop6 Media. and Rowloff Productions. He has also received an educational endorsement with Vic Firth , a manufacturer of sticks and mallets.