Head Choir Director
Ruben James Alcala has served as Head Choir Director at Mayde Creek High School since 2014. Ruben has been an active musician since graduating from South Houston High School singing under the direction of Sally Schott and Dr. Richard Robbins. Prior to becoming Head Director at MCHS, Ruben served as the Director of Vocal Music at Santa Fe South Middle and High Schools in south Oklahoma City. Students under his direction have received superior ratings at contests and festivals and many have been selected to Region and All-State Choirs. In addition to his work with choirs at SFS, Ruben was also an active staff member throughout the school serving as Head Coach for the Middle and High School Wrestling teams, Head Coach for Middle School Baseball, and Asst. Coach for Middle School Football.
Ruben graduated with a Master's degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Oklahoma where he served dual roles as Graduate Teaching Assistant and Fellow of Music at McFarlin Memorial United Methodist Church. Ruben had the opportunity to conduct several ensembles at OU including: The OU Chorale, Opera Chorus, Men's Glee Club, Choral Union, and Chamber Singers, as well as, singing in the early music ensemble, Collegium Musicum.
Prior to his time in Oklahoma, Ruben served as Choral Assistant at both Houston Baptist University and First Presbyterian Church of Houston. Ruben was the recipient of the John Yarrington Fellowship in Choral Conducting allowing him to direct three choral ensembles at Houston Baptist University.
As a conductor, Ruben has conducted choral groups across the United States and Austria in works including: Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria, Joseph Haydn’s Missa Sancti Nicoli and Missa St. Joannis de Deo, and Paul Bassler’s Missa Kenya. He has also assisted in the preparation of other masterworks including Orff’s Carmina Burana, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Mass in C, Schubert’s Mass in G, Haydn’s Creation, and Mendelssohn’s Die erste Walpurgisnacht. Ruben has also prepared choruses for several opera productions, including Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito, Don Giovanni, and Die Zauberflote, Strauss’s Die Fliedermaus, and Stravinsky’s Le Rossignol. Ruben also severed as Musical Director and Conductor of the 2015 MCHS production of Once Upon A Mattress, 2016 production of Chicago, and 2017 production of In The Heights which was nominated for 4 Tommy Tunes awards including Best Music Direction.
Ruben has studied conducting and worked with many composers including John Yarrington, Richard Zielinski, Don Moses, Anton Armstrong, James Jordan, Alice Parker, Morton Lauridsen, Daniel Forrest, and Daniel Gawthrop.
Ruben has remained active as a conductor and educator. Each summer Ruben returns to his alma mater where he serves as Bass Section Leader at the HBU Vocal Camp teaching Houston area high school students the TMEA All-State repertoire. Ruben has also worked with middle and high school students at the University of Oklahoma’s annual Young Men’s Vocal Workshop.
Ruben currently serves as Chair-Elect for the Region 23 Vocal Division and was selected as a quarter-finalist for the 2016 Grammy Educator Award.
Mr. Alcala was a recent guest on the Choir Ninja Podcast
http://www.musicprodigy.com/news/article/teacher-spotlight-ruben-alcala-mayde-creek-high-school-katyisd-texas
https://www.hbu.edu/school-of-fine-arts/events-in-the-college/hbu-choir-camp/
Assistant Choir Director
Jessica Shine graduated from Grammy award winning Spring High School under the direction of Denise Eaton and David Landgrebe in 2012.
Jessica attended Sam Houston State University where she studied Music Education. During this time, she was a member and the alto section leader of the Women’s Choir and the Sam Houston State University Chorale, an ACDA and TMEA performing ensemble. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Jessica had the opportunity to work with and learn from Dr. James Franklin and Denise Eaton, as well as many choir directors in the greater Houston area.
Jessica is currently a member of TMEA and TCDA.
Jessica Shine graduated from Grammy award winning Spring High School under the direction of Denise Eaton and David Landgrebe in 2012.
Jessica attended Sam Houston State University where she studied Music Education. During this time, she was a member and the alto section leader of the Women’s Choir and the Sam Houston State University Chorale, an ACDA and TMEA performing ensemble. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Jessica had the opportunity to work with and learn from Dr. James Franklin and Denise Eaton, as well as many choir directors in the greater Houston area.
Jessica is currently a member of TMEA and TCDA.